HYUNDAI CONTINUES TO ADD FEATURES

TO ELANTRA SEDAN, ITS TOP SELLER

Although SUVs and crossovers seem to be taking over the automotive world, at least one manufacturer seems to be bucking that trend.

South Korean automaker Hyundai’s best seller remains the Elantra, a compact sedan that outsold the company’s best-selling SUV/crossover, the Tucson, by over 58,000 units in 2018.

Sales of the Elantra hopped up to 200,415 last year from 198,210 in 2017 while the Tucson came in at 142,219 and the Santa Fe SUV at 117,038 for 2018. (Yes, combined the Tucson and Santa Fe outsold the Elantra, but adding the Sonata’s total of 105,118 to that of the Elantra, Hyundai still sold more sedans as opposed to the recent trend toward SUVs.)

Hyundai reports that over 9 million Elantras have been sold since its launch in the U.S. in 1991.

Early last year I had the pleasure of driving the 2018 Elantra SEL, a model introduced following the redesign of 2017, and was impressed with the number of safety and convenience features it offered for its class.

Trickle down apparently is not just an economic theory but applies to car development as well. Features introduced on high-price luxury models eventually find their way down to more affordable vehicles like the ones in the compact sedan segment where the Elantra resides.

Hyundai didn’t quit with the changes for 2017, however. For 2019, the company gives the Elantra a new hood, front fenders, front fascia, grille, and headlights along with a new trunk, taillights and rear fascia. The 16- and 17-inch wheels get new designs, and the Eco trim has new 15-inch alloy wheels. Top-of-the-food-chain Limited and Sport trims come with LED headlights as standard.

Inside the Elantra has a new center cluster and new instrument housing and controls, and the Limited trim gets Infinity Premium Audio with 8 speakers.

SEL and above models get the Smart Shift Drive Mode that adapts to your driving characteristics to enhance your overall experience. I opted for Sport mode most of the time.

All but the base SE model also get as standard a suite of safety features labeled SmartSense that includes Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Driver Attention warning, Blind-Spot Detection, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision warning.

With the base SE model, the most exotic safety system is a blind-spot mirror.

All Elantras get as standard a rear-view camera features dynamic guidelines to give you a better picture when you are backing, stability and traction control systems, anti-lock brakes, and front and side-impact airbags for the driver and front-seat passenger. 

Power trains vary. Most Elantras come with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, but the Eco trim gets a 1.4-liter turbo-4 and the Sport gets a 1.6-liter turbo-4.

The 2.0L offers only 147 horsepower and 134 pound-feet of torque, but fuel economy numbers are good — 28 miles-per-gallon city, 37 highway, and 32. You get less horsepower (128) but slightly more torque (156) from the 1.4-liter and more of both (201/195, respectively) with the 1.6 turbp in the Sport.

A 6-speed automatic with Shiftronic (manual gear selection) is available on the SE, adding $1,000 to the MSRP for the manual SE. The automatic is and standard on SEL Value Edition, Limited models. The Eco and Sport models are equipped with a 7-speed Eco-shift dual clutch transmission with Shiftronic, and you can also get a 6-speed manual transmission with the Sport.

SE Elantra manual models carry a base MSRP $17,985 (including destination and delivery). Pricing tops out at $24,385 for Sport models with the dual-clutch tranny. The Limited, which served as my test vehicle for the week, carries a starting MSRP of $23,485.

What I liked about the 2019 Hyundai Elantra Limited: It comes with a plethora of technological and safety features, many of them standard and all of the very user-friendly.  I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s worth repeating. Unlike some European manufacturers, Hyundai makes technological features, like say navigation, easy to operate.

What I didn’t like about the 2019 Hyundai Elantra Limited: I’d like to see a little more in the way of performance for a more fun driving experience. For that, you probably need to take a look at the Sport trim or, if you will accept a hatchback, the Elantra GT Sport with similar power numbers (201/195).

Would I buy the 2019 Hyundai Elantra Limited? Yes. Bigger families may want a vehicle with more room for passengers and their stuff, but if that’s not you, the Elantra has a lot of offer in a stylish package.

NEW HYUNDAI ELANTRA SEL MODEL PACKED WITH MANY DESIRABLE FEATURES FOR 2018

Now in its sixth generation, the Elantra remains Hyundai’s top seller with over 113,000 sold so far in 2018, the only vehicle in the South Korean automaker’s stable of sedans, hatchbacks, and SUVs/crossovers to reach six figures in total sales to date.

Hyundai says that more than 2.9 million Elantras have been sold in the U.S. since it arrived in the United States in 1990, and it is easy to see why. It still offers a comfortable ride and a many technological and safety features for under $20,000 on all but the high-end models.

Though redesigned for 2017, the 2018 Elantra added a new trim level for 2018 with the Elantra SEL replacing what was sold before as the SE with Popular Equipment Package.

For an MSRP of $19,735 including the $895 destination and delivery charge, the Elantra SEL comes with such features as blind spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert and lane change assist, rearview camera with dynamic guidelines, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, auto headlamps, heated outside mirrors, a 7-inch display audio system with SiriusXM satellite radio (unless you live in Alaska or Hawaii), 16-inch alloy wheels, and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel with cruise and audio controls.

That’s a nice array of equipment that will satisfy most of your needs. A good thing, too, because the only option offered on the SEL is an auto-dimming mirror with HomeLink and compass.

For navigation and leather seats over the standard premium cloth, you’ll have to step up to the Limited trim that checks in at just under $22,000 including destination and delivery.

Under the hood of the 2018 Elantra is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that offers excellent fuel economy of 28 miles-per-gallon city, 37 highway, and 32 overall, but not a whole lot in the way of performance and an engaging driving experience.

Setting the 6-speed automatic transmission in Sport more helps, but there is only so much you can get out of 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. A manual likely would add to the fun potential, but that is offered only on the SE and Elantra Sport.

For more performance, you might want to take a look at the 2018 Elantra GT Sport that is offered with a 1.6-liter turbo-4 that ups horsepower and torque to 201/195, respectively, but with a tab of just over $25,000.

Space is a plus for the Elantra. Legroom for all trims is a generous 42.2 inches in the front and an adequate 35.7 in the back. The trunk is 14.4 cubic feet — good for the class.

The Elantra also comes in other trims with the SE serving as the base and starts at $17,845 when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and $18,845 with the 6-speed Shiftronic.

Other Elantra sedans, including the SEL, come with either either a 6-speed automatic or a 7-speed double-clutch transmission. The Elantra Value Edition models start at just under $21,000 with the destination and delivery added in, and the Eco, which is rated at 35 mpg combined with the 1.4-liter turbo-4 and the double-clutch tranny, starts at $21,435,

Limited Edition starts at $21,985. The Elantra Sport is $22,685 with the 6-speed manual and $23,785 with the 7-speed dual clutch tranny.

That pretty much leaves the SEL as the more popular choice.

What I liked about the 2018 Hyundai Elantra SEL: Setting the transmission to Sport mode results in a much more livelier performance, though a manual transmission — not available on the SEL — likely would make it even better. Basic infotainment features, including SiriusXM satellite radio, are user friendly operating off a generous 7-inch touchdown. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard. Connecting a cell through Bluetooth is a snap.

What I didn’t like about the 2018 Hyundai Elantra SEL: The engine is quiet enough, though we found it necessary to turn up the audio volume when at expressway speeds because of road noise. Navigation is offered only on the Limited trim (but you probably prefer our smart phone any way).

Would I buy the 2018 Hyundai Elantra SEL? Yes. This is a good value for the money. The SEL comes with lots of standard features and still keeps the MSRP at under $20,000.

2017 HYUNDAI ELANTRA LIMITED

OFFERS BEVY OF EXTRA FEATURES 

Last October I spent a week driving a 2017 Hyundai Elantra Eco and noted how many features were included as standard in the base MSRP of under $22,000.

They included things that are offered only as options or are not available in the class at all, like a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines, cross-traffic detection, blind-spot detection, projector headlamps and LED daytime running lights, etc.

So when it came time to answer my closing question — would I buy this vehicle? — my answer was yes, I would. But I added a caveat. I’d also want to take a look at the Elantra Limited before making a final decision.

Well, I recently got that look at the 2017 Elantra Limited, and much of what I said about the Elantra Eco last fall (you can read my earlier review by clicking on “October” on the list on the right to get to the proper link) holds true for the Elantra Limited.

You get a ton of similar features as standard in both models with the key differences in the powertrain (a 1.4-liter turbo and 7-speed double-clutch transmission on the Eco) and wheels (17-inch alloys on the Limited, 15s on the Eco).

I guess you decision would have to come down to how much gas you want to save. EPA figures for the Elantra Limited are 28 miles-per-gallon city, 37 highway, and 32 combined) and for the Elantra Eco 32/40/35. Not a huge difference, really, considering how real-life results often vary.

On the other hand, the Limited enjoys a power edge with its 2.4-liter 4-cylinder producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque to the 128/156, respectively, in the Eco. But thanks to the extra torque in the Eco, there’s not a whole lot of difference when it comes to off-the-line performance.

Both models come down in the category of “adequate” for most situations. If you want better mileage from the Limited, you can always drive it in “Eco” mode and if you want more in the way of response, put it in Sport instead of Normal.

The Limited is mated to a 6-speed automatic Shiftronic transmission, which means that you can select gears manually if you desire, though without paddle shifters, it becomes a bit of a chore to keep changing gears.

It’s when you start adding the extras, however, that the real advantages of the Limited come into play.

With the Limited you can get options like a Tech Package that includes navigation with an 8-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, premium audio, a power sunroof and heated front and rear seats and an Ultimate Package that includes HID headlights, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, Smart Cruise Control, and lane-keeping assist.

Those two packages (you need the Tech Package to get the features from the Ultimate) are a huge upgrade for and extra $4,400 added to the base MSRP of $22,350.

That, plus a couple of stand-alone options like carpeted floor mats, a cargo net in the trunk, first-aid kit, and rear bumper protection plus the $835 destination and delivery charge ran the total MSRP to $27,860 for the Elantra Limited that I drove for a week.

It wasn’t all that long ago that such a number for an Elantra would have sent shock waves through the showroom, but that falls into the reasonable category now. In fact, even with the options included, that total MSRP falls in the bottom half of the compact car segment.

Also, the base Elantra SE with a 6-speed manual transmission starts at under $18,000.

What I liked about the 2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited: The front is very room with up to 42.2 inches of legroom, and the back offers 35.7, which isn’t bad. The ride itself is quiet and smooth enough, and the cabin has a nice feel about it. Operation of the infotainment system is very intuitive, and there are plenty of functions to operate.

What I didn’t like about the 2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited: It’s not a requirement, but if you are going to have a shiftable automatic transmission, it’s nice to be able to accomplish that mission via paddle shifters. I don’t use them all that much on South Florida’s flat roads, but if you are one who likes to shift gears even with an automatic, you would want them. The engine overall could have a little more oomph in the performance department.

Would I buy the 2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited? Yes, I would. I would probably go for the Limited for the Eco, especially if I could swing the options financially. They make a huge difference when compared to the Elantra’s competitors.