A LOOKER THAT’S ‘A FUN CAR TO DRIVE’
European styling of Korean automaker’s new models impresses Calgarian
Hyundai likes to tout the CALGARY fact the all-new Elantra GT fivedoor hatchback was designed, developed and tested in Europe. That “European-ness” is evident in the car, says Darcy Kraus.
“I thought it looked somewhat similar to an Audi A3,” the Calgarian says of his first impression of the Elantra GT Sport. Finished in Iron Grey with black leather interior and red accents, Kraus’s tester cost $28,824, including the destination charge.
Last year, Hyundai unveiled the updated Elantra Sedan. To join it in 2018, the company introduced the fourth-generation Elantra GT, a hatchback that was first launched in Canada in 2001. The Elantra GT comes in four trim levels: GL, GLS, Sport and Sport Ultimate. Powering the GL and GLS variants is a 165-horsepower 2.0-litre DGI in-line four-cylinder engine paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
Upping the driving performance in the Sport models is a 1.6-L turbocharged four that boosts power output to 201 hp and 195 pound-feet of torque. It works together with a six-speed manual transmission, but the Sport Ultimate features a sevenspeed dual-clutch automatic.
The Elantra GT has been given a stiffer chassis to improve the overall driving experience. In the GT Sport, 18-inch wheels, larger brakes and an independent multi-link rear suspension further increase the handling capabilities.
Kraus learned to drive on Calgary’s streets and on a farm just east of the city. The truck of choice out there was a bright orange 1974 International halfton. After he got his licence, Kraus drove a three-quarter tonne Dodge truck and earned money hauling lawn mowers for his landscaping business.
A friend introduced him to Volkswagen GTIs in 1997, and the little hot hatches served him for quite a few years. A few other cars have come and gone, but Kraus currently maintains a 2009 Chevy HHR SS and a 1999 Jaguar XJR.
A travelling salesman for a building material supplier, Kraus is often on the road around Alberta visiting many of the major centres. Important purchase considerations for him include a degree of performance, the fun factor of the drive, and four seats because the family includes wife Danielle, six-year old daughter, Elaine, and oneyear old son, Malcolm.
Overall, Kraus liked the look of the Sport GT package, which includes a new cascading grille, a design that will be Hyundai’s new corporate face.
“Getting in was the eye-opener for me,” he says. “The visual appeal just popped, with the red contrast stitching and other red accents against the black leather.”
At six-foot-one, Kraus didn’t have any difficulty entering the car and getting comfortable in the eight-way power-adjustable seat. But, when he went to buckle his kids into the rear seat, he discovered a drawback: The buckle receptor is easily lost in the seat cushion, making snapping the belt into position a two-handed job. “Power felt underwhelming at first,” he says of the 201-horsepower turbocharged engine. “But the more I got to know the car, I realized it’s really adequate. The shifter has nice short throws and the clutch action is very smooth on the uptake.
“The shifter knob is easy to reach, and the console bin/armrest will slide forward or back to easily support your elbow.”
The GT Sport handled very well, according to Kraus, and was composed over level crossings and expansion joints.
When he decided to do a little garage cleaning, he folded the rear seats and loaded up the back of the car with items destined for the landfill. Hyundai doesn’t give a capacity specification for the cargo area with the seats folded, but with them in the upright position there’s 705 L of space.
“It’s got a great greenhouse, with more upright A-pillars that make it easy to see around the vehicle, with no real blind spots,” Kraus says.
The GT Sport has a respectable amount of technology, including the common rear-view camera and an eight-inch touch-screen display. But what Kraus didn’t notice at first was a dash cubby that was an ideal place to store a phone while driving. It’s ideal because Hyundai has wired it as an inductive Qi charging station for smartphones. If your phone is so equipped, simply placing it there will recharge the battery.
Kraus says the GT Sport returned 7.1 L/100 km on a highway trip to Red Deer and Ponoka. There was little road noise or wind buffeting while driving the 400 km there and back.
“I didn’t like the rear seatbelt issue, and I also had trouble — twice — getting the electronic parking brake to release, and I live on a hill so that made me nervous,” Kraus sums up. “But, overall, it’s got great looks inside and out, and it really is a fun car to drive.”