Test Drive: Hyundai Elantra GT A/T is a model hatchback
American consumers have mostly been ambivalent about hatchbacks. Perhaps we all had a friend with a glitchy, 1970s-era econobox.
Popular in Europe for their fuel economy, versatility and drive-ability, five-door hatches are still a niche market in the U.S., where small SUVs rule.
Here, hatchback buyers tend to be younger, performance-oriented drivers. For example, I see lots of Volkswagen Golf GTIs zipping up and down the W Road on weekends, apparently driven by college students headed home to do laundry or to poach from mom’s pantry.
My 11-year-old son has already said he wants a Golf GTI as his first vehicle, so maybe the pendulum is swinging. There’s a chance that today’s youth will eventually come to see SUVs as old-people’s vehicles.
The new, 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT A/T is a good example of the hatch-designer’s art. Restyled for 2018, it has smart lines, a spacious interior and gets 32 miles per gallon of gas on the highway. And in base trim with a sixspeed automatic transmission the Elantra GT can be had for a reasonable $20,350, although our White Ceramic tester rings up at $27,460.
What the Elantra GT doesn’t have is the elevated seat height that SUV-enthusiasts seem to crave.
Long Hyundai in Chattanooga had three Elantra GTs in inventory late this week, although none as lavishly outfitted as our tester, which includes over $6,000 in options.
The Elantra GT is a five-passenger hatch with a willing 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine and a whopping 55 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat folded flat.
STYLING AND COMFORT
The Elantra GT has clearly bench-marked the VW Golf GTI as its main rival. Its body lines are similar, although we think the Elantra is more attractive overall, with a fetching honeycomb grille and swept heat lamps. The roofline has a gentle downward slope, and the black-tinted panoramic sunroof and rear spoiler add visual pop.
Seventeen-inch machined, alloy wheels have an upscale design: chrome with black accents. The wrap-around LED tail-light assemblies help soften the Elantra GT’s boxy architecture. Two-tone side mirrors with embedded turn lights are a nice bonus.
Inside, the Elantra GT gets a boost from the $4,300 “tech package,” which oddly includes beige leather seat covers and the expansive sunroof. The package also includes an eight-inch, dash-mounted display that’s home to a navigation system with superior graphics. Ventilated seats, a Hyundai specialty, are included.
The $1,800 “style package” includes blind-spot detection, push-button start, a power driver’s seat and heated front seats. The interior has a twotone, black-and-tan theme that pairs well with the Ceramic White exterior.
Hyundai’s 10-year, 100,000 mile power-train warranty is a major selling point.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
Hyundai gives Elantra buyers two engine choices: the standard, 2.0liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine in our tester (which makes 161 horsepower), and a racier 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder in the GT Sport which makes 201 horsepower. In a week of Chattanooga-area commuter traffic, we found the base engine to be adequate.
The Elantra GT’s ride is quiet and composed, compared to the wildchild nature of the VW Golf GTI. The Hyundai doesn’t quite have the premium feel of the Volkswagen, but it’s also several thousands dollars cheaper when comparing apples to apples on options.
The six-speed, automatic transmission doesn’t match the eight- and ninespeeds available in other new cars these days, but it works well and the GT still squeezes out 32 mpg highway
and 27 mpg city. A drive-mode select feature allows you to dial in different throttle responses and shift points for a sportier, or more relaxed, driving experience, depending on your mood.
BOTTOM LINE
More drivers should give cars like the Hyundai Elantra GT a spin. Practical and fun, Hyundai’s hot hatch is a great buy in basic trim.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @ TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook. com/mkennedycolumnist.