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The Elantra Touring is a new model from Hyundai; it's based on the European-market i30. Though Hyundai plans to market the Elantra Touring as a 5-door compact hatchback, the Elantra Touring isn't really all that easy to classify -- it combines the attributes of a compact hatchback, a mid-size sedan, and a station wagon. I got a chance to take a very short spin in a pre-production Elantra Touring, and came away with a very good first impression.
Larger photos: Front - rear - interior - all photos
Pros
- Versatile interior
- Roomy back seat and cargo bay
- Responsive road manners
- Lots of safety equipment
Cons
- A bit noisy
- A bit plasticky
- Disappointing fuel economy estimates
Description
- New compact hatchback/wagon
- Based on Hyundai's European-market i30
- Price range TBA
- EPA fuel economy estimates 23 MPG city/31 MPG highway (manual), 23/30 (automatic)
- On sale: December 2008
Guide Review - 2009 Hyundai Elantra preview drive
The Elantra Touring reminds me of one of those children's mix-and-match books, the ones with pictures of people or animals that allow you to match up different heads, torsos and legs. Up front, the Elantra feels like a compact sedan, with good sightlines and easy-to-reach controls. The back seat is pure mid-size; there's a surprising amount of legroom and big doors for easy entry. And the cargo bay is like a compact wagon -- at 24.3 cubic feet it stows more stuff than the Pontiac Vibe (20.1), Toyota Matrix (19.8), or Mazda3 hatchback (16.5).
Hyundai cautioned me that I was driving a prototype and that the suspension settings had not been finalized, but I hope the final product doesn't stray far from the one I drove. The steering was very responsive and the ride was taut yet comfortable, if a bit noisy. I didn't get a chance to really push the Elantra Touring, but I got the distinct feeling that there's good fun to be had.
The Elantra Touring shares its 2-liter engine with the Elantra sedan; output is slightly higher at 141 hp. The stick-shift I drove had lots of pep, though based on my experience with the Elantra sedan, the 4-speed automatic will probably be a bit sluggish. EPA fuel economy estimates are 23 city/31 highway for the stick, 23/30 for the automatic -- not very impressive, considering the mid-size 175 hp Sonata gets 22/32.
The Elantra Touring comes with six airbags, antilock brakes, and (most importantly) electronic stability control as standard. US crash tests are pending, but the i30 earned a best-possible 5 stars in Euro NCAP tests. Pricing? I'd guess around $17k, and that includes power windows, mirrors and locks, A/C, CD/MP3/XM stereo with USB jack, and 16" alloy wheels. I'll reserve my final judgment until I can have a week-long test drive, but at first glance the Elantra Touring looks very, very promising. -- Aaron Gold
