Test Drive Hyundai Elantra Sedan since 2010 Sedan

Art of reincarnation

Updated Elantra, debuting in April last year in the domestic market of South Korea, got to us. We must pay tribute to designers: the masking of the model under Europe is not bad.

Two hundred ninety million dollars and four years of work are not wasted by Koreans. New Elantra looks much more European, than her ancestors. Let's look at the car from the rear than not Audi? In the profile, a real classic sedan, the buildings of which are pleasant not only to the oncoming counterflow, but also the eye. During the facade, first of all, the grille of the radiator: she kills all the solidity, issuing the Korean origin of the car.

The salon became much more spacious, first of all thanks to a new body. Elantra overtook in size not only predecessor, but also cars such as Opel Vectra, Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Especially noticeable growth in dimensions when you are in the back seat. Now there is more space for foot and for the head (you will not raise the winter cap on the ceiling).

Enough space and driver with front passenger. By the way, their places are equipped with two frontal and two side airbags. This is also European. Like everything else, as for the salon: a full electric car; expensive, soft to the touch plastic; comfortable, with good lateral support front seats; adjustable steering column; Easy to read the instrument shield. In general, associations with Korea almost none. There are only a pair of tea spoons of tar in this barrel of honey.

I do not think that the designers developing the interior, say, Volkswagen allowed the climate control display to glow other than that of the instrument shield, color. In Elantra, the shield burns blue, and climate control and the receiver scale is green. It seems to be nonsense, the speed does not affect the speed, but the general perception of the torpedo after the inclusion of the overall lights is no longer.

Or take a route computer. The thing is undoubtedly useful: and the average fuel consumption will show, and its residue (in kilometers), and the mutual and daily mileage. That's just use this device is difficult. The pin, with which the information changes on the display is changing, is directly on the dashboard. Press it, especially during the movement, it is extremely difficult the steering wheel interferes. One thing comforts: this is the greatest drawback that we found in the cabin. Everyone else is convenient and pleasant to use.

The four-stage automatic works fine. Transfer switches smoothly and fast enough. It lacks the speed only to Kikdaun: you take the gas pedal, and you feel the response of the box to this action only a second. When overtaking with the departure of the oncoming movement, this behavior is not happy.

But what kind of pleasure to observe in a traffic jam behind the driver of a neighboring car, thrust the knob KP, like a rifle shutter during a hot combat. You can now, for example, talk on the phone, the benefit of the right hand is completely free. And let you do not embarrass two seconds that this Elantra loses the sister with a manual transmission when overclocking up to 100 km / h. In the end, for a car with a 107 hp engine. And a working volume of 1.6 liters 13 seconds to a hundred quite a decent result.

Sorry, noisy motor. On its maximum 6000 min-1, he grabs so that even the generous soundproofing of the cabin and the engine compartment does not save. However, it is not necessary to think that Elantra is sometimes likened by the 412th Muscovite. Naturally, in its salon is much quieter, but if you compare with classmates, the result will not be in favor of Hyundai. True, after warming up the engine is practically not heard, thanks to not only good isolation, but also that the designers came to mind a simple idea to reduce the number of single revolutions (we hope not to the detriment of the lubrication system).

With the suspension to wisely did not begin: the front is the good old McPherson, behind the two-dimensional independent. True, some elements have been finalized. The changes touched the lower levers, cross-stability stabilizers and the springs they became tougher, which, however, did not affect the smoothness of the car's move. The bad road, as it turned out, does not get off the desire to go fast. The suspension calmly works out under the wheels of irregularities. Even in turn, Elantra does not work, so that the correction of the trajectory of movement is practically not needed.

We also liked the steering: I also liked it: a lightweight steering wheel not in Korean is informative, clear feedback, a non-frustrated reactive effort. In general, losing controlled wheels is almost impossible, as well as thorough them in the UZ in braking. This is the merit of the anti-lock system, which on the new Elantra enters the basic configuration.

Installed in the Summer Tire Standard did not become an obstacle to the test under ice. The car slowed down without problems. Nine on studded rubber stopped in shorts.

Despite the frost, which lured in those days in St. Petersburg, all glass machines remained transparent on Elantra a very effective heater with the right air flow organization. Climate control is helped to maintain the optimal temperature in the cabin, which, if necessary, the fan will add, and the firewood into the stove will throw.

But the uniform antenna in the rear right wing, probably feels uncomfortable. It is strange that it was located here. It hurts this favorable place for automotive vandals. It's such a sidewalk, and here that's time! Antenna sticks out. Sin in the knot do not tie. Although, of course, it is necessary to sweat with bare hands you won't take.

Hyundai marketers believe that 145 thousand ELANTRA will be sold in foreign markets in 2001. It is possible that the forecast will come true. Especially since the car is going to produce a sedan and five-door hatchback with two types of body. Plus, two variants of transmission and four engines are prepared, one of which is diesel.

Looks like Hyundai Elantra quite decent. NOT VOLKSWAGEN GOLF, of course, but more and cheaper (our test on full mince costs the buyer at 13 thousand 900 dollars). Will like this car, as it seems to us, many.

Hyundai Elantra.

+ Good front and rearview, energy-intensive suspension, spacious interior, high quality interior decoration materials, comfortable seats, big trunk.
Noisy motor, retardation in the work of Kikdaun, uncomfortable in the use of the route computer.

Specifications Hyundai Elantra 1.6

Body - 4-door alloyometall.
Number of places, people. - 5
Curb weight, kg - 1225
Dimensions (Length / Width / Height), mm - 4495/1720/1425
Base, mm - 2610
Maximum speed, km / h - 170
Overclocking time up to 100 km / h, C - 13.0
Fuel control, l / 100 km:
- urban cycle - 9.8
- Country cycle - 7.1
Engine:
- Type - inline, 4-cylinder
- Working volume, cm3 - 1599
- Power, hp at min-1 - 107/5800
- torque, nm at min-1 - 146/3000
- Power system - injection
Transmission - automatic
Tire size - 185/65R15
Wheel suspension - independent
Brakes:
- Front - disc, ventilated
- Rear - disk
Price, $ - 13900

Text: Oleg Kalaushin
 

A source: Magazine 5 Wheel [03/2001]