2015 Hyundai Elantra : Detailed Review

In my opinion, the Hyundai Elantra is one of the most under rated cars available in this country today. Predominantly, it is because the Indian audiences are just unwilling to pay in the region of Rs 15-18 lakhs for a Hyundai and also because Hyundai’s cheaper sedans and hatchbacks are almost as good as the Elantra. Another reason why the Elantra never pulled sales was because although the Fluidic design seems to have done really well, it never really looked really special. Now though, with subtle changes to the exterior and interior, the Elantra seems to have caught up a little to its competition.

Exterior styling  rating_3.5_rating

The Elantra boasts of Hyundai’s signature fluidic design theme and while the entire range from the Eon up to the Sonata follows the same line of thought in terms of exterior design, it is the Elantra that is my personal favorite thanks to its proportionate looks that are bound to catch eyeballs. Its coupe inspired body line, sloping roof and sculpted pronounced wheel arches all work to give the Elantra a rather aggressive stance. The Elantra gets a new set of 16-inch wheels with 205/60 R16 tyres. That said, the wheels don’t really do justice to the rest of the car and should have been given the same diamond cut treatment that you get on the Hyundai Verna and the Elite i20.

The biggest difference in the facelift though are the new headlamps with a daytime running light and a projector setup. In fact, this DRL is one of the coolest and well designed one that we have seen on any car in this segment or above. The tail lamps too get a new sculpted look that gives it quite a handsome character especially at night. There are also additional chrome trimmings on the front and the rear bumper that gives it a slightly more luxurious look.

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Interior & space  rating_4.0_rating

The elegance of the exterior is matched with the well-appointed interiors that exude a quality fit and finish which is at par with what one expects from a car of this segment. In face, all Hyundai cars score well in terms of interior design and fit and finish, and the Elantra is no different.  The plastics are great, the texture and feel of materials all exude a premium feel. The version we drove did have the all-black leather interior (which I personally prefer), but the higher end versions that come with the automatic gearbox gets a two tone dash with chrome accents around the center console.

The seats, especially in the front are really comfortable. Although they don’t envelope you like they ought to, they do offer considerable side support. The driving position does though feel a little too high as compared to other cars in the segment. Rear seats too offer great lumbar and under thigh support and while the cabin space is rather decent and leg space is great all around, the sloping roof-line does hamper headroom for tall passengers at the rear.

Features & Equipment  rating_4.0_rating

The Elantra comes packed to the gills with gadgetry. Be it the reverse camera and the park sensors or the Bluetooth equipped infotainment system, the Elantra gets all that one can expect from a sub 20-lakh entry-level luxury sedan. And then there are two buttons on the centre console that could very well be your sole reason to walk into a Hyundai showroom and put your money down for one of these. The Elantra is the cheapest car in India to get cooled seats (explains the slightly taller driving position). And in India where we get treated to temperatures that frequently cross into the 40-degree territory, this feature is quite epic. In fact, there is no better feeling while driving in an Indian summer than that a cool breeze blowing on your sweaty butt and back while the air conditioning does the same to the rest of your body.

Ride and ease of driving  rating_3.5_rating

Like with all Hyundai cars, the Elantra, even with its large dimensions, is a joy to drive in the city. There is quite a large blind spot due to the A-pillar but one does get used to it quite quickly. The slightly raised driving position does have an advantage here though. Coming to the way the Elantra rides, although there is a bit of jitteryness in the Elantra especially while faced with a bump at higher speeds, at city speeds the Elantra feels very comfortable and composed. In fact, it is certainly one of the more softer sprung and more comfortable cars in its category.

Handling & braking  rating_2.5_rating

Handling is still a sector where the Elantra does disappoint a little.  As with most Hyundai products, the Elantra is tuned more for comfort as compared to handling. This is very evident when you go into a high speed corner and the Elantra starts to get a little uncomfortable forcing you to lift off much earlier than one usually would. That said, in a straight line, the Elantra feels rather planted with a pliant ride to boot. The brakes though do tend to get a little spongy and eventually loose feedback especially if you drive enthusiastically. That said, to the normal customer, who is either going to drive the car normally or be driven around by a chauffer, the Elantra is quite a good package.

Engines & performance  rating_3.0_rating

Powering the Elantra is a choice of two engines, namely a 1.8-litre petrol unit and a 1.6-litre diesel mill. The one we drove, a diesel mated to a manual gearbox, is incidentally the same engine fitted into the new. This four cylinder common rail direct injection mill features a variable geometry turbo (VGT) and pumps out a decent 128PS at 4000Rpm and peak torque of 265Nm of torque between 1900-2750Rpm.

Although the diesel engine generates enough grunt with ample torque and power, do not expect it to outrun the likes of a Volkswagen Jetta or a Skoda Octavia. The Elantra does feel quite smooth though and has a rather impressive NVH level. The manual is the obvious choice amongst the gearboxes, especially if you are an enthusiast, as it complimented the engine perfectly and offers a more engaging drive experience as compared to the automatic box. Having said that, having driven the automatic earlier, the six speed auto box isn’t lethargic and frankly in this segment will possibly outsell the manual gearbox to a large degree.

Price and Fuel efficiency  rating_3.0_rating

Priced between Rs 15-18 lakhs (ex-showroom, Mumbai), the Hyundai Elantra might seem quite expensive for a badge that is more synonymous to a more commuter oriented car range, but with the kind of kit it offers and with improvements to an already likable design, the Elantra does bring a lot more to the table than before. And with fuel economy figures for the diesel manual at 22.70kmpl as per ARAI and 19.11kmpl for the diesel automatic, it is quite fuel efficient too.

Verdict  rating_3.0_rating

And as we mentioned right in the beginning, the Hyundai brand is one of the biggest reasons why the Elantra has not done really well. Times have moved on though and Hyundai has now successfully moved on from just a manufacturer of practical commuter cars to the benchmark in most segments that it is a part of. And this will rub off on the Elantra too. It is an excellent car that genuinely deserves to be taken seriously. Even though there are areas where we think the Elantra does need to improve in, as a package, it is quite excellent. And of course, you get cooled seats, which by itself is enough for me personally to go buy one.