Round north with the all-new Elantra

About a week ago we were invited to do a test drive for the all-new 2016 Hyundai Elantra on a 283-kilometer run—cutting through the Transcentral Highway then the West route to Daanbantayan and finally, the East route back to Cebu City.

I was excited with the first half of the test which was up the Transcentral Highway, where I have been driving regularly for the past 10 years or so.  This is a route which I can negotiate near blindfold. With that being said, I would be able to test the new Elantra to its limits and actually compare how it fares to the other cars I have driven up on the same road.

We tested the 2.0 liter GLS version equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission on the first leg of the journey, which was going north to Daanbantayan. This engine is rated at 152ps and has 19.6 kg-m of torque. With that kind of power, the Elantra will help you breeze through long trips without worrying about overtaking quickly on a 2 lane road.  It’s not mind numbingly fast, but it is no slouch either.  My butt dyno gives it a probable 18-second quarter mile time, a figure that racing nuts will only understand.  

When going up the mountains, the engine gives the car more than enough power for an exciting climb up the demanding mountains of Balamban.  A tiptronic or manumatic option to the AT transmission, which is sort of a manual transmission mode, is a great addition.  There is a slight delay to the shift, but you get to have the convenience of an automatic transmission while having the option to select your own gears for the more sporty drives.

The spec sheet of the new Elantra now boasts of a 32 percent more rigid chassis than the previous model, and the suspension has been “sport tuned.”  The GLS version is also equipped with 4 wheel disc brakes which gives you great stopping power and allows for more brake modulation for the sport enthusiast gearheads out there.  I was pleasantly astonished when I tried taking a sweeping right hander at full throttle, going at around 100+kph and then transitioning to hard braking going into a tight right hander; I was half expecting the car to squirm and squeal under that condition.  Surprisingly, the suspension took all of that in stride.  The chassis was calm and steady, and the weight transfer was smooth and stable.  It actually felt like I was not on a mid-sized family sedan but rather on a sport tourer.  The new Elantra has now more of the “driver’s car” feel to it than its predecessor.

Next on the list is the ABS and brakes.  Old ABS systems will modulate the brakes if one of the wheels locks during braking. This poses a problem during hard braking, especially on downhill portions where only the rear wheels lock because of the weight transfer to the front.  Modulating the brake when you do not want the car to can actually hurt stopping distance rather than help it.  I tested this on the downhill by doing an 80-90kph run then suddenly shifting weight into the left then trail braking into another sweeping right hander; this locks the right rear wheel due to the sudden weight transfer to the left front tire. When you do this, most cars will either engage the ABS and modulate the brake or throw out the rear because of the sudden weight transfer. However, the new Elantra was still surprisingly keeping its composure through all that—no understeer, no oversteer… just quick, drama-free cornering. In other words, it’s has quite  impressive handling for a front wheel drive car.

I classify these tests as “racing maneuvers” which you generally do on the track with upgraded cars. It is remarkable that a sedan that is factory stock was able to handle all of that well.  Nevertheless, before you go buy an Elantra and try maneuvers such as these on the mountains, I would strongly suggest you enroll first in one of our Advanced Performance Driving Workshops to make sure you keep yourself, your passenger and other road users safe.

After that exhilarating drive through the Transcentral Highway, we made a short stopover at Gaisano Balamban to take pictures and exchange drivers.  During this break, I had time to stand back and admire the car from a distance.  According to Hyundai, the new Elantra embodies Hyundai’s “Fuidic Sculpture 2.0” design philosophy which gives the sedan a modern sporty look.  The large hexagonal grill, the body lines, the slim headlights and taillights work well to make the sedan look premium and sporty. The 17” alloy wheels (16” for the 1.6 variants) complete the overall look. You can see that the design philosophy is definitely working for the company. It appeals to both the family man and the sporty guy(Sporty Dad to say the least).

On the way to Daanbantayan, I became the passenger.  I now had time to appreciate the creature comforts of the sedan.  The seats were quite comfy but firm enough to keep you from flying off during cornering.  The AC was comfortable and cool throughout the drive even though it was a super hot day and the car windows were not tinted.  There was also ample leg room in the front as well as the rear seats.  The seat ergonomics was also quite good since all throughout the trip I never felt the need to stop to stretch my legs.  There were rear AC vents also on the 2.0 GLS model which is good for the rear passengers. Apart from this, we experienced the Elantra suspension on unfavorable conditions since there were a lot of roads undergoing construction.  This was like taking the Elantra on a light 4x4 trail.  On this surface, the suspension felt a bit stiff since it was more geared towards sporty handling. However, it was not overly uncomfortable, and it did not give that spine tingling sensation that you get with other sport suspension or coilovers.

The 2.0 GLS gave us a 10km to 1 liter on the gauge display when we reached Daanbantayan.  This may be because the gas pedal was mostly flat on the floor during the Transcentral drive.  On the way back to the city, we drove the 1.6 GL A/T.  The drive back was mostly flat lands. I did try once or twice to see how fast the 1.6 can accelerate.  It actually felt a bit underpowered on empty roads since I was used to the power of the 2.0 liter.  There was also a bit more understeer on the 1.6 liter compared to the 2.0 liter. This is maybe due to the lighter engine on the front and also the 16” alloys as compared to the 17’s on the 2.0 liter.  Nonetheless, when we reached the super traffic area of Danao - Liloan - Consolacion - Mandaue, I noticed that the acceleration was more than enough for city roads. The good news is that the 1.6 liter showed us a 14km to 1 liter when we reached the new Hyundai Showroom just near SM City Cebu; that’s even on super heavy traffic for almost half the trip.  So this model is good for those who want a city car that saves on gas but with the premium look.

When we arrived, I had the chance to interview Edward Onglatco, president and CEO of the Hyundai Cebu, Inc.  They have been operating the Hyundai dealerships in Cebu since 2002, and they have just opened a new showroom in the Reclamation Area to cater to more customers and to better serve their customers in Cebu South.  Hyundai has been giving the best warranty in the auto industry with a 5 year unlimited mileage.  Because of their good reputation in Cebu as a multi awarded Hyundai dealer, they were also able to get the Mercedes Benz and Chrysler dealerships.  So rest assured, they have the experience and knowledge to support their customers.

Lastly, for the sport enthusiast gear heads that I mentioned before, I would strongly suggest take the Hyundai Elantra 2.0 liter GLS 6 speed A/T for a short test drive, preferably on a tight twisty road… I guarantee you, you won’t be able to wipe that silly smile off your face.

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