PortlandRL

Okay folks, here's the situation.

I really do like my Elantra as everybody knows but I've been fighting with it recently and its complete inability to deliver anywhere close to the EPA fuel mileage numbers. Now I know those figures are just an estimate but I cannot get within spitting distance of them. In city, I get 24 to 25 and the car is rated for 29. I drove it like grandma en route to bingo for a whole week and only managed 26.9. Two all-highway tanks netted me 33.3 and 33.6 MPG and the highway rating is 40. In fact, my lifetime average is a miserable 25.1 MPG.

Resetting the average MPG meter gives me an idea of just how hard it is to reach the figures with this car. I was traveling up I-5 at 65 MPH a few nights ago with the cruise control on, driving on what I thought was a flat surface. I switched to the MPG display and watched in horror as it dropped from 35 to 33 to 31 to 29. Apparently there was the slightest of inclines (totally imperceptible) and that lead to a 25% drop in fuel consumption!

I traded the Santa Fe in mainly to save time at the shop and the Elantra has performed that task admirably. It has been a flawless traveling companion over 5,600 miles that I've put on so far but the fuel economy is what's killing me. I sacrificed a V6 with 276 horsepower and a torque curve that seemingly never ended because I was willing to trade it off for better mileage. Well the fact is I'm not getting it and my love affair with the car is waning quickly. I've owned slow cars my whole life and the Santa Fe was here and gone within 15 months.

That brings me to this....the 2012 Kia Optima SX Turbo in Corsa Blue. This is my dream Optima; cheaper than the Sonata Turbo, more equipment than my car, more power and in the real world, similar if not better mileage. Not to mention the color is astonishing. Trade-in values for the Elantra are excellent because it's in very high demand. If I can get the numbers I want, I'll only have lost $1,000 in the deal and if I sell it privately, may even be able to break even and my payments on the Optima will be very similar.

Please tell me this is a bad idea....or don't.

crazyasiantl

iTrader: (7)

i gotta say, that Optima looks great

ZhenyaF

iTrader: (6)

Go for the Optima, especially if you only lose $1000

nj2pa2nc

Find out and then decide.

doopstr

When I was car shopping it seemed to me that peeps in the Optima forum were saying that the turbo did not get anywhere near its rated MPG. When the turbo is engaged the MPG goes to . From what I could gather the turbo MPG was similar to a normally aspirated V6. Take a Camry SE (both I4 and V6) for a test drive. The only thing I don't like about mine is that I see too many of them now. If you really want high MPG the Camry Hybrid has near V6 power and great MPG.

In short, the Optima Turbo is a nice car but don't expect the high MPG numbers. If you want the MPG stick with the normally aspirated model.

SwervinCL

If you're that concerned about mileage, get a Prius.

The Kia Optima Turbo is advertised at 22/34, so why would you even consider a car that is advertising a less mpg than what you are currently driving. Knowing what you know now, that the Optima would probably get less MPG than what is advertised.

I don't think this is about the mpg at all. You want a more fun car than a boring Elantra.

I think that if you can live with getting worse gas mpg than what you are currently getting, get the Optima.

S A CHO

FYI Your Elantra is averaging nearly exactly the same as my Mustang does...

I'm not helping the situation, am I?

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

Who in their right mind would tell you to keep the Elantra and not go for the Optima? If you can stay out of the boost you'll get a pretty good return on the MPGs, but if you put your foot in it all the time forget getting anywhere near the Elantra's MPGs. It's a stunning looking car, especially in that blue.

Hapa DC5

It seems to me you're wanting a car to settle down with so you need something that will make you happy. The Santa Fe was a lemon, the Elantra isn't living up to expectations on certain levels, so you want to try something else.

If you can really make the deal into basically a wash, then go for it.

pttl

You don't need an excuse. You gave the Elantra a shot, and it isn't what you expected. Life is short. If you can afford it and want it get the Optima. Simple as that.

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

Is the Optima auto or stick?

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

As you know my girlfriend recently got a 2011 Elantra and she's getting 33 mpg mixed. Is your car full of stuff? Weight is a big contributor to bad mpg.

And while I love the new Optima, I highly doubt your mpg will be better. How many tanks of gas could you get for the Elantra in that $1000 you're losing?

Saintor

You have been disappointed twice with the same company (Hyundai/Kia) and now you want to encourage them again?

Some people never learn.

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

I love the Optima. Drove a couple of them as rentals. I want to test one of the 2.0 Turbo but haven't had the chance.

I say DO IT!!!

cjTL

iTrader: (2)

Get the Optima. You only live once. Make yourself happy.

Ken1997TL

If you can, do it.

According to Fuelly and other websites, Hyundai's are NOT living up to the rated MPG nor even close to it.

MTEAZY

Let me get things straight.






Your first Hyundai was very unreliable.


You traded it in for another Hyundai, which doesn't work as advertised.


Now you want a Kia.

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

I personally never cared about gas mileage, so id say DEW IT.

thunder04

iTrader: (1)

Only if you talk me out of mine first.

Have you considered anything outside of the Kia/Hyundai family? It sounds like the real-world MPG will be disappointing compared to their estimated MPG if that's something you are considering.

honda_nut

DO IT!!! DO IT NOW!!!

For only losing a $1000 to get an Optima, this is no brainer.

nj2pa2nc

Own a '11 6mt sonata. We are averaging 35-37 mpg. (Using the old fashion way of calculating it).

Ken1997TL

Your average is a full 8 to 10 mpg over the averages of 185 fuelly users.



27.3 mpg
185 users
4715 fill-ups
1,828,517 miles tracked

nj2pa2nc

Almost all of it is highway.

Aman

You'll lose only $1,000 on trading in the Elantra, or you lose $1,000 getting the Optima?

I think you said earlier that Hyundais don't get their rated mileage until after they're broken in, about 10,000 miles right? 5,600 means you're not even close to getting there. Either give it time to get the rated mileage, or get rid of it now and cut your losses.

If I were you, I'd look elsewhere too. The Optima is a great-looking car and a great deal, but from what I've heard, it doesn't feel like it has as much power as it does, and the mileage isn't that great. Cross-shop other brands. If you get an Optima, it'll be your fourth Hyundai in a row.

Like others have said, you only live once. See what else there is on the market. Or give your Elantra a chance to prove itself.

jchan2

If this helps at all, the last time I checked my parents' MPG numbers in their Sonata Turbo, they were averaging right around 30 MPG in 70/30 highway/city driving.

YMMV with the Sonata/Optima though, as I've heard numbers all over the board on that car.

pttl

I've been renting a '12 Sonata Base engine auto tranny...averaging 24mpg. I'm not beating on it either. My impression is that these 4 banger Hyundai engines are not too efficient.

Sclass88

I LOVE the new Optima, especially in that color! Do it, life is too short...

Allen-

So you want to get rid of your weaker car that's not getting good gas mileage because you sacrificed a car that had good power but sucky fuel economy because you wanted better mpg?

I don't think the Optima is the answer, I think you want one just because the Elantra isn't enough car. I've driven the Sonata turbo and it did not feel that powerful.

MarbleGT

I saw my first one in person yesterday in that color. It looked phenomenal.

My wife said, "thats a Hyundai?!?!"

PortlandRL

Not going to do it, guys.

I was thinking about it all morning at work and even if I sell my car privately, I still have to pay off the $3,400 I still owe and then the rest would go towards the Optima. Even the best case scenario has me going into debt by about ten thousand dollars, two and a half times what I currently owe on the Elantra.

I didn't want to go into debt to begin with and my current payment is incredibly easy to live with although if I get the Optima, it goes up to $277 a month over 36 months before interest. No thanks.

I appreciate all the kind words.

Sarlacc

Everyone here tells you how much you're not wanted...yet you're still here.

So yeah, I guess some don't.

rossv1

You've got me considering one now. haha

1StGenCL

Good call and sticking with what you have. Having little to no car payment is a wonderful thing

Saintor

As a dumb-ass troll, you are hi-jacking another thread again with zero contribution. Of course, dumb-asses of your type never learn.

PortlandRL

Alright...I'm keeping the car so lets have Sarlacc and this moron dupe it out via PM. Can somebody please lock?

pits200

Do people ever do a cost analysis when talking about the difference of 30mpg and 27mpg. If you drive an average of 12,000 miles per year with gas costing $4.00 per gal and you getting 30mpg, that means you'll spend $1,600 in gas for the year

12,000/30mpg = 400 gallons X $4.00 = $1,600/52 weeks = $31/per week
12,000/27mpg = 444 gallons X $4.00 = $1,776 /52 weeks = $34/per week

So you are losing $3/week due to a 3mpg difference in gas mileage.

Just saying, if you don't do 30k miles per year in a car, those small mileage differences aren't compounded as much as you think.

Not saying anyone wants to lose money but I'm fine losing a few bucks per week for less mpg if the trade-off is worth it.

Ken1997TL

Locked per request.

Thread has run its course.

Trolls will be trolls.