Review: The redesigned 2017 Elantra hits all the right safety notes
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You’ve got to be kidding me.
A neighbor recently accused me of being jaded because I drive so many nice cars that I can’t properly review people’s cars anymore. Now, I’m not quite sure what he meant by people’s car. The first time I heard the term, it was applied to the original VW Beetles and Model T Fords.
Neither is up to contemporary standards.
However, his theory was that I’m so used to living in the lap of luxury that my nose gets out of joint when I review a compact car. Not so. Good things do come in small packages.
Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of driving four outstanding compact cars. First up was the Honda Civic. I loved the entire package with the exception of the touch screen radio/infotainment system. The car is a worthy successor to its best-selling predecessors. We got to test it in Florida over the winter and loved the way it handled and performed. The downside: At that time, it was hard to find one with the Honda’s high-tech driver-assist Sensing System.
Next up was the Chevy Cruze. We averaged well over 40 mpg on a long trip and were impressed with the entire package, the only quibbles being with steering calibration and blind spots.
We’ve also had some limited time in the Audi A4. It’s off the charts as far as luxury and features are concerned, but the electronics are confusing for the average driver, even someone used to German technology.
That’s a long preamble to get to today’s test car, the all-new 2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited. When it rolled into the driveway, I was sure it was the midsize Sonata, the next size up in the Hyundai lineup.
The design cues in the Elantra and Sonata are similar from the character lines on the side to the hexagonal grille. But the Elantra IS smaller, 179.9 inches long compared to the Sonata’s 191.1. Hey, what’s a foot between friends? Perhaps more important, the wheelbase (distance between axles) is only 4 inches shorter (110.4 vs. 106.3).
Automotive engineers are so good these days that they’re regularly building cars with interiors that qualify as a class above. The Elantra, along with the Civic and Toyota Corolla, both fall into that category. They’re rated as midsize.
Over the past few years, regular readers of this space will be familiar with a pair of recurring themes, the increasing amount of technology in smaller cars and our family’s recent search for a Snowbird Sleigh, a vehicle to drive back and forth to Florida every winter.
First, technology. Our test Elantra was the upscale Limited edition. Base price (well-equipped) is $23,185, including destination.. That includes the new 2.0-liter (147 horsepower) engine and 6-speed automatic transmission. But it also includes a rearview camera with cross traffic alert and blind spot detection.
Elantra’s redesigned interior is a winner on two fronts: It’s good quality and controls are user-friendly
The big additions are a $2,500 Tech Package and $1,900 Ultimate Package. The Tech Package adds navigation, heated seats (front and rear), sunroof, premium audio, upgraded driver display, and assorted other features.
However, the Ultimate is what counts. It adds HID headlights with bending lights and automatic high beams (a huge plus in this class). Add smart cruise control, pedestrian detection, an aggressive lane keeping-nudging system, and you have, in my humble opinion, the whole package.
The obligatory carpeted floor mats ($125) brought the bottom line to $27,710.
That’s what we were looking for in buying a Snowbird Sleigh last winter. We wound up with a one-year-old Subaru Legacy that had most of the above except the adaptive headlights and automatic high beams.
We were driving the Elantra from Newburyport to Laconia, NH, to visit friends one afternoon during our test period.
The Elantra is rated at 32 miles per gallon overall and 37 on the highway. However, in an attempt to hypermile on the way home that evening, we encountered light traffic, occasional drizzle, and some serious fog. It all contributed to a sedate pace and a gold star from the onboard computer, which credited us with getting 47.8 mpg over a 78-mile drive.
Is the Elantra the perfect car? That hasn’t been built yet. The aerodynamic shape means passengers have to be careful entering the car lest they whack their heads. The upgraded suspension might be stiff for some folks, and the seats are good for about 1.5 hours before fanny fatigue starts to be an issue.
The start-stop system isn’t the smoothest we’ve encountered, but it appears this feature is going to be hard to avoid.
Still, the bottom line for me is that this is a vehicle—equipped as it was—that would be both in my price range and welcome in my driveway on a full-time basis. Jaded or not, I know what I like.
[You can find local deals on Hyundai here].
2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited
THE BASICS
Price, base/as tested (with destination): $23,185/$$27,710. Fuel economy, EPA estimated: 28 city/37 highway/32 combined. Fuel economy, Globe observed: 36.2 mpg. Drivetrain: 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, 6-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel-drive. Body: 5-passenger compact sedan.
THE SPECIFICS
Horsepower: 147. Torque: 132 lb.-ft. Overall length: 179.9 in. Wheelbase: 106.3 in. Height: 56.5 in. Width: 70.9 in. Curb weight: 2,900 lbs. (est.).
THE GOOD
Room, build quality, 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, high-tech content.
THE BAD
Straight-line steering on highway could be more solid; suspension might be a tad stiff for some drivers.
THE BOTTOM LINE
A first-rate compact sedan.
ALSO CONSIDER
Chevrolet Cruze, Dodge Dart, Honda Civic, Kia Soul and Forte, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla, VW Golf and Jetta.
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