HYUNDAI Excel 5 Doors 1994-1998 Photos, engines & full specs

Hyundai introduced the last Excel generation in 1994 in a few body shapes, and the five-door version tried to compete against better-known small-sized European hatchbacks.

While the small sedan market was covered only by a few carmakers, most of them already had something to offer in the hatchback segment. In Europe, Fiat, Renault, Citroen, Peugeot, Opel, Volkswagen, Ford, and Rover threw a harsh competition against the young Korean brand. Still, the newcomer managed to make it through with a rich standard package and a low starting price.

The bio-design trend worked great for the Korean designers, who managed to design a vehicle with rounded shapes and soft edges. Its narrow, elliptic headlights and slim grille didn't impress, but they were not bland either. Its back was similarly shaped to a sedan, while the wide tailgate opened the way to a spacious trunk for its size.

Inside, the Excel dropped the older, straight lines on the dashboard and adopted curves for the instrument cluster and door panels. Hyundai installed cranked windows for the base model but with an option for powered ones. The air-conditioning unit was available at extra cost for base trim level and standard for the rest of them. In the back, the split-folding bench allowed customers to expand the trunk area.

Under the hood, Hyundai installed Mitsubishi-sourced engines of 1.3-liter and 1.6-liter. Later on, on specific markets, a 1.8-liter made its way inside the engine bay.