[xjosephjacob]

I think that grill looks plain silly. I don't see this unsettling the segment leader Altis. The previous version was quite radical at the time it was launched, and this one is more like evolutionary.

[vinya_jag]

I have started liking Hyundai with every new car of theirs. This one is quite a changed car from its predecessor. Lovely low hung stance, short overhangs, wide tyres. Also, the interiors, quite a shift from its predecessor. This time, I felt Hyundai did not go overboard in anything, and are doing things just right. (Well almost)
How do they do it? How can Hyundai change so much from one model to the other, while all the others almost sell the same car with each update? How do they manage to have the inventory of such wide range of parts?

[Venkat_Figo]

Business as usual - a 5 star review.

I personally like the new avatar of the Elantra. Barring the under powered (compared to the segment competitors) Hyundai has got the rest spot on. Even the price is sensible this time around.

A potential best seller IMHO, considering a lot of customers in this segment prefer being driven around rather than being behind the wheel themselves, the engine may not be the deal breaker.

[AYP]

Great review Aditya.

The car looks great from the outside but there is no wow factor when it comes to the interiors. This was present in the previous generation. They could have used more design elements like silver inserts etc. to liven up the cabin a bit. Even though I prefer German design(inside-out) the previous Hyundai atleast had an interior which looked different and eye catching. With this iteration, the interiors look European but lack the opulence of the Jetta and especially the Octavia, hence taking away one of its USP.

Hyundai is truly going the VW way, not only in terms of design, but in terms of skimping features on lower variants as well. Also, the power output of the diesel engine could have been improved.

That being said, it is great to know that Hyundai is improving the driving dynamics of the car generation by generation, as that has been the Achilles' heel for them. The new ICE is perhaps the best in the segment.

I feel that this car will cement its position at the number 2 spot, behind the Corolla.

[drive2eternity]

Great Review Aditya, 5 stars.

And possibly 5 stars for the Elantra too. Hyundai has definitely given this car everything. Looks, features, pricing backed by the wide Hyundai Service network should ensure Hyundai reach their sales targets.
Personally, I would pick it if I had 25 big ones to spend. It outshines the Toyota and after spending 25 lacs, I cannot live in the fear of ASS of VW and Skoda.

Btw, cannot stress how good the ventilated seats are. You need to try them to understand their benefits esp in India.

Also,

[phoenixash]

Great review! I saw this car in the Hyundai showroom last month when I accompanied a family member who was interested in the Creta. I personally loved the new look exteriors and stance of this car, very suitable for an executive sedan. Paint quality and finish were also top-notch.

I was not as impressed with the interiors however. Don't get me wrong, the quality of the interiors is excellent, however it didn't seem to be a 10-12L upgrade over my Elite i20. While this is obviously because Hyundai is segment-leader in interior quality in the hatchback segment, I'm sure they could have done more to make the Elantra interiors feel more premium. Some leather / soft-touch materials on the dashboard would go a long way in improving the interior quality.

The steering wheel is also the same as the Elite i20, and seems a size small for a car this size.

While I didn't drive the vehicle, overall I think this car will do pretty well. I'm not sure if it can compete with the Octavia & Jetta, which have better interior quality, engines and solid build. But Hyundai loyalists and their strong A.S.S. will definitely move a good number of cars.

What is with the stingy equipment on the lower variants though? Alarming trend where Hyundai is removing a lot of features from lower variants, to sell only the top variants. They started this with the Creta, then subsequently removed features from the Sportz variant of the Elite i20 to make it worse, and have continued it with the Elantra.

[sumeethaldankar]

Silver looks boring on this car. It looks more like in the lines of the Verna rather than a full size sedan. I think the sedan ( i have yet to see it on the road) looks smaller than it is.

[abs182]

I went to the Hyundai showrooms 2 of them that are there in my city to test drive them and take good look at them. To my surprise both dealers don't have a demo car let alone a display car! It was not what I expected from Hyundai. I am in the market for a D segment car and was eager to look at the Elanatra and get the decision going. I also have learnt unreliably that the elantra are having some shipment issues and there aren't many available as expected. Can any one second that? I felt that at least Hyundai would have ensured enough cars for Display/Demo and for bookings. I'll wait for the dealerships to call me back. If they don't I'll delay the decision till the financial year end.

[adi_petrolhead]

5 STAR review as always!

May I point a doubt? Isn't the sensor behind the IRVM for the Auto-headlights? The dimming sensor is at the front along with the button to activate. And as far as I know, the actual mirror itself is the sensor where in the dimming Gel gets electrically activated when light shines on the glass. Sorry for the nerd-ity

Its an awesome vehicle, but its not optimally priced to compete with the bigger boys like the Jetta and Octy. I do understand its much cheaper than the competition, but the sense of an Elantra, a 1.6 crdi unit, seems a bit under-delivered.

[SPARKled]

The Verna does everything well without being a topper in any category. I personally think the design is a "downgrade" from the very flamboyant earlier generation Verna which again carried my all time favorite Honda Civic design language ahead. It looks a lot like the current Verna from a lot of angles which is not necessarily a good thing for a car costing so much. But for most people who are a bit scared of the reliability and service of VAG group cars or are put off by the anaemic performance of the 1.4 diesel Altis will go ahead and plonk money on this Hyundai for a similar level of peace of mind. Biggest plus I guess is the much better handling which was a bug bear of most Hyundais.

[invidious]

Thanks for the comprehensive review. I was a bit underwhelmed with the interiors. It's not that they are as shockingly spartan as Honda usually throws at us but it seems they have gone more European for the functionality factor rather than the wow factor. It works and works quite well, though. I particularly like the Android Auto - I am hoping it becomes standard across multiple segments soon; the Elantra is the first car in India to come Android Auto factory fitted. The outer design itself is more evolutionary than revolutionary - it isn't as much of a change as it was from the old i20 to the Elite i20.


The best aspect I liked are the cooled seats - I see you mention that the front seats are cooled. So I take it that they haven't added the feature for the rear seats? Given that this segment tends to veer toward the chauffeur-driven consumer, I find it a tad surprising.

I hope they add most of these features on the Verna next year. The C2 segment just seems a more practical size for the urban self-driving user.

[McLaren Rulez]

Wow seriously impressive car. It looks generations ahead of the Corolla and the Jetta.

The messy variants will be something Hyundai can fix quite easily. That said, I suspect that Hyundai have actually done their research and realized that top end cars are almost always automatic. We might moan about that here but I wouldn't be surprised if that is actually the right move!

[landcruiser123]

Hyundai couldn't have timed their launch better. The launch is at the perfect moment when the rest of the D segment is dwindling. They could have bought some excitement with the 1.4 Turbo Petrol with the 7 speed DCT.

Two things that get my goat:
1. Messed up variants. Why Hyundai, why?
2. No 3-point seatbelts for the middle occupant in the rear.

Again, I'm just nit picking.

Even though it's brilliant, I would buy an Innova Crysta 2.8 GX. That's just me being me

[dark.knight]

While all the aspects of the car have been laid out completely via the review, with pictures as well.. let me add a "neutral" opinion of the car as I've already test-driven it. There are 3 kinds of drivers in general, first being those who seek value - i.e safety, features and great pricing, second being those who seek performance - its all about the engine output, torque, BHP, 0-100 etc, the third is the category I fall into and its very rare - the buyer who just wants enough performance (mainly low-end torque) to potter around town with, but more importantly, also wants a quiet, refined and peaceful drive with a similar ownership experience. We're not adventurous, we just need a vehicle that can get the job done efficiently and reliably.

With that being said, the Elantra is a brilliant vehicle in that aspect, features do not matter as much as the core practicalities. The vehicle is pin-drop silent inside, the doors feel solid and easy to close, the controls fall to the hands with ease and its just a car that one can be very happy with for years. I'm a slightly above-average height of 5'10" and I can say with confidence that most Indians will find comfort easily inside the car. All the features of the car, from ventilated seats, to the boot-opening mechanism, and the cubby spaces are built thoughtfully.. something Hyundai forgot to do for a few models.

As a citizen of one of the most crowded and busy metros in the country, here's a typical driving scenario daily - between 15-20 kmph in peak timings, close to 30 kmph when roads are free which are often, never. A bigger car will reduce average speeds about 10-15%. What is required for this situation is mostly torque off the blocks, easy revving and drivability which the petrol has for sure, and so should the diesel as it has enough horses. I'd like to assume that more than 50% of the buyers in that budget would think like that and Hyundai has them in mind. Its one of the more honest cars from the brand since the past 2 years and its the most well designed in its segment (my opinion of course). I give this one a thumbs up. As with every other car, I dislike the steering but as I said before I spare no brand from this aspect.. I want a car with a steering as heavy as a log for a change.

Originally Posted by phoenixash

I was not as impressed with the interiors however. Don't get me wrong, the quality of the interiors is excellent, however it didn't seem to be a 10-12L upgrade over my Elite i20.

Well, here's how I see the value proposition > the Elantra has to pay much higher duties as it falls in a bracket of >4m+>1.2 L engine, also the costs associated with the production of the 2.0/1.6 engines and/or the 6 speed automatic transmission. There is much better raw-material usage on the inside, better tyres, better wheels, better body-structure and sheet gauge both. There is a bit of hollowness to the i20 (much better than its Asian rivals) but still, it doesn't feel as symbiotic as the Elantra which feel solid and moves much more tightly than the i20. Having driven both, I feel there is no comparison.. if the i20 costs close to 10-11L these days, the Elantra can easily push 20L. The rest is naturally due to better margins which is warranted in a bigger car.

[Starfire]

As a owner of the Fluidic Verna Crdi Auto myself and having driven the Elantra Crdi Auto, here is my little comparative impression for potential upgraders:

• Performance: 0-100 i'd say Verna, although its just a 4-Speed, you never feel so. The Elantra being heavy feels a bit slower but just takes the cake beyond 100 though. The additional gears help it to pull when the Verna starts running out of breath. The kick in the back feeling at 2000 RPM in the Elantra is there but is surely tamed as compared to the Verna.

• Suspension: Both are comfortable at low speeds and at Par but the Elantra feels better at high speeds. There's lesser vertical movement than the Verna when crossing undulated surfaces at speeds. It also irons out the undulations better but don't expect it to be better than the Germans, just better than its younger Korean Brother.

• Ride Dynamics: Ive shod my Verna with larger Yoko S-Drives so this maybe partial, cornering in the Elantra is Average and grip levels are OK but one does feel safer in the Elantra with the ESP keeping an eye on you if you tend to get mischievous perhaps The Elantra also feels more stable at high speeds with lesser wind noise filtering in the cabin as compared to the Verna.

• Brakes: Although the Verna has Discs all around, its strictly Average. I found the braking bite on the new Honda City MUCH better even though it has rear drums. As for the Elantra lets just say it has the brakes of the Honda City once you get past the initial spongyness by pressing a little deeper.

• When Loaded: The Verna had a bad habbit of squatting down with 5 on board making it vulnerable to scrapping speed breakers. Thankfully the Elantra is slightly better in this aspect. Cleared all medium sized speed breakers when fully loaded and scraped only one large speed breaker.

• Fuel Efficiency: With 50/50 City/Highway driving conditions and a couple of Traffic Patches, the Verna gives me around 11.4 kmpl, while the Elantra showed around 12.5 kmpl for similar if not the same conditions. Thanks to the 6 Speed Maybe?

The Elantra is a great car for those upgrading from the Verna especially if you are Chauffeur driven and don't really mind the mild difference of power. But if you do then go for the Petrol Elantra or a VW Jetta.