Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo 2017 Long-term Review - 3

You know you’re on a good thing when the test vehicle you’re driving reminds you of cars you’ve enjoyed and appreciated in the past.

In the case of the Elantra SR Turbo we’ve just handed back to Hyundai, there have been a few of those moments. For its sprightly performance and cornering the Elantra recalled memories of my much cherished first car, as one example. Except the Elantra is quicker, quieter, more practical and drives the wrong wheels. It’s also more affordable, after you’ve adjusted pricing for inflation.

And the Elantra also prompted moments when I was left thinking: ‘This is like an Audi – for less than $32,000!’

What brought this to mind was the Elantra’s style, or its interior fit and finish, or the smooth operation of the dual-clutch transmission. We recently compared the Elantra – with the DCT fitted – against representative examples of continuously variable transmission (the Nissan Juke Ti-S) and conventional auto with a torque converter (the Holden Astra RSV). Our test day finished with the Elantra ahead of the other two cars for fuel efficiency, performance and driveability.

This test pinpointed just precisely how adept the Elantra is, by focusing on just one element of it as a package. But the fact is the rest of the Elantra is a gem too. The engine is fiery when it’s given its head, yet it can be economical, in lighter traffic.

In a comparison with a Honda Civic the Elantra was more than a match for straightline acceleration, but also for cornering. And it was up there with other cars we’ve tested recently, including that Astra RSV. The dynamic ability of the Elantra is a measure of the work done locally by Hyundai’s chassis engineers, since it rides so well in addition to cornering with the best of them. Steering response and feedback can be comparable with a car costing tens of thousands more, too.

The driving position worked well for me, the Bluetooth was one of the better systems I’ve used and the red leather seat option (for $295) is a welcome lift for the vanilla-style, largely unadorned bodywork outside.

On that point, the Elantra flies under the radar. It’s a bit of a sleeper in some ways, but it’s not snoozy. In traffic its blend of compact footprint and responsive drivetrain made it easy to slip in and out of gaps and forge ahead through the daily commuter morass. All the while you’re surgically slicing through traffic the punters around you are thinking: ‘How did that A3 sedan get so far ahead?’

About the only time the Elantra disappointed on the road was in the wet, scrabbling for traction on smooth bitumen with traffic bearing down from the right. It’s a lot of power and torque being channelled through the front end, and owners will need time to learn when to leave that performance in reserve – when discretion is the better part of valour.

And if there’s one other aspect of the Elantra that comes up short it’s the access to the rear seat – and the accommodation back there. The roofline is very low over the rear doors and adults of average height will need to duck their heads entering the car. Once you’re seated in the back, that low roofline impinges on headroom, even for occupants shorter than 180cm. It’s very much a kid space in the rear, but thankfully the Elantra comes with adjustable vents for them.

Overall, however, the Elantra SR Turbo is a genuinely fun car that’s an amazing package for the price. It’s not the first time we’ve written that about an Elantra, of course. But this Elantra, in the words of Zaphod Beeblebrox, is “amazingly amazing”.

Related reading:
>> Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo 2017 (Long-Term Introduction)
>> Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo 2017 (Update #1)
>> Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo 2016 Video Review
>> Hyundai i30 SR v Elantra SR Turbo 2016 Comparison
>> Honda Civic RS v Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo 2017 Comparison <<<  >>>

Long-Term Tests
motoring.com.au aims to make your choice of vehicle easier. Our Editorial section does this via our mix of news, international and local launch reviews as well as our seven-day tests.

From time to time we also take the opportunity to spend more time in a vehicle. These longer-term tests can be as short as a couple of weeks, but more recently we’ve settled on a three-month period as indicative of ‘normal’ ownership.

Long-term tests give our staff writers and contributors a chance to get to know a car as an owner would. While the car is with us, we pay for fuel, pay for the servicing and generally use and live with the car as a new owner would.

We believe long-term tests give car buyers an added insight into the vehicle on test, but also the qualities behind the brand and nameplate. The extended period also allows us to touch base with the dealer networks in question.

It comes as no surprise that manufacturers tend to have a love-hate relationship with long-term tests. Three months is plenty long enough to fall out of love with the latest and greatest, and start to nitpick — just like real owners do.