New Hyundai Elantra Test Drive Review – Newfound Elan

What is it?

The new sixth generation Hyundai Elantra has just been launched in India. It replaces the older model that went on sale in August 2012. The latest avatar dons a more grown up look inside out and gets a new petrol heart. Hyundai has also thrown in more equipment, which further enriches the outgoing model’s already long list of features. Add to that a mouth watering starting price of just Rs. 12.99 lakhs, and the new Elantra becomes a pretty attractive proposition. But all of this sounds good in theory. How does it fare in the real world? Does it meet expectations that usually accompany new generation models? We took the new Elantra for a spin on the splendid East Coast Road (Chennai) to find our answers. Here’s our 2016 Hyundai Elantra Test Drive Review for all the details.

Also See – Hyundai Elantra Prices | Hyundai Elantra – Old vs New

Looks Good

Thanks to Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language, the new Elantra has lost some of the flamboyance of the earlier car. That said, the cleaner lines should help appeal to a wider audience. Up front, the Elantra gets a wide, low set nose with Hyundai’s signature hexagonal chrome grille. The sleek headlamps house HID projector units and LED daytime running lights. Black inserts in the front bumper housing the projector fog lamp units help accentuate the car’s width. They are more than merely a design element, though. These black inserts help direct air over the wheels thereby reducing wind noise.

In its side profile, the new car bears a strong resemblance to the model it replaces. A rising window line and a coupe-like roofline culminate neatly into the “kick up style” spoiler. Elantra’s tail now sports a more angular form complete with sleek, split tail lamps that get some lovely LED detailing. If you were a huge fan of the way the old car looked, you might find the new Elantra slightly less radical. However, we feel the cleaner, sharper lines give it a more sophisticated appearance. And this, in all probability, will bode well with prospective buyers.

Also See – Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Corolla Altis

2016 Hyundai Elantra Video Review

What’s it Like on the Inside?

The new Elantra gets a very rich looking cabin finished in all black. It gets silver highlights on the dashboard that help break the monotony. Like the exteriors, the cabin also ditches the curvy design of the previous car in favour of cleaner lines. The centre console is ever so slightly angled towards the driver, which gives it a driver-centric design. The steering wheel gets the usual set of buttons and looks quite familiar to the one on the Elite i20.

There are a couple of other noteworthy features. One of them is the smart boot function. It pops the trunk open if you stand behind the car at a distance of about 3 feet with the key in your pocket. Pretty nifty if your hands are full with large shopping bags or luggage. Then there’s the welcome function. As you approach the vehicle, it detects your presence and unfolds the mirrors and turns on the pocket lights placed in the door handles. Slightly gimmicky, but certainly very cool. For some strange reason, the Elantra does without rain sensing wipers. And we feel the dials look a bit too plain. Also, the rear seats are placed a tad bit low thanks to the coupe-like roofline, which means under thigh support is unsatisfactory. Apart from that, the Elantra’s cabin scores high on quality and boasts a healthy list of features.

Also See – Hyundai Elantra vs Chevrolet Cruze

Truly Loaded

An 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system takes centre stage between the asymmetric AC vents. This one here gets the usual set of features along with Apple CarPlay and Andriod Auto support. As we mentioned earlier, the sedan comes with a long list of features. You get a dual zone auto aircon with ventilated front seats. The driver’s seat gets 10-way electric power adjust. Hyundai has also added an electric sunroof, among other things, to the Elantra’s long list of equipment

What’s Under the Hood?

Hyundai Elantra continues with a set of petrol and diesel engines that can be had with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. The petrol engine under the hood of the Elantra is a ‘Nu’ 2.0-litre unit. Maximum power is rated at 152 PS while peak torque is 19.6 kgm. The 1.6-litre U2 CRDi diesel has been carried over from the outgoing car. There is 128 PS of max power and 26.5 kgm of peak torque on tap.

For our drive along the beautiful ECR road connecting Chennai and Pondicherry, we got behind the wheel of a diesel Elantra with a 6-speed manual. The engine pulls well and ensures the car doesn’t feel sluggish. That said, performance isn’t its forte and the Elantra diesel doesn’t feel very exciting. On the plus side, however, it is very fuel efficient with Hyundai claiming an overall mileage of 22.5 kpl for the manual variant. Gear changes are slick thanks to the smooth short throw gear lever.

What’s it Like to Drive?

The new Elantra’s suspension setup is stiffer than the outgoing car. Hence, it feels more planted at higher speeds and body roll is well contained. We barely encountered many rough patches of road, but things did not get too uncomfortable over the speed humps and few undulations. Out on the highway, it can cruise along all day long effortlessly. Refinement levels, for a diesel, are excellent with barely any noise or vibrations filtering into the cabin. Hyundai has worked on the suspension a fair bit. A fact that is clearly evident from the way the Elantra feels firm and composed at speed without making things uncomfortable for the passengers. The only letdown in the ride and handling department is the steering. While its light nature is great for city speeds and getting through congested roads, it struggles to offer enough feedback.

The new 2.0 L petrol motor looks far more impressive than the diesel, at least on paper. It has 150 BHP on tap, which is more than most of its rivals. The one we drove came with 6-speed automatic transmission. It may not be the quickest, but it does a fine job of selecting the right gear based on throttle input. Power delivery from the 2.0 L unit is instant. Every dab of the throttle is rewarded with brisk progress. However, as you get closer to the redline, the power starts to taper off. The engine gets loud and whiny and it’s just all noise without much to show for it. That said, the overall NVH levels are very impressive and sometimes it is hard to tell if the engine is on or not while idling.

Automatic variants of the Elantra offer three driving modes – Normal, Eco and Sport. There is a discernable difference between all three. All three modes are pretty self-explanatory. If you want it move fast you select Sport mode. At the risk of low fuel efficiency, of course. At city speeds, it’s the Eco mode we would recommend. While it blunts throttle response, the car doesn’t feel sluggish. And it ensures double-digit fuel consumption figures.

Should I buy One?

SUVs and crossovers have made life difficult for D-segment sedans. Hyundai’s new sixth generation Elantra has what it takes to inject some life back into the segment. An exciting petrol engine, a frugal diesel, long list of features and decent ride quality, all wrapped up in a beautiful exterior make the Elantra a very well-rounded package. Oh yes, it scores high in terms of safety too! The new Elantra comes with six airbags, ABS with EBD, vehicle stability control and Hill Start Assist among others. A really competitive price tag further sweetens the deal. This car is, quite easily, one of the best sub-20 lakh offerings in the market today.

New Hyundai Elantra Price List

Hyundai India is offering the new Elantra with a 3 Year/Unlimited KMS warranty. These prices are introductory. They stand valid till December-31, 2016.

New Hyundai Elantra Specification

2016 Hyundai Elantra Test Drive Review India – Images

New Hyundai Elantra 2016 Colours

There are five colours on offer

• Sleek Silver
• Red Passion
• Polar White
• Phantom Black
• Marina Blue

What do you think of our 2016 Hyundai Elantra Test Drive Review? Do let us know via the comments section below. And stay tuned to Car Blog India for 2016 Hyundai Elantra Test Drive Review of petrol variants.

Author- Dhruv Saxena.