Hyundai Elantra sedan test drive since 2010 sedan
Family Hyundai
Elantra expands the ideas about sedans from KoreaIt seems that South Korean manufacturers finally overcame the complex of forever catching up the world auto industry and is now able to offer a car that meets all world standards. After a careful acquaintance with the Sedan, Hyundai Elantra, it becomes clear that this machine is a global product designed for markets of different countries. At the same time, it feels the desire of the concern to leave the image of the manufacturer of cheap cars. Elantra continues the line of family sedans of a small middle class, which in Europe were known as Lantra, and in Korea are held under the name Avante. From now on, with a thorough processing of the model, Hyundai unified that resulted in, including into a single name for foreign markets Elantra. Now in the markets of Russia, Europe, the USA and others it is in the full sense of the word about the same car, emphasized in the Moscow representative office of Hyundai.
In the style of Hard Edge
The appearance of Hyundai Elantra has undergone fundamental changes compared to previous models and is made in a modern style, called Hard Edge. It includes a characteristic whip on the hood, whole headlights with built -in separate lamps of high and near light and rotation signals. All this gives the car a somewhat aggressive and not without attractive appearance.
But the modern silhouette is not the only difference between Elantra and its predecessors, which gives reason to put it on a par with more eminent competitors in developed markets.
The car has a serious filling that includes active and passive safety systems, including protective beams in the doors, airbags for the driver and the front passenger, as well as fixing the rear seats, which at the time of the collision prevents their shift forward. Elantra in the basic configuration is also equipped with an ABS system, a power steering system, air conditioning, a full electric packet, a radio and all other attributes of a real car for a family, which consumers managed to get used to.
Potential Russian buyers can please the large wheels of R15, which is important on our roads. In addition, they harmoniously fit into the common contours of the machine and are not striking their sizes, as happens on some models. The stern of Elantra is made in accordance with European fashion and has large sections of the rear stop symbols, mowed down on the sides. Thus, in the back you will not immediately figure out that in front of you is not a European middle peasant, but a guest from Korea.
Functionality and comfort
We dive into the salon. The interior is made of gray plastic, which does not look cheap. Plus, conscientiousness and even scrupulousness when adjusting all the details of the cabin is noticeable to this. In a word, there is nothing to complain about to the eye, and the ear does not hear any creaks. On the front panel, in addition to a conventional glove compartment, which is quite capacious and has a section for folders with documents, there are many different pockets, including even a special compartment for a pack of cigarettes (completely non -smokers will surely come up with a different application).
Sitting in the front seat, you immediately pay attention to the open spaces of the driver and the passenger sitting nearby, which is especially noticeable if you compare the current version with the previous generation of the model. Adjustments of the seats are mechanical, with a fairly wide range. In addition, it is possible to change the angle of inclination of the entire seat. To all this you need to add good side support.
As for the governing bodies, access to them is light, including numerous buttons on the console (it is made as a logical continuation of the instrument panel). With their help, air conditioning and radio is controlled. It is necessary to note the successful location of the speedometer, tachometer and other signs. Their testimonies are easily read, which provides a successful configuration of the steering wheel. The steering wheel itself is regulated in height, however, in small limits. However, it seemed to me that these limits should have enough for a person of any complexion.
The convenience of the rear passengers does not raise questions, however, provided that there are two of them. In the middle, I personally did not like to sit at the back.
On the run
We start the motor, it responds with a barely distinguishable sound accompanied by light vibration. The car is new, so we write off this on the unemployed of the nodes. The start of the place is very light, while you pay attention to the even behavior of the engine, both at low and high speeds: there are no failures, the car confidently gains speed. Compared to previous generations of Lantra in the cabin, much quieter, the motor makes itself felt when the tachometer arrow approaches 3000 rpm.
The steering wheel is informative, despite the presence of a hydraulic wrap, and you quickly get used to soft pedals to sufficiently soft pedals. What else pleased was the radius of the turn: it is almost four and a half meters long for a car only 10.2 m. That this is a very good indicator, I was convinced, turning around in the narrow yard, where we drove for filming. It was possible to make a maneuver, as they say, in one appointment, while on many other cars they would require at least two.
The movement in the city stream not only does not cause complaints, but also gives great pleasure. At an average speed of 50-80 km/h, you can safely turn on the fourth gear 'and adjust the speed only by the engine gas power is enough to make an excess confirmation of the elasticity of the motor at the right time even in high gears.
The Elantra suspension is also well thought out and corresponds to the ideas about the car for the family. The machine is practically not subject to longitudinal buildup. The side rolls are felt, but the overall rigidity is located in that golden mean, when it can still be endured when crossing the tram tracks. As for the brakes, they are very sensitive. At the same time, the force that must be attached to the pedal is in medium and will be familiar to most drivers.
The only thing that can overshadow the impression of the new Elantra is the obstacle when switching gears, which is found only during the ride. We are talking about an armrest to the right of the driver, which I personally constantly touched when manipulating a lever of a 5-speed mechanical gearbox. It is too high, at least for a person of medium height (180 cm). And you can’t remove it, you can only raise the lid, which reduces the height of the armrest by five centimeters. This will not bother with long trips, but when active ride in the city, some inconvenience can cause. It seems that the armrest was arranged either under people of a certain complexion, or under an automatic machine, which, incidentally, is also installed on Elantra. This is a four -speed automatic transmission.
Prospects in Russia
For the Russian buyer, Elantra is still a novelty, despite the fact that its world premiere passed more than a year ago. Last year, dealers managed to sell only 8 cars. Such modest results, however, were caused not by small demand, but by a shortage of machines. The Moscow representative office of Hyundai explained that until recently they did not bet on the promotion of new sedans in Russia, but now they intend to revise plans. In the meantime, the car can be purchased only in the capital's salons.
The cost of Elantra in the basic configuration with a 1.6-liter engine for the Russian market begins at $ 14,925. There is also a modification with a 2.0 -liter engine with a capacity of 139 hp, but it has not yet been officially supplied.
Among the direct competitors of Hyundai Elantra can be called Nissan Primera, Mazda 626, Kia Shuma and Skoda Octavia. Note that in this series the starting price for Hyundai Elantra is one of the most attractive, given the rich basic package.
Alexander Remizov
