[Electra]

Seems like more and more reviews are coming in and this one is from driving.ca: First Drive: 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT

From the sounds of it, the Sport model s the way to go unless you want a better audio system.

The thing we’d miss most by choosing a Sport over the Ultimate is the Infinity seven speaker sound system with amp.

 

[GTSport]

Well at least the audio system will be easy enough to change. Even if I did get an Infinity seven speaker sound system, I'd still end up swapping components out and adding more haha.

 

[hyundaiguy]

Shame that Sport Ultimate doesn't come with a manual. Long gone are the days where some of the most fun trims come with a manual, now its everything below that. Thought Hyundai would include it here as a last run

 

[GTSport]

It would have been a great idea to have a manual transmission for this but unfortunately, such is life I guess. I'm sure we'll still be able to have a lot of fun with this GT Sport though.

Have you owned a lot of manuals ?

 

[hyundaiguy]

It would have been a great idea to have a manual transmission for this but unfortunately, such is life I guess. I'm sure we'll still be able to have a lot of fun with this GT Sport though.

Have you owned a lot of manuals ?

Owned a few in my time but the lack of them these days isn't much of a downer since automatics have outpaced how manuals perform and at the end of the day its about performance. Better performance to me = more fun, but that's not always the case for everyone

 

[GTSport]

Can't disagree with that. These new automatic transmissions just shift so much quicker and smoother than any person can on a manual transmission. They're trying to help with the manuals though that have that auto-blip from factory but it's just not the same.

 

[hyundaiguy]

Seen that too, lucky for anyone that wants a manual, if an N-Sport model comes out then we should be seeing a manual on that. If Honda can come out with a manual-only Type R then what's stopping Hyundai? Especially when they need to attract people more than Honda does.

 

[dhoosee]

Disappointed.

Saw an article online today pretty much confirming that the EGTS will not be available with a manual transmission and premium features, especially the Panoramic roof and ventilated seats (I can do without the lane departure stuff....). Because of this possibility, I'm back to cross-shopping the GTI, and found that for 2018, they will be available with Clark Plaid seats, sunroof, and more power than the 2017.

I still look forward to driving the EGTS, BUT if the nice options aren't available with the stick, I'm heading for Germany and the GTI.....

 

[GTSport]

The plaid seats in the GTI are freaking sweet. They're fast as well and a manual transmission option is there... I may be on the same boat as you at this point.

My cousin actually just purchased one so I may convince him to let me take a drive in it to determine.

 

[Electra]

You'd think they would offer a manual option as that seems to be the preferred gearbox when it comes to performance models like the EGTS. Take a test drive and let us know what you think of it! Maybe its performance can make you overlook the lack of manual.

 

[GTSport]

If you're a purist, I don't think there's anything that will really compensate to make you over look the lack of manual transmission. Just knowing that there's a pedal missing, and a gear shifter that doesn't move side to side & up and down is enough to tell some people "nope"

 

[AlfaDog]

A DCT with paddles can be a lot of fun, but I have to agree...it's not the same feel as having that 3rd pedal and the shift knob in your hand. If that's true about the EGTS and the lack of a manual with the premium options, that's too bad because it will turn alot of people off.

I'm starting to think more and more that I'll end up in a VW GTI or a Elantra Sport Sedan, and at that point it'll probably come down to price and if I can find one with the options I want. It would be hard to not mod the GTI immediately since you can wring out a bunch more horsepower with just a Cobb Accessport. That, and the fact that I see at least 10 GTIs each day are probably the only things pushing me in the Hyundai direction.

 

[hyundaiguy]

As long as we get some nice pedals and the level of performance had far exceeds what a manual can do I will be sold on it. Worst case scenario is we have to upgrade paddles to something aftermarket (or retrofit), that I won't mind.