Hyundai Elantra 2011 Review

What we liked?
>> Quality and design
>> Cabin space and features
>> Well-calibrated stability control

Not so much?
>> Thick windscreen pillars obscure other cars, pedestrians
>> Base and high-grade models need more chassis work
>> Power window switches not as good as other switchgear

With its new Elantra sedan Hyundai hopes to capture the imagination, hearts (and wallets) of a new generation of cash-savvy Australians. Apparently we’re becoming increasingly canny at getting more for less, whether buying a flat-screen television or a car.

The Global Financial Crisis in 2008 and the storms that have ravaged the country (and the world?) have also made us think more about the future, says Hyundai’s researchers.

“As the global economy suffered through 2010, consumer confidence in Australia held firm, but since that time it’s been drifting downwards and is now at its lowest level since August 2009,” says Oliver Mann, director of marketing for Hyundai Australia.

“In terms of personal finances, 35 per cent of Australians now see themselves as worse-off than a year ago compared to 25 per cent better off.

“There’s a grave sense now that we have to plan and provide for things that the government used to provide [pointing to healthcare and toll roads]. No wonder we’ve gone from a nation of spenders to a nation of savers.”

Passenger car sales are down 8 per cent so far this year but sales of small cars have held up relatively well because many Australians are deserting bigger cars and making the switch to small cars and SUVs.

“Clearly the downsizing trend is continuing in Australia,” Mann said.

Of course, it helps that small cars have become bigger – and better equipped than ever before.

The Elantra is the first ground-up new car from the Korean maker for several years and will underpin a raft of new models in the future.

But after a couple of mis-steps with the last few Hyundais launched in Australia (the i45 mid-size sedan and ix35 compact softroader had steering and suspension recalibrated shortly after launch and the i20 city hatch regarded as too dear given the cheaper competition), does the Elantra mark a return to Hyundai’s previously good form?

But the most popular model in the line-up is expected to be the Active with a new six-speed automatic transmission, which is $22,590 plus on-roads. Metallic paint adds $375 to all models.

Standard fare includes six airbags, stability control, USB, auxillary and iPod connectivity, Bluetooth with steering wheel-mounted controls, cruise control and tilt and telescopic adjustment in the steering column.

The Elite model costs $25,590 plus on-roads (with auto). The extra $3000 buys a sports steering wheel, piano-black interior highlights, climate control, auto headlights, rain sensing wipers, push button start with a proximity key, front fog lamps, rear parking sensors and tinted rear glass.

The flagship Premium model costs $28,990 plus on-roads (with auto) and gains leather upholstery, anti-dazzle rear view mirror, front seat warmers, electric driver’s seat, sunroof, reverse camera and a dark chrome grille.

There is no badging to define each model, instead they are distinguished by different wheel sizes: the Active comes with 15-inch steel wheels with plastic covers, the Elite with 16-inch alloys and the Premium with 17-inch alloys. All models have a matching full size spare wheel and tyre.

MECHANICAL?

According to the Green Vehicle Guide, the new six-speed auto Elantra will sip 7.1L/100km – a 9 per cent saving compared with the previous automatic.

This compares favourably to most of the Elantra’s main rivals. The Mazda3 auto has a fuel average rating of 8.2L/100km, while the Toyota Corolla and Holden Cruze autos are level pegged at 7.4L/100km. However, the 1.4 turbo engine available in high-grade Cruze models is more efficient, at 6.9L/100km with automatic transmission.

Hyundai’s fuel misers may want to opt for the six-speed manual, available in the base model Elantra only. Its fuel average of 6.6L/100km is a saving of 11 per cent compared to the previous five-speed 2.0-litre combination.

The 1.8-litre has more power than the 2.0-litre in the equivalent size Hyundai i30 hatch (110kW versus 105kW) but not as much torque (178Nm versus 186Nm). Torque is a measure of an engine’s ability to overcome resistance and often a better indicator of vehicle performance than power.

The 1.8-litre engine may lack direct-injection but it still has plenty of technology such as dual variable valve timing (for better power and economy), roller swing arm lash adjusters (which reduce temperature and friction), and a maintenance-free timing chain (which avoids expensive timing belt replacements during servicing).

All this is packaged inside a lightweight aluminium block and heads.

The six-speed auto is 5kg lighter than before and has 62 fewer moving parts.

Service intervals are 15,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first. As with all Hyundai passenger cars, the Elantra comes with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty transferable to the next owner if the car is sold during that period.

It is stretched longer between the front and rear wheels than the Holden Cruze, Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 – with a wheelbase of 2700mm it is equal to the Honda Civic sedan.

Leg room is therefore adequate, but there is a downside to the sleek roofline – back seat passengers will likely bump their heads. I’m 178cm tall (5ft 10in) and my noggin touches the rooflining when sitting normally. A taller colleague had to slink his hips forward to avoid his head touching the roof.

The back seat lower cushion also felt a tad too short under thigh.

But the rest of the cabin looks futuristic and functional. There are nice chrome highlights on the air-conditioning and audio controls, and all instruments are clear and well positioned.

The height and reach adjustable steering column is welcome, although the movement of the column itself felt stiff and unrefined compared to other cars. Likewise, while we welcome the auto-up function on the driver’s power window, the switches themselves have a toy-like feel and don’t match the better switchgear elsewhere in the car.

Visibility to the side is good thanks to convex mirrors on both doors, although the sweeping window line limits rear-three-quarter visibility when parking. (The turning circle is excellent).

As is the case with many new cars, the thick windscreen A-pillars that help make the Elantra’s structure remain stable in a crash, also might cause one. At certain angles they can block pedestrians, motorcyclists, even whole cars.

Each of the four doors has a drink holder and map pocket, and there’s sufficient oddment storage in the centre console and glovebox, although the glovebox lid can smack your knees and/or shins as it is positioned quite low.

The Elantra’s boot space of 425 litres is on par for the class. The Corolla sedan has the biggest boot (at 450 litres compared to the Cruze’s 445 litres) while the Mazda has 430 litres of boot space and the Civic sedan 376 litres.

The back seat splits and folds (60:40) to create a larger load area but, as with many cars in this class, the Elantra’s boot area has the intrusion of ‘gooseneck’ hinges when the bootlid is closed.

When the seats are stowed the load area is not flat – there is a step up to where the seats are folded.

The back seats can only be opened via the boot. The boot itself can only be opened via the key fob or a tab near the driver’s seat -- there is no external boot release.

Hyundai’s press release says the Elantra’s sleek body was designed at the company’s design studio in California but a spokesman at the launch said it was designed in Korea. Either way it’s an impressive result and looks much bigger than it is.

Several carefully positioned creases and curves on the body help the Elantra slip through the air more efficiently at freeway speeds. Hyundai says it has an aero rating of 0.28cd. This is lower than the Holden Cruze, Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla sedans, according to the carmaker.

Following tests conducted prior to the car going on sale a few weeks ago, the new Elantra was awarded a five-star safety rating by ANCAP even though an airbag malfunctioned in one of three tests. It functioned correctly in a subsequent test.

The crash test authority accepted Hyundai’s submission that it was an isolated part failure rather than a systemic design flaw. Hyundai says the car passed despite the technical glitch.

The Elantra earned a total score of 33.21 out of 37. It’s an impressive rating but the Holden Cruze is still the highest scoring car tested by ANCAP to date, with a score of 35.04 out of a possible 37 points.

Other safety features on the new Elantra include rain sensing wipers and auto headlight on the high grade models, rear sensors on the middle of the range Elite, and a rear camera (with a screen integrated with the rear view mirror) on the top of the line Prestige.

Five lap-sash seatbelts are standard, as are five height-adjustable head rests.

A full-size spare also means you don’t have to limp home on a skinny space saver tyre or rely on an inflator kit which is increasingly being offered by competitors.

Hyundai claims its stability control system is more advanced than others. In addition to applying the brakes and/or cutting engine power when travelling too fast in a corner or during an abrupt swerve (as all stability control systems do), the Hyundai system will also provide extra power assistance to the steering.

However, such advanced technology is only as good as the tyres sending input to the car’s sophisticated computers. While the stability control intervention is one of the smoothest and most refined we’ve tested, Hyundai still has some homework to improve the primary grip of the car (see ON THE ROAD).

So you can imagine Hyundai Australia’s frustration that it is limited by supply at least until 2012. Hyundai Australia has asked Korean headquarters for 1200 Elantras per month, but the factory is only sending them 650.

This means sharp discounts on Elantra will be unlikely, at least in the first six months on sale.

At the moment, the Hyundai Elantra has a slim price advantage with a starting price of $20,590 plus on-roads compared to the Mazda3 ($21,330), Toyota Corolla ($20,990) and Holden Cruze ($20,990).

However, given that the Cruze, Corolla and Mazda3 are past the halfway mark in their lifecycles (with new models due in the next two years or so) all three brands will be more likely to sharpen their pencils and transaction prices may dip below or close to the Elantra’s RRP.

Following a series of slalom, braking and circuit tests, as you might expect the conclusion was that the Elantra shone. However, it quickly became apparent why Hyundai selected the mid-grade Elite model rather than the cheapest variant to compare with its peers.

The most affordable and most popular model in the Elantra line-up, the Active, is hamstrung by special 15-inch ‘economy tyres’. They’re low in friction to save fuel, but also low on grip compared to like rivals such as the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3. If you had to swerve in an emergency the lack of grip would be enough to give you a bit of a fright, let alone whatever it is you might be trying to avoid.

This was especially disappointing as the ride, handling and steering on the Active all felt fine.

The high-grade Premium, on 17-inch tyres, felt more taut on the road, but the steering, oddly, felt too light and too responsive. The suspension also felt a tad too firm on bumps.

For me, the middle-of-the-range Elite is the pick. It has the best combination of cornering grip, ride comfort and steering balance and feel.

All models had a bit more tyre roar than normal, and the engine was adequate rather than outstanding. It got along well once in the 3000-5000rpm rev range but most customers hover below these numbers in commuter driving.

The six-speed auto shifted smoothly most of the time, although it jolted sharply a couple of times when it had to skip down a couple of gears. You can shift manually but it’s best to leave the gearbox to its own devices. The manual was satisfactory.

Brake pedal feel was fair for the class. By far the most impressive aspect of the car, in my opinion however, was the subtle and smooth intervention of the stability control system. It is so discreet many customers may not even notice it working.

So, on balance, the Elantra is a mixed bag depending on which model you choose. The Elite marks a return to form for Hyundai, but the Active in particular (and to a lesser extent the Premium edition) show there’s still some work to do.

The good news is: Hyundai executives and engineers at the highest levels of the company are listening. And these minor flaws on an otherwise entirely acceptable car are easily fixed. We expect we could be testing a tweaked Elantra in about six months’ time.