#TDOTD #TestDriveOfTheDay: Improving on the Elantra

MANILA, Philippines - I knew Hyundai had a winner in their stable when the 5th -generation Elantra was introduced locally in 2011. The sweeping curves, capable drivetrains and chassis, roomy cabin—all at a competitive price—propelled the car to the forefront of the compact car market, giving serious competition to traditional leaders like the Toyota Altis and Honda Civic. I liked it enough that, when it was time to get a new car, I went ahead and got a 1.6-liter Elantra with a 6-speed manual. So far, after 20,000+ kilometers and a little over two years of ownership, I’m happy to report that operating and maintaining it is no different than running a Toyota, a Honda, or a Mitsubishi—all brands that our family has dealt with over the years. The haters can hate all day, but really, the reliability of Korean brands is a non-issue (wife drives a 2012 Kia Sportage and has encountered no problems, either).

So as the car now approaches its virtual half-life, how might it be further improved upon? Facelifted for 2014, the Elantra gets a few improvements here and there to make it just a little more desirable, while preserving its innate goodness. Where the 1.6-liter variant of before only came in a manual or automatic transmission spec, it has now grown to include base and mid-level trim options. There are a few eyebrow-raising faux pas, but not really potential deal-breakers for real-world customers.

First, the good: The 1.8-liter variant is now only available in the P1,258,000 “L”, thus ensuring that it will be just window-dressing to overall Elantra sales. While the 1.8 makes 148hp, the truth is that it isn’t that fun to rev anyway, perhaps owing to its long-stroke design. It booms rather than vrooms at high revs, and is only available with a 6-speed manumatic.

The more popular 1.6-liter engine, on the other hand, is a sweetheart by comparison. The short-stroke design is quick to rev and makes very nice noises. Besides making a healthy 128hp, it’s also quite economical to boot: 9-10km/l in the city, 10-15km/l on the highway. Hyundai is also one of the few automakers to leave you a choice of equally good transmission options: shift for yourself with a light action 6-speed manual, or get more convenience from a 6-speed automatic. The former has a clutch that’s very easy to modulate, and makes the car a lot more fun to drive on open roads. The latter is as smooth as anything from Toyota or Honda and comes with a pistol-grip shift knob with a classy, piano black finish. It lacks paddle shifters, but the manual gate is good enough for those rare moments when you’ll want to do some work.

One thing, though: after equipping my own Elantra with Speedlab’s “Performance Package” of a cold air intake filter, headers, and a Unichip, the stock engine now feels a bit strangled for air! First-time buyers won’t notice the difference, but they should really consider upgrading with this aftermarket option to really see the potential of the 1.6 (you will technically void the engine warranty, though).

“Improvements” to the 2014 Elantra are mostly cosmetic, and they’re mostly good. For example, the projector headlamps have a very classy, LED frame that warmly glows at night, and the rear taillamps similarly glow a solid red. A sliver of chrome adorns the lower grille, and the oversize foglamps (standard across the board) echo the aerodynamic swoosh-iness of the body. The “aero” spoke wheel design of before has been replaced by a classier, straight 10-spoke design, although they still wear low-rolling resistance Hankooks with embarrassing flowers imprinted on the sidewall. Yes, I said flowers. Go take a look. Many Elantra owners quickly upgrade their wheels and tires, and I don’t think new ones will keep the stock design for long.

Inside, the dashboard now has A/C vents placed higher on the shelf so you can blast air in your face without similarly freezing your knuckles like in the first edition; good job. BUT, the lovely, artsy, 2-in-1 manual A/C dial of before with the outer ring for the thermostat and the inner dial for blower fan has been replaced by a conventional, 2-dial design. And the stock 1-DIN, Blaupunkt stereo of before has now been replaced by an integrated, 2-DIN head unit that is missing the all-important USB/AUX port. If you want that feature, you will have no choice but to order the top-of-the-line, 1.6 “L” which also comes with other goodies.

Curiously, ABS and keyless entry are no longer a standard feature on all variants as it was before. The base “E” lacks ABS and only has a driver-side airbag, while the test unit “S” comes with dual airbags, ABS, and keyless entry with immobilizer. If you’re one of those like myself who got the “base” 2011-2013 Elantra which came with ABS and keyless entry, congratulate yourself right now.

So what makes the updated Elantra still worth considering vis-à-vis the all-new Toyota Altis and the dark horse Nissan Sylphy, you might wonder? Well, the headlamps and foglamps are pricey improvements already. All variants also get adjustable steering effort (dubbed “Flex Steer”), controlled with a simple button on the steering wheel. It doesn’t really add any more feel to the electric power system’s anesthetized nature, but it does add a little more heft to what used to be a Playstation-like steering effort. Oh, and all variants also get integrated audio controls on the steering wheel (the telescopic feature is now axed on the “base” S, though… Sad.)  Just out of sheer principle, I never used the stereo as my handy USB had to be stowed in my pocket. That stereo would be the first thing to be ripped out by a customer who wants easy access to his playlist. (Actually, the old 1-DIN was similarly the first thing to be replaced in the past; the new design just makes an upgrade more expensive)

All the other fundamentals are preserved: a cabin that’s borderline midsize, a capacious trunk, and a ride-and-handling balance that feels sporty and comfortable at the same time. The high-end “L” even adds rear A/C vents and side mirror repeaters, among others.

With no less than six variants to choose from, ranging from P888,000 to 1,118,000 for the 1.6-liter variants and P1,258,000 for the rare customer who’ll insist on the 1.8, the Elantra is still a beautiful car that’s gotten a little more sophisticated. It doesn’t really hold a price advantage anymore over its competitors, so Hyundai has chosen to let its compact stand on its own merits. Let’s see if this gambit will succeed in the long run.