Test drive Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai Elantra of the sixth generation turned out in the best traditions of the C-class - with a scattering of previously unavailable options, a new engine and a radically different appearance. But the main revelation of the novelty is not in the design, but in the price tags.
Elantra's story is like a serial with a luscious storyline and a very charismatic protagonist. One of the most popular golf-class sedans in Russia, which at the turn of the century was called Lantra, changed generations, received new options and engines, was godlessly expensive and was renewed again, but it was always among the leaders of the segment. Hyundai Elantra of the sixth generation turned out in the best traditions of the C-class - with a scattering of previously unavailable options, a new engine and a radically different appearance. But the main revelation of the novelty is not in the design, but in the price lists.
After the generation change, the Elantra's appearance has become less Asian - it is characterized by calm European features. Hyundai 2016 model year looks, albeit not as refined as its predecessor, but much more textured. Many of the exterior details are reminiscent of higher class European cars. That only is a huge diamond-shaped radiator grille, in its forms vaguely reminiscent of the front of the Audi Q7.
Due to new stylistic solutions, the designers managed to visually stretch the car in width and lower it a little, thereby giving the sedan more swiftness and solidity. For the speed in the new Elantra, a two-liter gasoline engine with a capacity of 150 hp is still responsible. with., which was not previously offered for this model. Thanks to minor modifications, the engine became more economical and a little quieter.
It was with this power unit and a six-speed automatic transmission that the cars were equipped, on which we had to drive several hundred kilometers around the outskirts of Sochi. I must say that the new engine for the Hyundai Elantra came in handy: steep climbs, overtaking, and just driving in a straight line are now much easier for the sedan, without forcing you to constantly push the gas pedal to the floor. Appeared, albeit small, but a power reserve. By the way, if you want to get a little more impressive acceleration dynamics from a Korean sedan, then it’s better to look at a car with a manual transmission, which is more than a second faster than a car with automatic transmission (acceleration time from 0 to 100 km / h is 8,8 s vs. 9,9 s - Elantra with "automatic").
However, there was no desire to switch to "mechanics" during the test, because the smooth running of the Hyundai Elantra with automatic transmission on ideal Olympic roads does not at all provoke a violation of the speed limit. But with the previous 1,6-liter engine, the sedan has excellent rollback and precise steering - the overall impression is spoiled only by mediocre sound insulation. The rumble in the wheel arches is heard more clearly by the passengers of the rear sofa, and this is very tiring on long trips.
Not only is it noisy here, but even air ducts are only available in the two-liter version of the car. It is good that there is more legroom here thanks to a body stretched by 20 mm and a slightly modified cabin layout. In general, the car has become not only longer, but also slightly taller (+5 mm) and wider (+25 millimeters). It became more spacious not only in the cabin, but also in the trunk - the useful volume of the cargo compartment increased by 38 liters and amounted to 458 liters.
Hyundai emphasizes that although the wheelbase has remained unchanged, the sixth Elantra is a completely new car. The attachment points of the suspension elements, the settings of the springs, shock absorbers and anti-roll bars have changed. The rigidity of the body has increased immediately by 53% due to the use of a larger volume of high-strength steel. In addition, a special stretch appeared under the hood between the upper points of the front shock absorbers. All this, together with other chassis settings, has influenced the car's handling for the better.
When we found ourselves on a mountain serpentine, all theoretical calculations took on real shape - Hyundai Elantra is excellently controlled. The Koreans managed to create a chassis not for the monotonous movement from home to office and back - now the “snake” movement is a pleasure and does not exhaust passengers. There is an informative steering wheel, minimal roll in corners, informative brakes and a responsive engine. It's amazing how the Russian specialists managed to set up the chassis so successfully, which is still based on a platform with McPherson suspension in the front, and a semi-independent beam in the back. Such handling is probably the ceiling for this type of chassis.
Salon Hyundai Elantra looks, if not boring, then at least rustic. It is better not to touch the finishing materials with your hands, and you don't want to pay attention to the small multimedia screen that appeared from the past. Most of the "Koreans" who sell well in Russia have a typically American interior, where the priority is not imposed premium, but functionality. And I must say that thanks to the center console deployed to the driver (practically, like in BMW), access to the climate control system and the multimedia system here turned out to be as convenient as possible.
Elantra can count on dominance in the segment, despite the cautious statements of company representatives. Thanks to localized production, Hyundai managed to keep the minimum price at $11. for a car in the Start configuration, which already has air conditioning, active safety systems ESP, EBD and a tire pressure monitoring system. The new entry level is one of the Elantra's strengths at a time when shoppers want to save on equipment they don't need in their daily lives, and not all brands offer this option. Another thing is that the savings here are excessive in places: for example, you will have to install the “music” yourself or choose the next version of the Base sedan, the price of which starts at $802. for modification with a manual transmission. As for the car with the "automatic", it will cost at least $12 - a very small surcharge for comfort.
If, for example, you liked the car that we had for testing (with LED headlights, alloy wheels and metallic color), then get ready to shell out $ 16 for it. This price consists of the cost of the sedan in the highest configuration Comfort ($ 916), the Style Pack ($ 15) and metallic colors ($ 736). All Elantras are available in three color options for the leather interior: black, beige and gray.
Hyundai reckons with all representatives of the golf class sedans. Of course, the segment leader, the Skoda Octavia, remains the benchmark. However, it is more correct to compare the new Elantra with the restyled Toyota Corolla, which was recently presented in Moscow, the well-selling Ford Focus, the stylish Mazda 3 and the spacious Nissan Sentra.
The Koreans are not trying to pass off a mass mid-range car as a premium, as some other well-known manufacturers do. “It is important for our company to occupy niches in all car classes, and not by all means become a leader in every segment,” a Hyundai spokesman explained. The brand already has the super popular Solaris, and soon the Creta crossover will appear in dealerships, which will be able to claim leadership in its class.
