Hyundai Excel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article refers to the X1 and X2 models of the Hyundai Excel (1985-1994). For the X3 model (1995-1999) sold in some markets as the Hyundai Excel, see Hyundai Accent.


Hyundai Excel
1985-87 Hyundai Excel 5-Door
Manufacturer Hyundai Motor Company
Also called Hyundai Pony
Hyundai Presto
Mitsubishi Precis
Production 1985–1994
Assembly Ulsan, Korea
Predecessor Hyundai Pony
Successor Intended: Hyundai Elantra
Actual: Hyundai Accent
Class Subcompact (C-class)
Body style(s) 3- & 5-door hatchback
4-door sedan
Layout FF layout
Related Hyundai Scoupe

The Hyundai Excel (Hangul:현대 엑셀), also known as the Hyundai Pony, Hyundai Presto and the Mitsubishi Precis, was the first front wheel drive car produced by Hyundai. It was built from 1985 to 1994.

Contents

[edit] Background

The Hyundai Excel was available in hatchback and 4-door models. Originally, the Excel was supposed to be replaced by the Elantra in 1991, but ended up being sold for four seasons until being replaced by the Hyundai Accent in 1995. The Excel was the first Hyundai car to be exported to the United States. From 1989, there was a coupe variant called the Hyundai Scoupe. The Hyundai Excel was available with either a manual or automatic transmission mated to a 4-cylinder engine aspirated by a carburetor or fuel injection system, depending on market and model year.

[edit] Names

Some markets, including Europe, had the Excel branded as the Hyundai Pony, although it is not directly related to the rear wheel drive Hyundai Pony from the early 1980s. The sedan version of the X1 model was known as the Hyundai Presto in South Korea. The Excel arrived in the United States in 1986 and Canada in 1987, replacing the Pony.

The Excel was sold in the United States by Mitsubishi Motors from 1987 to 1994 as the Mitsubishi Precis as either a 3- or 5-door hatchback. The Precis remained in the Mitsubishi range as a "price leader," slotted below the Mirage until it was discontinued in 1992.[1]

[edit] X1 (1985–89)

X1 (1985-1989)
1988-89 Hyundai Excel sedan
Production 1985–89
Engine(s) 1.5 L 68 hp I4
Transmission(s) 3-speed automatic
4-speed manual
5-speed manual
Wheelbase 93.7 in (2380 mm)
Length 160.9 in (4087 mm) (2-door)
168 in (4267 mm) (4-door)
Width 63.1 in (1603 mm)
Height 54.1 in (1374 mm)
Fuel capacity 10.6 US gallons (40.1 L/8.8 imp gal)
Designer Giorgetto Giugiaro
1988-89 Hyundai Excel 3-Door
1988-89 Hyundai Excel 3-Door

The Excel was introduced as a replacement for the Hyundai Pony. In the United States it was the company's first and only model, but thanks to a price of US$4,995 and being voted 'Best Product #10' by Fortune magazine, it set records for a first-year import by selling 168,882 units, helping push the company's cumulative production past one million by 1986.[2] Similar sales success was replicated in Australia, where it was priced at A$9,990. Sales soon dropped as serious quality problems emerged with the car. In large part due to the Excel, for much of the 1990s, Hyundais were used as punchlines for comedians. A red modified 4-door Excel can be seen in the 1991 motion picture 'Boyz n the Hood'. It is the car driven by the rival gang, one of whom shoots the character 'Ricky' dead.[3]

Versions available were:

North America

  • 1.5 base
  • 1.5 GL
  • 1.5 GLS (5-door and 4-door only)
  • 1.5 GS (3-door only)

Australia

  • 1.5 L
  • 1.5 GL
  • 1.5 GLS
  • 1.5 GT

United Kingdom

  • 1300 L/Sonnet
  • 1300 GL
  • 1500 GL
  • 1500 GLS

[edit] X2 (1989–94)

X2 (1989–94)
1993-94 Hyundai Excel 3-door
Production 1989–1994
Engine(s) 1.5 L 81 hp (60 kW) I4
Transmission(s) 4-speed automatic
5-speed manual
Wheelbase 93.8 in (2383 mm)
Length 1990-91 & 1993-94 2-Door Hatchback: 161.4 in (4100 mm)
1990-91 & 1993-94 4-Door Hatchback: 168.3 in (4275 mm)
1992 Sedan: 168.6 in (4282 mm)
1992 Hatchback: 161.7 in (4107 mm)
Width 1990-91 & 1993-94: 63.3 in (1608 mm)
1992: 63.1 in (1603 mm)
Height 1993-94: 54.5 in (1384 mm)
1992: 51.4 in (1306 mm)
1990: 51.6 in (1311 mm)
Fuel capacity 11.9 US gallons (45.0 L/9.9 imp gal)

The second-generation Excel was given a facelift and slightly enlarged from 1989 onwards, while its engine adopted sequential fuel injection, and a new 4-speed automatic transmission was offered. It was sold in CX, LX and CXL trim levels in South Korea. The South Korean (home market) range was:

  • 1.3 CX (3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon)
  • 1.3 LX (3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon)
  • 1.5 CX (3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon)
  • 1.5 LX (5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon)
  • 1.5 CXL (5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon).

The Excel was marketed in Eurasia as the Hyundai Pony or Pony X2 (X2 representing second generation). In the United Kingdom and some parts of Europe, versions available were:

  • 1.3 S (3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback)
  • 1.3 Sonnet (3-door hatchback) - replaced 1.3 S base model
  • 1.3 LS (3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon)
  • 1.5 GSi (5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon)

However, some European markets did not get the 1.3 version and the range was:

  • 1.5 L (3-door)
  • 1.5 LE (3-door)
  • 1.5 GL (3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback)
  • 1.5 LS (3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon)
  • 1.5 GS (3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon)
  • 1.5 GT (3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback) - note, not all markets got this version
  • 1.5 GLS (3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon)

From 1991, the 1.5 versions were badged 1.5i to denote fuel injection.

1992 Hyundai Excel sedan

Europe-spec 1993-94 Hyundai Pony

1990-91 Hyundai Excel sedan

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ ConsumerGuide.com review
  2. ^ "Ssay it with SSUVs: Korea's SSangyong goes where the buyers are - sport/utility vehicles", Gwendolyn S. Knapp, Ward's Auto World, April, 1996 (FindArticles.com)
  3. ^ IMCDb.org: Hyundai Excel in "Boyz'n the Hood, 1991"
v • d • e
Hyundai, automobile timeline, 1960s–present
Type 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3
City car Atoz/Atos Atos Prime i10
Subcompact Click / Getz i20
Pony Pony II Excel Excel Accent Verna / Accent Verna / Accent
Compact Cortina Cortina Cortina Cortina Stellar Elantra Avante / Elantra Avante XD / Elantra Avante / Elantra / i30
Mid-size Sonata Sonata2 / Sonata3 / Sonata EF Sonata / Sonata Sonata
Marcia
20M Granada Grandeur Grandeur Grandeur XG / XG Grandeur / Azera
Full-size Dynasty Genesis
Equus Equus
Coupé Scoupe Tiburon Tuscani / Tiburon
/ Coupé
Sports Genesis Coupe
Truck Cortina Pony Pony II Porter Porter
SUV Galloper Terracan
Crossover SUV Santa Fe Santa Fe
Veracruz
Tucson
Mini MPV Santamo
Lavita / Matrix
Minivan TrajetXG / Trajet Entourage
v • d • e
Hyundai road vehicle timeline, North America market, 1984–present
Type 1980s 1990s 2000s
4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Subcompact Excel Excel Accent Accent Accent
Compact Pony Elantra Elantra Elantra Elantra
Mid-size Stellar Sonata Sonata Sonata Sonata Sonata
XG
Full-size Azera
Genesis
Coupé Scoupe Tiburon Tiburon Tiburon
Crossover SUV Tucson
Santa Fe Santa Fe
Veracruz
Minivan Entourage
v • d • e
Mitsubishi Motors vehicles
Current vehicles
Past vehicles
360 · 3000GT · 500 · Airtrek · Aspire · Carisma · Celeste · Chariot · Colt 600 · Colt 800 · Colt 1000 · Colt 1500 · Cordia · Debonair · Diamante · Dignity · Dingo · Dion · Emeraude · Eterna · Expo · Expo LRV · Forte · FTO · Galant FTO · Galant GTO · Galant VR-4 · Go · Henry J · Jeep · Galant Λ (Lambda) · GTO · Lancer 1600 GSR · Lancer WRC · Legnum · Leo · Libero · Magna · Mighty Max · Mirage · Mizushima · Model A · Nimbus · Pajero Junior · Pajero Pinin · Pinin · Pistachio · Precis · Proudia · RVR · Sapporo · Scorpion · Shogun Pinin · Sigma · Silver Pigeon · Space Runner · Space Wagon · Space Star · Starion · Storm · Toppo · Tredia · V3000 · Verada
Concepts & prototypes
ASX · Concept-CT MIEV · Concept-cX  · Concept D-5 · Concept-EZ MIEV · Concept-Sportback · Concept-X · CZ2 · CZ3 Tarmac · ESR · Evolander · FCV · Field Guard · Gaus · Goku Shin Ka · HSR · "i" Concept · Lynx · MAIA · Maus · mS. 1000 · MUM500 · Nessie · PX33 · Concept-RA · RPM 7000 · Se-Ro · Space Liner · SSS · SST · SSU · SUP · SUW · Tarmac Spyder · Technas · TETRA · Concept-ZT