Hyundai Elantra Sport

The interior is somewhat of a letdown. Especially the dashboard. Like the rest of the interior, the dashboard incorporates a lot of sporty details. But overall the analog dials look dated. There is a 7” TFT LCD touchscreen serving as the car’s infotainment which is equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. But the quality of plastics used does not feel up to the mark. The car comes with red and black leather seats that in addition to the red treatment on the door cards, becomes a bit too much. Still, the flat-bottomed steering wheel from the Ioniq feels good. There is enough space in the seats on either row. The driver’s seat is 8-step adjustable and 2-step adjustable for lumbar support. The seats also offer a natural seating position. The rear seats also fold flat to increase storage.

The already svelte arrow like body of the Hyundai Elantra has been given enough styling touches to make it stand out. And stand out it will. The front is now more defined and aggressive with a sportier bumper. The now tighter grille comes with a black surround and a discrete red turbo badge. It also gets larger side intakes with air curtains and LED DRLs. There are HID headlamps that are now encased in new design silver enclosures with red accents. The sides are adorned with chrome beltline molding, chrome outside handles and rear-view mirrors with LED indicators. Ten spoke 17” dual tone alloys come shod with 225/45 tires. The rear end is equally sporty with a bumper that looks like a diffuser with integrated exhausts. Vents with reflectors and LED combination lamps bring the whole look together. The overall look is one of aggression without being too loud. The range of exterior color options – Polar White, Phantom Black, Iron Grey, Platinum Silver, Marina Blue, Blazing Yellow, and Fiery Red – do well to compliment that impression. The car has remained unchanged otherwise with a length of 4570 mm, width of 1800 mm and height of 1440 mm.

Korean cars are not known for being the most engaging to drive. But the Hyundai Elantra Sport strikes a well enough balance between comfort and handling. The suspension (Mc Pherson struts in the front instead of torsion bar on the standard) is set up to be firm which gives it good handling and good stability at higher speeds. At the same time, the ride never suffers or become too crashy. Apart from the firmness in the rear seats. The car could also do with a more communicative steering though.

The Hyundai Elantra Sport is powered by a 1.6T-GDi engine producing 201 hp at 6000 rpm and 265 Nm of torque between 1500 and 4500 rpm. These figures put this Hyundai at the top of its pack in terms of performance. They also allow it to reach 100 kmph in just 7.7 sec. It also comes with a three-mode drive mode control. The 7-speed DCT is not as fast as an automatic with a torque convertor but does its job without much fuss or human intervention. The paddle shifts also come handy when needed. The combination of these two makes it a better drive than its rivals. And the car’s dynamics only take it one step higher.

The Hyundai Elantra Sport has been given bigger brakes than the standard car at 16” for the front and 15” for the rear to cope with the extra power. There are driver aids in the form of electronic stability control and auto cruise control. Tire pressure monitoring system, hill start assist, and blind spot detection also increase the safety of the car. The Elantra Sport also comes equipped with front and rear park assist and a rear-view camera. 6 airbags and advanced high steel frame ensure the safety of passengers inside.

A Korean brand is not everyone’s first choice when they are looking for a performance sedan. However, as a performance sedan, the Hyundai Elantra Sport ticks a lot of the necessary boxes. It offers commendable performance, sporty styling, and pleasing equipment levels without making a huge hole in your pocket. It’s a shame that Hyundai didn’t take more inspiration from the Ioniq for its interior. Nevertheless, the Koreans are really upping their game now.