1990-1994 Hyundai Excel Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Our in-depth review covers everything you need to know about this generation Hyundai Excel. Get the latest news, find a local dealer, and get a free price quote for this generation Hyundai Excel.

1990-1994 Hyundai Excel Review

South Korea's subcompact shattered sales records for a first-year import when it arrived on the American market in 1986. A 2-door hatchback soon joined the original 4-door sedan and 4-door hatchback. Built on the same platform as the Mitsubishi Mirage and Dodge/Plymouth Colt, the Excel also shared their 1.5-liter engine, transmissions, and some suspension parts. For 1990, Excel and the similar Mitsubishi Precis got new styling, akin to the bigger Hyundai Sonata but only a little larger than before. The engine adopted sequential fuel injection, and a new 4-speed automatic transmission became available. Models included a base 2-door hatchback and 2-door sedan, GS 3-door hatchback, GL 4-door sedan and 4-door hatchback, and GLS 4-door sedan.

Year to Year Changes

1991 Hyundai Excel: Four-door hatchback Excels dropped out of the lineup, leaving only 2-door hatchbacks and 4-door notchback sedans.

1992 Hyundai Excel: Little change was evident on the '92 Excels.

1993 Hyundai Excel: Subtle grille revisions and new wheel covers were the only noticeable changes this year.

1994 Hyundai Excel: All Excels now had a 5-speed manual transmission. The lineup slimmed down to a base 3-door, GS 3-door, and GL 4-door.

1990-1994 Hyundai Excel Road Test

Pros	Cons

Fuel economy	Acceleration

Maneuverability	Engine noise

Ride	Road noise

Price	Handling

Consumer Guide® Road-Test Evaluation

Standing-start acceleration is far from brisk: Even with 5-speed manual shift you have to hit the gas hard to keep up with traffic. Acceleration to 60 mph takes close to 15 seconds with automatic, versus 12 to 13 seconds with stick shift. Not only is the automatic transmission sluggish, but it shifts with a jolt at full throttle. It's also slow to downshift for passing. Gas mileage is great. We averaged nearly 34 mpg in city/expressway driving. An Excel maneuvers well enough, is easy to park, and the ride is comfortable for a small car. Soft springing not only makes the ride more compliant, but results in plenty of body lean in turns, plus sloppy cornering. Road noise approaches the excessive, even for a low-end vehicle. Tires howl loudly even at highway speeds, and wind noise can grow intrusive. Interior space is adequate for four, and five can squeeze in. Rear leg room is restricted, and backseats in 3-doors are particularly cramped. Assembly quality appears good, though fit and finish don't rank as first-rate.

Value for the Money
While not the best of the bunch, which includes the more refined Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, Excels offer a lot for a far more modest price. For buyers on a budget, an Excel is worth a look.

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Hyundai Excel GS	Rating

Performance	3

Fuel Economy	5

Ride Quality	3

Steering/Handling/Braking	3

Quietness	2

Controls/Materials	3

Interior Room	4

Room/Comfort (rear)	2

Cargo Capacity	3

Value within Class	3

Total:	31

Each vehicle report contains one rating chart for representative model. Consumer Guide® rates in ten key areas: Performance, Fuel Economy, Ride Comfort, Steering and Handling, Interior Noise, Controls and Materials, Driver Room, Passenger Room, Cargo Capacity, and Insurance Costs. These ratings compare the particular vehicle rated to ALL other vehicles, not a vehicle's standing in a particular class. In the ratings table, "1" is the lowest rating and "10" is the highest rating.

1990-1994 Hyundai Excel Reliability

Trouble Spots

Consumer Guide's® Auto Editors have scoured repair bulletins and questioned mechanics to search for commonly occurring problems for a particular vehicle. In some cases we also give possible manufacturer-suggested solutions. In many instances these trouble spots are Technical Service Bulletins posted by the manufacturer, however, we have our own expert looking at additional vehicle problems.

Automatic transmission: Harsh shifts into second or fourth gears are probably due to a missing or defective air exhaust plug. (All)

Engine misfire: Stalling at idle, no air conditioning, and a "check engine" light can be caused by a bad ground. A ground wire spliced into the original one might fix the problem. (1990-94)

Engine stalling: Stalling in reverse is often caused by clogged transmission lines or transmission cooler. (1990-94)

Engine temperature: A sticking thermostat keeps the engine from reaching normal operating temperature. (1990-94)

Manual transmission: Gear clashes or grinding when shifting from second to third gear is corrected by installing beefier synchronizers. (1990-94)

Vehicle noise: Replacement rear shocks are available to correct the noise that the originals make in cold weather. (1994)

Water leak: Water on the floor from what appears to be a leaking heater core is really a leaking heater valve. (1990-94)

Consumer Guide® Estimated Repair Costs

This table lists costs of likely repairs for comparison with other vehicles. The dollar amount includes the cost of the part(s) and labor (based on $50 per hour) for the typical repair without extras or add-ons. Like the pricing information, replacement costs can vary widely depending on region. Expect charges at a new-car dealership to be slightly higher.


Item Name	Repair Cost

A/C Compressor	$450

Alternator	$280

Automatic Transmission or Transaxle	$780

Brakes	$180

Clutch, Pressure Plate, Bearing	$335

Constant Velocity Joints	$360

Shocks and/or Struts	$360

Timing Chain or Belt	$160

NHTSA Recall History

1990: Lockwasher under nut that secures front wheel hub to driveshaft may have had improper heat treatment and could crack, which could cause wheel-bearing free play that could result in bearing damage and possible loss of vehicle control.

1990-94: In moving-barrier impact test, fuel leakage from tank exceeded maximum allowable amount; spillage in case of accident could result in fire, if exposed to ignition source.

1994: On small number of cars, an open circuit could occur in crank-angle sensor at high temperature, causing engine to stall.

1990-1994 Hyundai Excel Prices

Prices	Good	Average	Poor

1990
Excel	$0	$0	$0

1991
Excel	$0	$0	$0

1992
Excel	$0	$0	$0

1993
Excel	$0	$0	$0

1994
Excel	$1,000-1,300	$600-800	$100

This chart details a range of prices in year-by-year listings for vehicles in three condition levels:

Good: a clean low-mileage, solid-running vehicle that needs little or no repair.

Average: a car with normal miles on the odometer, perhaps a few scrapes or dings; engine might need a minor repair or two, but runs acceptably well.

Poor: might have potentially dangerous problems with the engine and/or body, or abnormally high mileage; definitely in need of mechanical attention. Valuations reflect wholesale prices paid by dealers at auction, and retail prices on used-car lots. Each range covers all trim levels and engine types for a vehicle with a typical amount of equipment--usually an automatic transmission, air conditioning, stereo, etc. Fully loaded vehicles may cost more. Average mileage is 12,000 miles per year. Keep in mind that these are guidelines only. Actual selling prices vary- especially from region to region.

1990-1994 Hyundai Excel Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	2-door hatchback	4-door hatchback	4-door sedan

Wheelbase, in.	93.9	93.9	93.9

Overall Length, in.	161.4	161.4	163.3

Overall Width, in.	63.2	63.2	63.2

Overall Height, in.	54.5	54.5	54.5

Curb Weight, lbs.	2040	--	2185

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	14.2	14.2	11.4

Standard Payload, lbs.	--	--	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	11.9	11.9	11.9

Seating Capacity	5	5	5

Front Head Room, in.	37.8	37.8	37.8

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	41.7	41.7	41.7

Rear Head Room, in.	37.6	37.6	37.6

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	33.1	33.1	33.1

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Powertrain Options and Availability

The Excel's 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, with sequential multipoint fuel injection, developed 81 horsepower. Either a manual gearbox or 4-speed overdrive automatic transmission might be installed. Base models came with a standard 4-speed manual transmission, while upper Excels used a 5-speed. For 1994, the 4-speed was gone and all models came with a 5-speed manual gearbox, if not the extra-cost automatic.

Engines	Size liters / cu. in	Horse- power	Torque	Transmission: EPA city/hgwy	Consumer Guide Observed

ohc I4	1.5 / 90	81	91	4-speed manual: 29/33 5-speed manual: 28/36 4-speed automatic: 27/35	4-speed manual: -- 5-speed manual: 33.2 4-speed automatic: 22.8

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

NHTSA Crash-Test Results

Test	1994 Excel	1994 Excel

Front Impact, Driver	4	4

Front Impact, Passenger	5	5

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.

Built In: South Korea

Drive Wheels: transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

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Also in the 1990-1994 Hyundai Excel Review:

Hyundai Excel

Hyundai Excel Road Test

Hyundai Excel Reliability

Hyundai Excel Prices

Hyundai Excel Specs & Safety

Hyundai Excel Photos

Hyundai Excel Full Review