The Hyundai Elantra would continue to
attract discerning car buyers, predominantly those looking for a refreshingly
functional sedan with unbeatable combination of power, fuel economy, interior
room features and affordability, according to the auto maker.
Styled
in a luxury garb with the ambience of a premium sedan except that luxury sedans
have unimaginable power under the hood, the new Hyundai Elantra continues to
evolve Hyundai’s design
theme: ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ which is meant to evoke “fluid in motion.”
Hyundai Motors Nigeria
Limited, local custodian of Hyundai
vehicles and a subsidiary of the Stallion Group said the Elantra has
demonstrated unassailable qualities which have made the car the toast of trendy
customers.
The
Elantra is available in two trims of 1.6litre A/T (automatic transmission)
Executive sedan with fabric seat; 1.8litre A/T Elegance with fabric seat and
1.8litre A/T Elite with leather seat - all fitted with 16 inch alloy rims as
standard. A cautious look at the Elantra
would reveal lot of relevant updates that bring about some noticeable
improvements to an affordable compact sedan that was already worth your
consideration.
For
instance, there’s a new and more refined engine with a sport-tuned suspension
that gives the car a level of driver engagement comparable to rivals.
Hyundai has also succeeded in
minimising road and engine noise that previously made its way into the cabin
with the aid of apposite sound insulation to deliver a quieter ride. This
salient feature could cause competitions such as Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic
and Ford Focus to lose sleep.
World
class test drivers wrote that the Elantra’s cabin has improved tremendously
with an attractive design built with a blend of soft-touch surfaces and hard
plastics adding: “If measured on a style-per-money basis, which is how many
customers seem to determine their new car choice, the Elantra scores big with
packs of plenty features for a modest price ceiling.”
True to
their words, the drive quality is commendable even though the engine, by
design, has a balance mechanism to forestall undue rev which in turn,
programmes the transmission to help maximise fuel efficiency instead of being
spendthrift.
A
six-speed manual transmission is however standard but the six-speed automatic
transmission earns praise for its responsive shifts, making good use of the
engine’s power and delivering an EPA-estimated 28/38 mpg city/highway, which is
good for the class.
The
Elantra is nevertheless quiet and comfortable enough for commuting coupled with
well-bolstered front seats and ample rear legroom and generous trunk space thus
allowing the folding rear seats in the sedan quite convenient when hauling
bigger items.
These
distinctive features could as it were outclass arch rivals with other qualities
like Hyundai’s latest
infotainment features inside the cabin, including new display screen, generous
equipment list, a comfortable ride, an accommodating trunk, and sharp styling -
all at a reasonable price.
Equipment
Other
standard features are new headlamps, fog lights, and LED taillights that lend a
generally richer impression to the swoopy exterior. And inside, the
feature-laden theme carries forward with power-adjustable front seats, leather
or fabric trims, a tilting-and-telescoping steering column and a dashboard
screen which presents a warning about distraction every time you start the car,
thereafter it offers one of the easiest phone-linking systems in the biz.
What’s
more, a technology package adds unfathomable Hyundai security, keyless
entry with immobiliser, larger display screen, a premium audio system and
push-button start with easy-to-locate dashboard controls which cut down on
driver distraction.
This
trim level also add fog-lights, LED accent and taillights with integrated turn
signal repeaters on the mirrors; an automatic transmission, leather upholstery
(Elite model only) and a six-way power driver seat (with power lumbar).
Interior
Technically,
the Hyundai Elantra’s
interior is roomy enough to be classified as a midsize sedan while the cabin is
comfortable with some soft-touch materials and some rather hard plastics on the
doors and switches. Coupled with this is a six-speaker audio system, a USB port
and satellite radio with audio system and a 4.3-inch display and Bluetooth
phone and audio connectivity with voice controls. You will be amazed the
headroom up front is plentiful for six-footers and the steering wheel is a bit
smaller in diameter than usual, which enhances the sense of space in the first
row while the backseat is fine for kids and even tall adults.
Under the hood
The new
Hyundai Elantra
is powered by either a 1.6litre or 1.8litre 4-cylinder engine that makes 145
horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque. This engine gives the Elantra average
acceleration and decent passing power. Transmission choices are a good-feeling
six-speed manual or a very smooth six-speed automatic that is eager to shift
and feels well-matched to the engine. The Automatic-transmission come with Hyundai’s
manual-shifting mode, called Shiftronic, which lets drivers toggle through the
gears if desired.
Safety
Standard
safety features for all Hyundai
Elantra sedans include four-wheel antilock disc brakes, hill-start assist,
stability and traction control, with driver and passenger airbags. The Blue
Link emergency telematics system provides services such as remote access,
emergency assistance, theft recovery and geo-fencing (allowing parents to set
limits for teenage drivers). Government crash testing in the United States says
the Elantra received an overall five-out-of-five-star rating, with four stars for
total frontal crash safety and five stars for total side-impact protection.
However, at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Elantra earned a
second-best “Acceptable” rating in the small-overlap front-overlap crash test
and top “Good” rating in the moderate-overlap frontal-offset, side-impact and
roof strength tests. Its seat/head restraint design also rates “Good” for
whiplash protection in rear impacts.
Verdict
With
quality ratings and resale values good enough to rival the best competitors,
the Elantra is a real threat to compacts like the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic
and Ford Focus.
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