Big on the inside; looks the business; Series II changes add more tech and a better drive
Tyre noise on 17s
Here’s a family of high achievers – combined, Hyundai’s i30 hatchback and its sedan sibling the Elantra account for 16 per-cent of Australia’s small car market segment and a staggering 40 per-cent of Hyundai Australia’s sales volume this year.
Now Hyundai has launched the updated Model Year 2014 Elantra range with extra equipment, some styling changes and revised suspension and steering for a more engaging drive. More than two years since this generation Hyundai Elantra went on-sale, the changes account for a mid-life change for the Korean giant’s best-selling nameplate which has racked-up global sales of more than 8.77-million vehicles since its debut in 1990.
Locally the new model arrives on the back of another cracker year for Hyundai in Australia – sales of the Elantra itself were up by about 11 per-cent, but the ix35 compact SUV erupted again in 2013 with growth in the region of 67 per-cent, the larger Santa Fe up some 35 per-cent and not even intense competition in the small hatchback segment could prevent the i30’s sales from growing by about 7.0 per-cent. Very impressive when you consider the total now car market grew by roughly 2.0 per-cent in 2013.
Hyundai Elantra Series II Overview
Arrival of MY14 Elantra has enabled Hyundai Australia to more closely align the sedan model’s specifications with its i30 hatchback sibling. And the extra good news is value remains a Hyundai Elantra strongpoint.
Pleasingly, while the interior has been freshened, Hyundai Elantra’s standout spaciousness (perhaps only matched in this league by the Nissan Almera) remains. Likewise the convenience of the 60:40 split-fold rear seat (not all rivals offer that load-carrying versatility).
No driveline changes, but Hyundai says the not-insubstantial suspension modifications and introduction of the driver-select Flex Steer system from the i30 combine to deliver a more enjoyable driving dynamic.
Exterior changes are minor.
The model range is:
Elantra Active (6-speed manual)$20,990 (+$400)
Elantra Active (6-speed automatic)$23,190 (+$400)
Elantra Elite (6-speed automatic)$26,790 (+$1,000)
Elantra Premium (6-speed automatic)$30,190 (+$1,000)
Hyundai Elantra Series II Engine
Hyundai Elantra employs the ‘Nu’ 1.6-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine with dual continuously variable valve timing. It’s a willing performer and seemed more refined than previous Elantras we’ve driven.
Maximum power is 110kW at 6500rpm and peak torque of 178Nm at 4700rpm. Drive is via a six-speed manual transmission (available only in entry-grade ‘Active’, the manual ‘Elite’ has been dropped) or a six-speed automatic with sequential manual mode.
Combined cycle fuel consumption is rated at 6.6l/100kms for Elantra manual or 7.1l/100kms for the auto.
Hyundai Elantra Series II The Interior
Regular Carshowroom.com.au readers will know, we rate the Hyundai Elantra very highly and one reason is its spacious interior. In the same way as Nissan’s Almera (targeting the needs of North American buyers) is a small car with mid-size room inside, the Hyundai Elantra draws positive comments from anyone who first gawks inside.
It’s called ‘Smart Packaging’ and it’s a catchcry we’re hearing a lot these days as so-called small cars are increasingly the main family cars and many of those labelled ‘downsizers’ don’t really want to go ‘compact’ inside. Hyundai delivers with plenty of room up-front and in the rear for the Elantra.
So, best to not tamper with a winning combo…
Just add a more premium look/feel across the range. Entry level Hyundai Elantra Active Series II adds stainless steel front door scuff plates and cloth trim inserts for the doors plus extra practicality in the form of four-sensor rear parking sensors and a chilled glovebox.
Mid-grade Hyundai Elantra Elite adds satellite navigation (7.0-inch screen), ‘Supervision’ instrument cluster and folding side mirrors, while range-topping Premium gets all that plus leather seats (electronic adjustment for the driver) and adds rear seat air-vents (the latter surprisingly not included in some rivals).
Rake and reach adjustment for the steering wheel combines with good seat adjustment to deliver a good driving position.
Hyundai Elantra Series II Exterior & Styling
Again we must ‘dip our lids’ to Hyundai’s styling team for a job well-done on the Elantra sedan. As we noticed when the Elantra first arrived, Hyundai has shown how a bit of flair, some serious creases on the flanks, a shapely bonnet/headlight and boot/tail-light blend can actually make a small sedan look purposeful and contemporary.
New front and rear bumpers included in the MY14 changes actually add some 20mm to Hyundai Elantra’s overall length.
As well, the front sees a revised chrome grille (dark chrome on range-topping Premium), new projector headlights (HID Xenon projection beam with LED DRLs on Premium) plus new-look fog-lights while the rear sees a new two-tone diffuser.
There’s also some new-design alloy wheels (16-inch for Elite and 17-inch for Premium).
Hyundai Elantra Series II On The Road
We should have read the play when Hyundai said we were driving from the corporate HQ in Sydney to the Hunter Valley via Wollambi Road. That would be the Wollambi Road which is the most pot-holed, patched and repaired road we’ve encountered in Australia.
Smooth? Yep, about as smooth as a third day pitch at the WACA.
Reason being, the MY14 Elantra benefits from some serious suspension and steering changes – new dampers and anti-roll bars (22mm diameter, down from 23mm) plus the 32-Bit Motor-Driven Power Steering (MDPS) and driver-select flex-steer system (the latter familiar in the i30 hatchback). All calibrated and tested by Chris Atkinson, Hyundai’s Australian World Rally Championship driver, for unique Australian settings.
We’re not exaggerating to say the Hyundai Elantra was astonishingly poised over those seriously crook (for kilometre after kilometre) NSW roads. Strut/spring compression, noise isolation and refinement were remarkable and put even those expensive Germans (with their firm ride) in the shade.
As we know from the i30, Hyundai’s driver-select flex-steer system was a pearler (over the twists and curves the firm setting provides noticeably better feedback).
And there’s no denying the prowess of Hyundai’s 1.8-litre petrol engine – it loves to rev and provides good response (although we wouldn’t mind a snappier response from the six-speed auto when swapping cogs manually).
Hyundai Elantra Series II Challenges
Premium grade’s 17-inch wheel/tyre combo does introduce some extra tyre noise on coarse-chip bitumen but it’s not a major negative.
Hyundai Elantra Series II Verdict
When the Hyundai Elantra was first launched we said it won the ‘space race’ with impressive roominess inside. Since then, Nissan’s Almera has arrived with similarly abundant dimensions (appreciated by families).
Hyundai has been smart for the Series II model’s running changes – detail improvements inside and out and much improved driving dynamics thanks to those suspension and steering changes.
Package all that up with Hyundai Elantra’s slick good looks and you have a standout small sedan. A Carshowroom.com.au favourite in fact.
Hyundai Elantra Series II The Competition
Ford Focus sedan is the other Carshowroom.com.au favourite small sedan. The Focus scores best for ride and handling and its German design origins deliver a standout interior (although not as roomy as the Hyundai Elantra). Ford Focus starts at $20,290, but if you can stretch to $24,590, Ford’s 125kW/202Nm 2.0-litre engine is worth the extra coin.
Holden’s locally-built Cruze sedan also ranks highly, despite its somewhat lethargic 1.8-litre entry-level engine. Go for the turbocharged 1.6-litre (132kW/230Nm) and Cruze really steps-up – but you’ll need $22,490 for that.
We also like the Honda Civic sedan. While not as spacious as the Hyundai Elantra, Civic oozes Honda’s quality and its 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre powerplants are typically Honda sharp.
Nissan’s Almera matches the Hyundai Elantra for interior space and is sharply priced from $16,990. But its styling is nowhere near as contemporary as the Elantra.
