1989 HYUNDAI Pony 3 Doors 1.5

Vehicle Overview

Hyundai offered the second Excel generation as a hatchback with three and five doors. That version was named Pony, and the three-door was considered sportier.

The Korean carmaker used the Pony nameplate since 1975 and wasn’t eager to drop it from its lineup. Eventually, that happened, but between 1989 and 1995, it used it for the Excel hatchback. The Koreans started to improve their products and learned the hard way how to make better cars. While the first Excel generation was not quite a good vehicle, its successor was dramatically improved.

Hyundai designed the second generation of the Excel and Pony in their studio. The smoother lines of the exterior broke the pattern imagined by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Excel’s first generation. The slimmer and wider headlights followed the new design era. The car featured longer doors to provide easier access to the rear seats.

The dashboard still kept some traces of the older version, but there were no harsh lines anymore. Even if the instrument cluster was drawn with three clear lines, their connection with smoother corners revealed a new design trend for the Korean carmaker. While the car was right for families, there was little room in the back due to the short wheelbase. But it offered an AC-unit on most trim levels.

The drivetrain benefited from the development of new gearboxes, both automatic and manual. The four-pot engine provided 72 hp with a carburetor or 84 with an electronic fuel injection system. The former was available on selected markets.