Test Drive Hyundai Elantra Sedan since 2010 Sedan

Hatchback - does not mean small

Hönde Elantra with Hatchback Body
For the first time, the new Elantra visited us on the dough two and a half years ago (SM, 2000, No. 10). To be accurate, the model was called the Avanta HD - a semi-third-liter sedan with a machine gun was intended for the inner Korean market and got into Russia with gray. A couple of years later, we tested the car from official supplies with a motor of 1.6 liters and mechanics - also sedan (SP, 2002, No. 12). From this year, dealers are offered and hatchback - one of the first, worth $ 13,990 in the intermediate bundle of the GLS came to us. Differences from European machines - increased from 140 to 165 mm Road clearance, s refrigerants, mudguards, more powerful stove, northern electrical wiring.
In the urban time we have become more familiar to European short hatchbacks with almost vertical feed. Few exceptions with a drop-down roof look with overgrowths, although formally belong to the same golf class. Hönde Elantra just from such a hatchback with a length of 4.5 m subconsciously perceived as a solid. He seems to say: I have no reason to fall into the skin of the sedan for that of importance. I am great enough to afford to be what I really are. However, we open the secret - both body have the same length. Several coughons look like a fifth hour of a falseradiator lattice, but otherwise - full order.
Sympathies will not weaken and more closely - the quality of color and fitting panels are not worse than most foreign cars. But the salon leaves a dual impression: quite stylish design, drawing and shape of the panels, he grieved the poverty of materials and the scarcity of coloring. As in the children's coloring, I want to take a brush and add a light, there is dark, here - graphite and chromium, and here - wood and leather. Yes, and the instrument panel looks like some empty. However, another and a half thousand can be obtained respectable complete set of second-level GLS with skin and something else. Our own car only seems like a modest - in fact, it can boast of glasses and mirrors, heated seats, mirrors and, naturally, rear window (with cleaner), air conditioning, magnetic with six speakers, steering amplifier, pair of front airbags, ABS, central lock And other trifles.
The front of the hatchback is also spacious as a sedan, above his head more than a dozen centimeters. A pretty hard driver's seat has five adjustments, you can lift the steering column. The difference with the sedan will be discovered when looking at the inner mirror - low ceiling, a high trunk shelf and three sticking head restraints will be forced mainly by outer mirrors. Rear is comfortable to roll the mannequins: long legs are allowed here, but not the spine. A passenger with a growing 180 cm and not so attractive proportions will have to slightly tip the head so as not to rest in the roof of the roof, then he will see another 70-100 mm of free space in front of his knees. However, we will be fair: rarely who sits with a straight back, like scrap swallowed, most likely he slightly crashes down-forward and everything will be ok. Moral: To approach the life realities, the landing mannequin will have to implant an additional hinge. The third passenger behind is not the extra - just for a long time does not surround the pillow on a high roller with a baked head.
If you drop it, I don't like it, it is the trunk determines the differences in the consumer properties of the body. Due to the same with the sedan length, the hatchback trunk also has a meter in length (if it is completely accurately, then 990 mm) and the same 415 l volume. But the folding and moreover, the cut (40/60) rear seat will increase its length of up to 1600 mm, and the volume is up to 1222 liters. The fifth door easily rises by gas stops, pulling up a rigid shelf. The opening is large and allows you to transport large-sized loads up to 750 mm high. Under the floor in a niche, a full-size spare wheel was laid. By the way, despite the big opening, the body has a high rigidity for a twist: the doors practically do not swallow in the openings even with diagonal hanging, and this is the key to the body's survivability on bad roads.
Mail motor - a dream for a domestic car. But of the fact that foreign cars have already taught to good dynamics and verified reactions, they will not particularly surprise 11 seconds to hundreds, 182 km / h maximum speed, smooth engine, clear gearbox, light brake pedal, slightly viscous steering wheel, rigid short-step suspension. But five-year or 120 thousand km guarantee should still be searched.

Brief data
Hyundai Elantra.
Hönde Elantre of the second generation was shown in the spring of 2000 at the Turin Motor Show. In some markets, it is sold like Lantre or Avanta.
Produced with sedan bodies and five-door hatchback. Equipped with 1.6 gasoline engines (instead of the former 1.5); 1.8; 2.0 liters or two-liter turbodiesel. Transmission - mechanical five-speed or four-stage automatic machine (except for diesel).
Only 1.6-liter elements with both types of body types are officially supplying to Russia. Price range - from 13 to 16 thousand dollars, the cost of the test vehicle is $ 13,990.

Cute node, but only two colors, and those are gray and black!

The rear SzEs in the hatchback is the same as in the sedan, and therefore the minimum trunk size is 415 liters, differences in the opening and transformation capabilities.

In the back seat, you can get comfortably comfortable, if you slightly slide down.

The interior design is good, but the colors and materials are too modest.

EQUIPMENT
Abs
Air conditioner
Adjustable steering column
Audio system
Full-sized spare wheel

SUMMARY
+ Solid appearance, high body rigidity, spacious in front, convenient access to the trunk, rather rich equipment, long warranty.
- Multinformative steering, modest interior decoration, small salon height from behind.
 
Yuri Nileyov. Photo: George Sadkov

A source: Journal "Behind the wheel"