[Vid6639]

I am still not over to get over the fact that Hyundai have not given the Elantra a full fledged MID with fuel consumption, range and other such details. They offer this in the i10, i20, Verna. Why leave that out in the premium Elantra.

It could also be that these were media vehicles and they knew the cars would be driven hard and would show lower numbers. To prevent lower numbers from getting reported Hyundai may have disabled this feature in the media cars. I'm hoping that this is the case as that's a must have for a car of this segment.

Apart from that the Elantra looks like a complete package that will give a very tough fight to the Altis, Cruze and Fluence. The Germans VW/Skoda still enjoy the advantage of being driver oriented and a person looking at driver involvement will not look the Hyundai's way.

[blackasta]

Great review and superb pictures @tsk1979!
I believe they should have included an option pack version with Sunroof / MID / premium sound.
Maybe the 1.6 Diesel is the only chink in the Elantra armor - a slightly bigger motor would have done justice.

[LP640]

Elantra always had much better dynamics compared to rest of Hyundai. Even today, after 7 years, my Elantra petrol does 200 kmph with out much drama. Also its extremely planted until 160 and also on curves.
Could any enthusiast share his experience with this new petrol? I know its not an enthusiast car for its suspension and steering, but does the engine's performance make you smile?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

I am still not over to get over the fact that Hyundai have not given the Elantra a full fledged MID with fuel consumption, range and other such details. They offer this in the i10, i20, Verna. Why leave that out in the premium Elantra.

From my i20 review:

Originally Posted by GTO

I am extremely surprised that Hyundai hasn't equipped the i20 with an MID that offers data on average / real-time fuel-efficiency, or the useful distance to empty counter.

Stratos' i10 review:

Originally Posted by Stratos

Though the digital display (on the RHS) looks like a multi-information display, it's hardly one! Only a digital fuel gauge and two trip-meters are available. There is no outside temperature information, nor any data on instant / average fuel economy.

I believe the Verna has a proper MID though. I agree with you completely, it's inexplicable that so many Hyundai cars lack a full MID in a country obsessed with fuel economy.

[Nitinz]

Excellent Review ! Good to learn finally a Car that has better suspension and handles relatively better than other Hyundai cars . would Elantra base variant eat into Verna top models including Auto if Elantra is priced starting @ 12-13 Lacs ex showroom ?

And if Elantra is priced higher it might lose volumes as people may prefer Jetta or Laura which will come with better snob Value !

cheers

[PPS]

Nice Review,nice pictures. The car does seem like a good package.

What are the 0-100 timings for the petrol & diesel in both the transmissions?
Also no mention of projector/bi-xenon headlamps in the review, so i guess that is missing as well.
Did the guys at Hyundai reveal any estimated price for the car? Also i believe launch is in 2nd week of August,is it true?

[rajeshchand]

I own an Elantra of 2005, what I miss in this version is the interior space, but then from the review it looks like they have compromised on space to make it more compact for easier city driving, the earlier generation Elantra is a pleasure on highway and pain in the city, this new entry might see the reversal of roles.

[shashank.nk]

Brilliant review tsk! Loved those pictures too, i won't be surprised if a few make it to the Elantra brochure.

The car looks very good even though the same fluidic theme is carried forward, i'm a fan of the i20 and Verna's looks too. Its only the rear with the over bulging tail lamps that spoils the otherwise good looks.

I hope the Elantra is priced significantly lower than the Laura/Jetta, it'll then be ok to have a 1.6 engine when almost all cars in the segment except 2, offer a 2 litre option. Improvement in ride and handling is a significant achievement for Hyundai.

For someone looking at a Diesel AT, the Laura/Jetta still make a strong case, better motor plus a superb gearbox which seems to be more reliable than the previous versions.The only possible downside may be lack of features and safety options.

[idofsuresh]

I was just telling my friend today that Samsung literally killed Sony and was also telling him that one day Hyundai will do it to Honda and Toyota. Maybe the day is not very far, already we are seeing i20 out selling Jazz in India. Back in 2000 in US, I hardly saw any Hyundais. During my last trip an year back I saw more Hyundais on the road. May be the day is not too far when Elantra will out sell Corolla in US. South Korean companies are doing something better than their Japanese rivals.

[SrikantDora]

Excellent & detailed review as always, there is no question why all of us wait for the official Team-bhp review even after watching videos, reading reviews from many websites. Nothing beats the Team-bhp review. And I believe the photography gets better with every review, couple of these pics can be sourced to Hyundai for their official web images

If Priced right, Elantra has got the potential to be amongst the top 3 best seller in this segment. I have a different view though, now that Civic & Corolla look dated, anyone out there to buy a petrol & a budget of around 12L would definitely go for Elantra if its priced around 12L

[magikrider]

Great review Tanveer.

A question for GTO and Tanveer:

If you had to choose between the Jetta MT comfortline and the Top end Elantra Diesel AT, what would be your choice then?

have specifically compared these two variants of these two cars as the Elantra top end diesel AT might just be priced close to or maybe even cheaper than the MT Jetta comfortline variant and also feature wise they match better. GTO mentioned earlier he would pick the MT jetta over the MT elantra but what if we compare now with the ease of the AT thrown in too at the same or hopefully better price than the Jetta MT? which do you think is the overall better package?

also any idea what is the 0-100 figure of the diesel MT and AT?

thanks.

[shivasuma]

Originally Posted by PPS

What are the 0-100 timings for the petrol & diesel in both the transmissions?
Did the guys at Hyundai reveal any estimated price for the car? Also i believe launch is in 2nd week of August,is it true?

The manual Elantra does 0-100 in 10.99secs according to Autocar. Add another sec or so for the Auto, which is not bad in my opinion. Apparently its going to be launched on 13th August (I read it somewhere on the forum).

Originally Posted by magikrider

also any idea what is the 0-100 figure of the diesel MT and AT?

Please see remarks above.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by magikrider

what if we compare now with the ease of the AT thrown in too at the same or hopefully better price than the Jetta MT? which do you think is the overall better package?

If you want an MT, its obvious that you are looking at a drivers car, thats why my inclination toward the Jetta. On the other hand, AT = convenience. I would pick the Elantra over the Jetta. The city ride comfort is better, the Hyundai is lighter to drive, its got better interiors, snazzy equipment level and will prove a lot more reliable. I am still wary of the VW DSGs and their longevity.

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Nice review man ! Really like the looks of the car. About the diesel being an average performer , i guess that's what most diesel buyers in the segment would be looking for. Livable performance , good efficiency and a decent AT for the odd day when they have to drive themselves.
Recently bought a Laura L&K and the feature list vis a vis the Elantra is more or less the same give/take a couple here n there. Thankfully Hyundai have looked at market relevance before etching out their feature list unlike Skoda ! ( Elantra has cooled seats and the L&K has ...wait for it....HEATED SEATS !) What for ??? Ironing clothes ?? Idiots !

As far as handling is concerned i can safely say that the Laura is absolutely fantastic. It does not have the steering feedback my civic gives me (not even close) but has a sorted chassis and pretty responsive handling. One can turn into corners at 3-digit speeds without being nervous. The car is that confidence inspiring. Add to that a 6-speed DSG and the VW groups's 140hp/320NM jewel and it seems like a complete package. I cant really compare the Laura's handling to the Jetta's as i have not driven one. The two should be close.

Where the Elantra goes 1 up however against all these is the pricing ! To have a similar feature list to the elantra's in the Laura (the jetta does not boast of such a long feature list) one must opt for the top of the line L&K which translates to an OTR price of 20+ even if its registered OUTSIDE Mumbai octroi limits !
Would expect the elantra to be a lot cheaper & VFM.

[noopster]

Great review, Tanveer and wonderful pictures.Man I wish I could shoot like that!

I liked the car as well. A Hyundai that handles? Gasp! I have driven the old Elantra and it felt miles ahead of my (then) Accent. I imagine this is even better.

As others have said, the diesel AT makes a lot of sense. Hyundai has cleverly positioned the Elantra so that it appeals for those buyers looking for something more than a Verna. The 6-speed gearbox, ventilated seats, dual zone climate control, etc. will surely attract a segment of the C2 segment customer. Sad that they did not toss in an optional sunroof. And as GT mentioned, an old school slushbox may be boring but it beats the hell out of a trouble-prone DSG anyday!

Though I love my MID, I don't know if lack of one is a dealbreaker. An accurate fuel gauge is all that is required to plan one's fuel stops!

Pricing is critical though. The Laura and Cruze are the benchmarks in the segment and this needs to be slightly lower than those two, IMHO. Jetta can afford to overprice itself because of the "German" marque- no such luck for the Elantra!

Rating this 5*.