Review: 2011 Hyundai Elantra

My daily driver is a 2004 Hyundai Elantra GT, so it's safe to say I'm pretty familiar with the car. When the 2006 Elantra came out, I was anxious to see how they'd improved it, given how impressive their recently reinvigorated 2005 Sonata was. Unfortunately, I walked away a little disappointed. Although larger with vastly improved interior quality, I found the new bloated exterior style a bit too bulbous. It suffered a bit in the driving dynamics as well, as I found the new electric steering over-boosted, and the shifter action of the manual a bit vague and rubbery. Suffice to say I was hoping the new 2011 model would fix some those issues. And after some time with the 2011 model today, I can comfortably say that they have.

Starting with it's exterior, the 2011 looks as if it hit the gym. There's some similarities to the last model in it's looks, but the new car has shed the last car's visual chubbiness and is now refined and muscular. The "fluidic sculpture" lines share a lot with the sleek new Sonata creating a family resemblance, yet the Elantra fares slightly better in this regard as it lacks the chrome Klingon forehead of a grille. Unfortunately the style injection is a double edged sword - some may find the new look a bit too different. For example, the car looks great to me from most angles - but it does look a little funky around the heavily sculpted rear wheel wells, with it's overly tall sheet metal resulting from the aggressively raked greenhouse.

Inside is the same story as the exterior. The 2006 Elantra's interior's fit and finish was a great improvement over the previous generation, but the look was a tad boring and generic. The 2011 keeps the improvements in fit and finish and revitalizes the interior with an attractive and aggressive new look similar to that of the Sonata and Genesis Coupe. From behind the wheel, the raked windshield, small diameter steering wheel and stubby shifter give a sporty impression - not unlike the Genesis Coupe but in a smaller scale. Unfortunately I didn't fiddle much with the user friendliness of the audio system as I chose to focus more on how it felt to drive. Maybe I'm getting old, but I often find many of the newer more integrated audio systems in cars to be a bit overwhelming initially as everything isn't organized in a defined rectangular area of the dash like they used to be. Makes you wonder if aftermarket systems are going the way of the dinosaur... That's a rant for another time, however. What I did fiddle within comfortable reach and had nicely damped motions.

I was also amazed at the content for the price. The car I drove was a 6 speed manual GLS (a Canadian package most likely differs from that in the US of A), whose window sticker was priced at around $21,000 CAD after destination charges. What do you get for this? A sunroof, aluminum rims, heated front AND rear seats (cloth though - however I prefer cloth seats as they're grippier when you're hustling), traction control, 6 speaker stereo with MP3 player/USB connectivity, Bluetooth, and steering wheel audio/cruise/Bluetooth controls. Oh - and a spoiler (something I personally don't pay attention to unless absolutely necessary as an aerodynamic aid). In fact the 2011 Elantra is cheaper than the outgoing model. Compared to that car's so-so looks inside and out, this car comes of as somewhat of a bargain.Even bare bones models contain more content based on their spec sheets than the outgoing model as well - a lot of content for $16,000 before destination.

Another area of note that I always look at being a hatchback owner is the space and accessibility of the cargo area. Not only does the Elantra have a huge trunk, it also has a rather large pass through area - rare in sedans. A couple faults here though - the seat backs don't fold flat and the seat bottoms don't fold forward to allow them to (most likely because of the heater mechanisms). It's possible that's a hatchback thing I've just expecting to see in all cars. The biggest irritation however is that the seat belts shoulder harnesses remain attached to the brace below the rear window with the seat backs fold, leaving seat belts criss-crossing the open hole. The sidemost belts aren't too in the way, but the centre shoulder harness definitely could get tangled in your cargo. It might be a safety issue, but I wish they folded with the seats.

But how does it drive? Quite a bit better than it's predecessor. I for one am not a fan of the electronic systems in newer cars. I definitely did not like of the steering of the last car. It had the steering feel and feedback of a video game steering wheel controller in that it felt disconnected and seemed to remove you completely from the driving experience. Unfortunately the new car still lacks feedback in the form of road feel, so it's still feels a bit distant when you're driving. However, it's now nicely weighted, and it no longer feels like you're in a driving simulation.

The shifter action is much improved as well, with short throws and a more solid feel than my 2004, with none of the rubbery action of the 2006. I was not a fan of the clutch and gas pedals though - they seemed to protrude too far, and offered too much resistance in my opinion. In fact, the clutch seemed too offer both too much and too little resistance. Lifting your foot felt as if the pedal was being propelled by a tight spring, while depressing it seemed to offer little resistance as your foot sank toward the floor. Due to this coordinating the gas and clutch took a bit of learning. That being said, it was easy to feel the soft spot in the clutch, and takeup was smooth and easy. The extra gear of the 6 speed is also a welcome addition, allowing you to cruise on the highway at 110 km/h at around 2000rpm. Although it was a little tough to engage (I accidentally downshifted to fourth a couple times).

The new Elantra is powered by a new 1.8L engine with 148hp and 131lb-feet of torque. The engine replaces the long serving 2.0L that carried over the last two generations. Offering similar power to that engine, fuel economy soars in comparison. Being used to the 2.0L, I found the 1.8L offered comparable power, although it felt a little less powerful most likely due to weight gain and gearing optimized toward fuel economy. It's still a peppy engine though, and quite quiet compared to my engine (although it sounded more industrial - like a turbine - compared to more pleasing growl the 2.0). Not to say that the car is superbly quiet though - a fair amount of road and accessory noise still makes it to the cabin.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a good feel of the suspension, due to some slick roads. But from the driving I did do it feels a tad more sporty and less floaty than the last couple generations, although it was harsh is some of the rougher spots.

All in all, I left pretty impressed. It has healthy doses of style and substance, and if it meets the fuel economy numbers Hyundai quotes it may be hard to top. Rumors swirl that a hatchback will follow, making this package even more attractive (to a hatchback and wagon fan, anyhow). Now, if it only had a turbo...