The 2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited (all photos by the author)
We are lucky, in our profession, to sample a variety of cars. Some are very good, some not. Sometimes they are what we expect, sometimes not.
And sometimes, and this is one of those times, they really make you stop and go “Wow. I gotta say. If we take this car as a microcosm of the industry as a whole, we’re in pretty good shape.”
In the case of this, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, it starts with the styling.
The 2011 edition of Hyundai’s compact is a complete refresh, following in the footsteps of its bigger (and older, if you consider the release dates) brother, the
Sonata. A five-door Touring model is on its way (we’re stuck with the previous gen for now), but what we have here is the brash sedan, and let me say, it’s a sight to behold.
Let’s be honest. Up until recently, the
Hyundai design ethic has not exactly been one that has garnered many (any?) awards. Their cars were functional and affordable and were designed as such. I mean, take one look at the new Sonata. I challenge anyone who doesn’t know any better to a side-by-side comparison of the previous version and the one we see today. No emblems on the cars, no badges. If they guess that the new model is a direct descendent from the outgoing example, then I may have some land for them in Fiji.
The same an be said in the case of the 2011 Elantra–perhaps even more so. Especially on first glance; those big, aggressive (almost scary—not in a “sleep with one eye open” kind of way, but more of a “you had better respect my moves” bulldog puppy kind of way) headlight lenses, the proud side creases, high beltline, steeply raked hood and rear window are eye-catching, no doubt. Kudos must be paid to Hyundai for taking stylistic risks with their new product line.
We saw the Elantra at
the 2011 Canadian International Auto Show but often times a car doesn’t show its true colours until you get it out from under the bright coloured lights of the car show floor. I am honest when I say that I actually liked the Elantra
better when I saw it in person than when I saw it at CIAS.
Exterior details include door mirror-mounted turn signals, sharp 7-spoke alloy wheels, fog lights and curves aplenty
For the first time in a long time, when I look at the Elantra (and Sonata) I can say “I really don’t think that I if you had told me ten years ago that cars would look like this today, I would have believed you.” What we have here is a testament to how far car design has come since th 80s the 90s and even the early 2000s.
The theme continues inside, where it’s all about sweeping curves and round surfaces, the whole shebang clearly benefitting from Hyundai’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language. Again, I challenge our readers to find a single straight line anywhere on the car, inside and out. The door pockets , centre console lines and steering wheel spokes all flow smoothly from one point to another. Hyundai has left no line untouched; even the row of buttons to the left of the wheel (controlling things like traction control and interior lights), which could easily be a bank of boring rectangularity, has been given a tapered look.
Another great illustration of the “Fluidic” principles are the insides of the doors—here, the aesthetic as well as ergonomic qualities of the design language are present. The door pulls form a nice upward sweep which neatly bisects the door, while the release handles and tweeter speakers (which account for two of the system’s total of six) are similarly shaped but flipped so they blend seamlessly together. The window, door lock, and on the driver’s side, the mirror controls, meanwhile, are all turned towards the user for ease of access.
Who cares what the inside of the doors look like? Well, Hyundai does, that's for sure. Picasso would be proud
All menial details? Maybe. But when one considers the fact that Hyundai is wading into some pretty hostile waters with the Elantra (the compact segment, after all, is one that has been dominated by the likes of the
Corolla and
Civic–all-new for 2012–for many years), they had to find a way to clearly differentiate themselves from the competition.
So they have done it in the stylistic sense. What about the dynamic sense?
Considering that this is a car that’s firmly planted in the compact segment, I’d say it fairs pretty well in the dynamic sense.
Steering is one of the most illustrative qualities when the dynamics of a car are discussed, and if this was the was all we needed to discuss, then the Elantra would be all aces.
The new model features a new electric power-steering system that actually adjusts to certain driving conditions. This is a feature normally reserved for larger, more premium sedans and is a welcome addition here.
Basically, what it all means is that when drivers are in low speed conditions, say in an underground parking lot for example, more boost is given to the power steering, thereby relieving some of the elbow grease required on the part of drivers. As the pace picks up, the steering tightens, providing a more sports-car like feel. All this is transmitted to drivers through a nice thick-rimmed wheel wrapped either in grippy urethane or stitched leather. According to Hyundai, the lack of a hydraulic power-steeling pump, meanwhile, saves fuel.
Of course, fuel saving issues are the norm in the automotive year these days and the Elantra is no different; Hyundai claims 4.9L/100 KM on the highway and 6.8L/100 KM in the city—we averaged around 7L/100 KM in the combined cycle. While this is a little higher than the 5.9 claimed by Hyundai, it is a number to be proud of considering the Elantra’s relatively modest 48L tank capacity.
148-HP 4-banger is a fuel sipper, but a more powerful alternative would be a welcome addition to the Elantra lineup. Turbo, anyone?
Fuel savings are helped by the free-shifting 6-speed automatic transmission (up from four speeds in the last model) which ensure that the 148 horspower four-banger isn’t overly-stressed. We would, however, like to see at least an option to spec a higher-po engine. I actually had the opportunity to do some fairly heavy highway driving and there were times—like during high-speed passing manoeuvres into strong headwinds—where I would have liked more power. It didn’t help that the always-active ECO mode would often force me to press the “go” pedal harder in order to deactivate it to get the acceleration I needed; it felt a little like a turbocharged engine does before the turbines become active.
Some may argue that Hyundai doesn’t want the Elantra to come too close to its Sonata bigger-brother power-wise, so 148 HP is all it’s gonna get, but I would argue that the 50 HP differencce between the two models leaves plenty of room for more. Considering both
Toyota and
Honda offer two engines for their Elantra competitors (at a higher price, however) it seems fair to assume that potential Elantra buyers would at least like the ability to
choose a more-powerful engine.
The chassis, meanwhile, is a wonderful thing to behold.
The MacPherson struts up front are aided by a 23 mm stabilizer bar while the rear setup features a lightweight torsion beam and monotube shock abosorbers.
What all this tech-talk means is that the Elantra feels planted and is confidence-inspiring no matter the situation A drive through some springtime downpours that left the highway flooded with standing water allowed the Elantra to strut its stuff as a confident long-haul cruiser. A few jaunts on some gnarly back roads, meanwhile, worked the rear- and front-ends to near perfection, save for some occasional nose-dives through dips. So the Elantra also works well in that sense.
Helping the handling are the 17-inch alloy wheels found on our test car. I also had the opportunity to test a car with smaller 15-inch steel wheels and the difference can be felt in the twisties and if buyers are willing to sacrifice the softer ride provded by cars equipped with the 15 inchers, they will be rewarded with more performance and presence from their Elantra.
Four-wheel disc brakes come standard on all Elantras, and they are strong binders, if a little grabby at first. It takes some getting used to, especially considering that in the case of both cars I drove, the pedal doesn’t do much through the first few degrees of travel. Then, all of a sudden, BAM!, they grip like there’s no tomorrow. This no big deal at higher speeds but can be a little uncomfortable for drivers and passengers alike around town.
Superb inerior detailing includes ice blue-lit gauges, iPod support, dual-zone climate control and storage aplenty. Well done, Hyundai. Well done indeed
It should be noted, however, that all those swooping lines and most notably high-rising beltline does compromise outward visibility a little (especially out back), and I also found it hard to place the car in parallel parking situations thanks to the short hood that can’t be seen at all from the driver’s seat; I would leave the car thinking I had come as close to the bumper in front of me as I could, only to find I still had a foot left. And since the doors rise so high, I found myself taking turns a little slower than usual to ensure that I wasn’t cutting too close to a high curb or what have you.
But these are minor quibbles that should iron out the more you drive the car and learn its intricacies. Once you do, you will be treated to one of the best surprises in the compact car market today.-carpages.ca
2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited Specifications
Price as tested: $22,699
Body Type: 4-door, 5-passenger compact sedan
Powertrain Layout: Front engine/front-wheel drive
Engine: 1.8-litre inline-4 DOHC w/dual CVVT
Horsepower: 148 @ 6,500 rpm
Torque (lb-ft): 131 @ 4,700 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic w/Shiftronic
Curb weight: 1,225 kg (2,701 lb)
Fuel consumption: City: 6.8L/100 km (34.6 MPG)
Highway: 4.9L/100 km (48 MPG)
Lucky for me, I share my initials with arguably the most famous fictional character of all time: Ian Fleming’s “Bond – James Bond.” And for one beautiful day in downtown Montreal, I shared his love of Aston Martins as I sampled the all-new Virage and V8 Vantage S. Both were earlier revealed at the Geneva Auto Show in March.
Photo: Saab
