In today's fiercely competitive automotive world,
simply getting a buyer's attention is tough.
6 years ago, Hyundai figured a 10-year warranty
wasn't enough and adapted daring design, the Elantra
getting the swoopiest lines of the bunch.
The gamble now? Toning those curves down.
Meet the new more mature 2017 model.
Now, of course you're going to cross-shop because
intelligent people always do. That means you're
probably looking at Civic, Cruze, Corolla,
Focus, Mazda3, Focus, Sentra.
So many cars in this segment.
And many have grown up. Like Corolla and Civic,
the E.P.A. classifies Elantra's cabin volume
as a midsize, about as large as a BMW 3 Series.
Materials look and feel good in class, don't
expect soft materials everywhere. This Limited
model, that'll set you back $27,710, has stuff
found only on luxury cars 10 years ago including
blind spot warning and adaptive cruise control.
Also, this Elantra is equipped with an auto braking
system that detects pedestrians. Some of you
have written to ask why I don't demonstrate it.
I'll invite you to come stand in front of it,
right after you sign these release forms.
As for driving dynamics
Hyundai engineers have done an awful lot to
improve the ride quality. It's very comfortable. Not
sporty like Mazda3 or maybe Honda Civic but nicely done.
Body movements are well controlled. The outgoing
cars steering rack was the very inspiration for
Novocain, this one offers feedback.
Here's what makes it go, a 147 horsepower
2-liter four-cylinder. Connecting it to the
front wheels is a 6-speed gearbox with a manual
mode, just not up on the steering wheel. Set the
steering weight and throttle
response to suit your mood.
Eager to hit 60 miles an hour? That'll take
about 8 seconds. Brisk at best.
In the outgoing generation, if I were talking to
you about road noise, or anything else, I would
have to talk like this. The new generation
is much quieter.
Half the structure is stamped out of high-strength
steel. Some 390 feet of adhesive stiffens it
further. Yes, folks it's glued and welded.
That's a good thing.
For better fuel efficiency, a lot of modern
transmissions are reluctant to kick down into
a lower gear, Elantra? Happy to do it.
In a week of driving, I averaged about 32
miles from each gallon of gas.
It's worth noting that visibility is decent
and that Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are
available. Also the lane keep assist system
is well executed. Memory seats, nice
So, are, lots of, storage cubbies. The sun visors
are well thought out. And Elantra is available with
a proximity trunk release that open automatically
if you stand next to it for a few seconds
Space is not an issue back here, two adults will
be perfectly comfortable. Three will be
okay, if they're skinny.
Haul car seats in and out often? Wide opening
doors cooperate. Not sure why Hyundai couldn't
put a pocket on the driver's chair,
or throw in a power port.
I recently tested the new Honda Civic that
easily holds six packs of this stuff.... You can
practically cut the suspense with a knife can't you?
Yes the seats do this. Yes there is a spare.
And yes, the trunk is very large, in my
practical real world test it matches the Honda at
6 packs when the hinge arms do not pinch the cargo.
These crisp lines appear more elegant and upscale
than the outgoing car, something the larger Sonata
didn't pull off quite as well. It may be less
emotional to the eye now but the new Elantra's
comfort and refinement is worth a shopper's attention
in this crowded segment.
For enthusiasts, rumor has it there's a Sport
model coming. Perhaps enough sport to go head
to head with Civic Si and Focus ST? Who knows,
fingers crossed. As it stands, Elantra is
certainly a very strong competitor to Corolla
and Civic. I have not driven the new Chevy
Cruze at this point, there are rumblings that
it's very good (but I try to NOT read other
reviews to keep a fresh perspective).
Test drive people!
A final thought, considering all the features
available and the roominess some compacts offer,
smart midsized sedan shoppers might peruse this segment too.
Well, there ya go, that is my take on the 2017
Hyundai Elantra. Hope you found this informative,
clever, witty.... Well, at least informative.
Hopefully in focus. That's Driven, I'm Tom Voelk.