Hyundai Elantra 1.6 Gsi 5door Jul 01

R0150 July 2001

Car test

Hyundai Elantra Featured model: 1.6 GSi 5-door AT A GLANCE considering size, price and rivals

Overtaking ability Space/practicality Controls/displays Safety Handling/steering Comfort

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SPECIFICATION

J

UST AS OIL OF ULAY, TREETS and Jif have been renamed to reflect their new international branding, so the Hyundai Lantra has been rebadged Elantra. No longer a “sector-straddler”, the latest, more-Europeanised model is a true upper-medium that’s longer, wider and higher than before. This hatchback option is offered for the first time, too, but incongruously the estate has been dropped. The newcomer isn’t all new, though, because the engines and suspension are developed from the Lantra’s; otherwise it’s all change. This includes the higher quality, if somewhat cheerless, air-conditioned interior. Although no Mondeo when it comes to providing back seat knee and legroom, the Elantra is in acceptably roomy Vectra/406/Avensis territory. It’s a pity that the firm and shapeless back seat isn’t more cosily enveloping, though. This smaller of the two engines suffers from low-rev languour that can be dispelled with a downshift (or two) on the excellent gearchange. By 3500rpm it gets the message and begins to look lively, revving willingly if not altogether sweetly to the 6500 red line. Alternatively, it’s a flexible friend in top gear if you’re not in a hurry. The revised suspension is a little fidgety on broken surfaces, but otherwise gives a rather pleasant, unruffled ride, while the steering (though on the low-geared side) has a smooth, fluid feel. If it were “quicker” the handling would be sharper, but even as things are, the Elantra is tenaciously grippy and predictable through tight bends. The all-disc brakes are impressive, too.

Up front, the driver faces clear dials set in a sea of mid-grey plastic, but at least the moulded panels and lids are well finished and fit snugly. Steering and seat height (plus lumbar suport) adjustments give a tailored driving position with most – though not all – of the switches conveniently positioned. Fortunately the three rear head restraints intrude only a little on rearward vision. Even the mid-range GSi is remarkably well equipped, with items including four electric windows, four airbags, alarm and immobiliser, remote central locking, air conditioning, anti-lock brakes, front foglamps… Despite intruding suspension turrets, the hatchback’s boot is bigger than average, but there’s a prominent (18cm) rear sill to cope with. The load area is greatly increased by folding the rear cushions and backrests to form a long, flat load deck. VERDICT What a difference an E makes! – the Elantra is a much better car than its previous near-namesake. But by moving up in the world, it’s now hobnobbing with a better class of, albeit costlier, rival, many of whose number boast greater mechanical refinement. A fine effort, nevertheless, and well worth considering, especially if value for money is a priority. And if the Lantra is anything to go by, it’s unlikely to prove too painful in depreciation, either.

engine 1599cc, 4-cylinder, petrol; 106bhp at 5800rpm, 106 lb ft at 3000rpm; belt-driven double overhead camshafts, 16 valves transmission 5-speed manual, frontwheel drive; 20.6 mph/1000rpm in 5th, 16.4 in 4th suspension front: MacPherson coil spring/damper struts, anti-roll bar. Rear: independent coil spring/damper struts with transverse and trailing link location, anti-roll bar steering hydraulic power assistance; 3.2 turns lock-to-lock; 10.4m diameter turning circle between kerbs (16.2m for one turn of the wheel) brakes ventilated discs front, solid discs rear, with standard electronic anti-skid (ABS) and brake force distribution (EBD) controls wheels/tyres 5½in steel with 185/65R15H tyres (Kumho Powermax 769 on test car); full-size spare LIKES ... new, improved fit and finish generous inventory of equipment handy drink holders, cubbies, map nets airbag passenger-presence detector red lights on opened front doors and GRIPES radio/CD only – no cassette player small trip meter hard to decipher electric blue instrument lighting radio and clock too bright at night facia air vents lack full adjustment THE ELANTRA RANGE size and type upper medium (budgetpriced) four-door saloon and five-door hatchback trim levels 1.6: Si, GSi; 2.0: CDX engines petrol: 4 cylinder/1.6 litre/106bhp 4/2.0/139; diesel: due spring 2002 drive front-wheel drive, 5-speed manual; 4-speed stepped automatic optional more facts and figures ð

OVERTAKING ABILITY

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SAFETY

braking

Keep the engine above 3500 revs and it’s a willing worker; below this, response for overtaking or on hills is doleful. It’s tractable in top, though. Although game to rev to a vocal 6500, there’s no point

acceleration in seconds

through gears*

„th gear

…th gear

20-40mph

3.7

10.5

15.5

30-50mph

4.6

10.0

14.9

40-60mph

5.9

10.3

14.7

50-70mph

7.6

11.0

15.8

30-70mph

12.2

21.0

30.7

handbrake

‚*

ƒ*

„*

…

speed (mph)

30

53

77

101

115

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Interior space well apportioned to give plenty of rear legroom, together with a generously sized boot/load deck; high sill, though. Rear doors provide good foot entry space, but sill protection absent outside

front

length width

height

449

- legroom

91-108

- headroom

90-94†

- typical leg/

100/

196

- mirrors folded

172

kneeroom

(no roof bars)

142

- headroom

92

- hiproom

129

load sill height

rear

18/65

(inside/outside)

10kg

21kg

+4kg ie 25kg

distance

37m

best stop 27m ABS on 26m

SECURITY FEATURES

74

ü ü û

central locking remote control auto window closure

ü standard

û ü ü

deadlocks alarm immobiliser luggage security

0 factory option

û not available

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HANDLING AND STEERING

Predictable handling, reassuring cornering (Kumho tyres grip well) and controlled roll. Nicely weighted, flowing steering, too, but feels rather low geared when pressing on. Good turning circle

load space (all seats in use)

steering turns lock-to-lock turning circle

pedal load

Elantra not yet tested

(† with sunroof)

- inc mirrors

from 50mph (with standard ABS)

EURO NCAP CRASH TEST RATINGS

*

inside

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in emergency

gear

in centimetres (5-door hatch)

dry road stopping distance

pedal feel

max speed in each gear (*using 6200rpm for best acceleration)

SPACE AND PRACTICALITY

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No Euro-NCAP data yet, but Elantra did well in US tests. Consistent and reassuring brakes with ABS and EBD. Front side airbags standard, as are alarm and immobiliser. Three-point rear centre seatbelt provided

(metres)

(litres/cu ft)

520/18.4

3.2

load length

87-160

10.4

full length to facia

No

load width

99-144

easy to park/garage?

load height (to

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shelf/

48/

to top of aperture)

80

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CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS

Plenty of seat adjustments, but fiddly radio controls, separate rear wash/wipe switch and some tiny warning lights mar what is otherwise a commendable cockpit. Medium clutch and excellent gearchange

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COMFORT

Ride not super-supple but deals with most faults admirably. Back seat rather firm and erect for sybarites, but certainly roomy. Unstressed cruising at 70mph. Air conditioning and electric sunroof standard

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FUEL ECONOMY

Keeping the revs up (often necessary to make progress) does fuel economy no favours, but 40-plus mpg possible with restraint. The easy filling tank gives respectable range between forecourt visits AA test results (mpg)

HOW THE ELANTRA COMPARES

official figures (mpg)

worst (hard/urban)

24

urban

30.1

best (gentle/rural)

42

extra urban

45.6

overall mpg on test

36

combined

38.2

realistic tank capacity

47 litres

CO2 emissions

176g/km

typical range

370 miles

car tax band

C

engine

revs at

30-70mph

30-70mph

fuel

brakes – best

maximum

typical leg/

cyl/cap/power

70mph

through

in 5th/4th

economy

stop from *

legroom -

kneeroom - turns/(p)

(no/cc/bhp)

(rpm)

gears (sec)

gears (sec)

(mpg)

50mph (m/kg)

front (cm)

rear (cm)

steering

overall length

circle (m) (cm)

HYUNDAI ELANTRA 1.6

4/1599/106

3390

12.2

30.7/21.0

36

26/21

108

100/74

3.2/10.4 449

Daewoo Nubira 1.6†

4/1598/105

3390

11.6

29.2/20.7

32

27½/19

107

96/76

3.1/10.7

451

Honda Civic 1.6

4/1590/110

3550

10.5

24.5/17.8

42½

26½/16

107

102/76

2.8/11.6

429

Renault Laguna II 1.8 16v

4/1783/123

3370

11.2

26.1/19.0

37

25/12

110

97/71

3.2/10.9

458

Skoda Octavia 1.6*

4/1595/101

3510

11.3

24.8/18.1

35½

24/27

112

97/69

3.1/10.5

451

Vauxhall Vectra 1.8

4/1796/115

2940

11.1

28.6/20.8

38½

24/18

111

101/73

3.0/10.9

450

†

figures for estate car

*

1998 version

*

all with ABS

© The Automobile Association Limited 2001

(p)

all power assisted