2016 Hyundai Elantra review, test drive

The new Elantra looks even better than the last one. But what's it like behind the wheel?

Published on Aug 10, 2016 01:00:00 PM

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Internal Audit

If Hyundai has excelled in any one area in recent years, it has to be the cabin. Space and comfort are always afforded priority, the cabins are generally built to a very high standard and hasn’t Hyundai all but pioneered the concept of the lavishly equipped car?

Here too, seat comfort is very good. The electric front seats are wide, large and very supportive and because the seats are equipped with a memory function, you can get comfortable in the driver’s seat in a jiffy, every time. And the side bolstering on the front seats is also quite good. Even space in the rear is more than sufficient. There’s a fair amount of legroom in the rear even if there is a tall person sitting up front and the seat back is nicely reclined. The cushioning on the leather seats is excellent and even your feet are placed at a nice angle. Under-thigh support could have been a bit better. However, you are sat a bit low compared to some of the best back seats in the class such as the Jetta, but the seat is so good overall, this is hardly likely to matter. Headroom at the rear, however, could be a bit of an issue if you are really tall, and that’s due to the sloping roof.

The design of the cabin is also quite a departure from that of the earlier car. Whereas the earlier Elantra had some fairly outlandish details, like the centre console that narrowed dramatically and then widened again, this new car is almost Germanic, both in its attention to detail and its line and form. The instrument panel, centre console and steering wheel are as neat and straight laced as you can get, the metallic highlights work beautifully and the fit, finish and build of the various buttons is so good, it’s nearly as good as those found on a Skoda or VW. Even functionality is great. The only fly in the ointment, as it were, is that the proportions of some of the bits on the inside seem well, a bit off. The instrument panel and vents somehow look too ‘tall’ for the rest of the cabin and the manner in which the vents taper look abrupt as well.

The cabin, however, has a solid and robust build to it, you get ventilated seats as on the earlier car, and Electronic Stability Control (or ESP) is likely to come as standard on the new Elantra when it comes to India next month. The Elantra also gets a unique feature; Hyundai’s Smart Trunk system. Go close to the boot with just the key in your pocket and stand next to it for a bit and it will flash its tail-lights twice at you and open up; no wild flaying of hands or legs required. Pretty neat.

First Impressions

Hyundai’s new Elantra is a big step forward over the earlier car. The new design is sure to attract many potential buyers, the cabin is well built and comfortable and the Hyundai, with its new engine for India, is likely to be fairly nice to drive as well. Yes, it is up against some heavy hitters in the form of the Octavia and Jetta and there are still areas where these cars nose ahead easily, but look at the Elantra as a package and Hyundai’s new executive is likely to be much more competitive. Can’t wait to drive it against its competition: watch this space. It really does have a shot.