This is a little long, but here it goes.
I have been driving the 2019 Elantra GT N-Line for 2 weeks now. Put less than 1000km’s on it but a bit more than 500kms. People have been asking how I like the car. Do I like the car? So here it is in my own words what I think.
When I first test drove an Elantra, it was the GLS version and it was 3 years old. My comparison was my 2007 MINI Cooper S. Those two were totally different. The MINI, although having computer issues, felt more put together, solid, and of better quality overall. When I used the Sport mode, it was sporty. You could feel the change in attitude. The 2016 Elantra GT-GLS just felt lacking. Event when changing the steering mode, I didn’t notice a change. It all felt the same. Even the steering wheel felt cheap in that car. I know it was a 2016 Elantra and I bought a 2019 Elantra GT N-Line, but we need to know where we are starting, so it’s a bit of back story.
Let’s move on to the test drive of the N-Line version of the Elantra. Yes, it is 3 years newer, and a model up, but it just felt better. Better built than its earlier, older sibling from 3 years ago. The steering wheel felt good in my hands. It handled like a VW GTI, coming from me that is big praise, because it shows how much improvements have been made in 3 years. The car felt spirited and willing. It also sounded good to my ears, a nice rumble from the exhaust. I worked out the deal with sales guy and picked up the car November 29th.
Now we get to the real life part. I have test drove lots of new cars and felt ok walking away. This is the first one that I went back and bought. What is it like to live with for the first couple of weeks? Well, in a couple of words, Not Bad. I am happy with my purchase. It still sounds good to me. The exhaust note is enjoyable, not intrusive or overbearing. I can even make it burp and pop on down shifts. The thing is, I like to hear my cars, and I can hear this one. Compared to my old MINI the Elantra has a good, low burble that brings a smile to me just sitting at a stop light. The engine has a surprisingly linear torque curve. When opening it up, I can accelerate away from a stop and get to 100km/h (62.5mph) without knowing or realizing I am there. It could get me in trouble if I am not careful. To me that is another check in the cars fun column. The cabin is a nice place to sit. The seats are comfortable and supportive. One negative I can say, and this is coming from someone who lives in a colder climate, is that the seats don’t heat up as fast as my old MINI, or my wife’s Kia Soul. I guess it is a minor thing but it is a thing. All the knobs and dials are placed logically and within reach. I don’t have to hunt for anything. An example is an Audi A4 S-Line from 2016 that was on my test list. I am a VWAG fan, and have owned many VW’s and Audi’s, but it took 15 minutes on a 30 minute test drive to figure out the HVAC on that 2016 Audi. Not something I could do on a regular basis. Sometimes, easy is nice. Speaking of nice, the heated steering wheel, warms up faster than the seats, a good perk in the winter months for me. The touch screen display in the center of the dash is nice, and the backup camera, which I thought I wouldn’t use, works as designed, and I find that I am using it, so a nice plus. I’ll take it and run with it. My only other complaint with the interior is the pedal placement. The gas pedal is a bit far away from the brake pedal for effective heal and toe downshifts. I am getting it, but it is not an easy reach for me, more practice is needed.
The outside of the car is aggressive. The front spoiler is deep and ties in with the rest of the body lines really well. I like the looks. I would like a bigger rear spoiler on the back, it is a bit too subtle for me, and you can miss it if not looking for it. The car in its black paint just looks mean, ready to play for keeps. The grill, is a lot like other manufacturers and overly large. When did the size get so big, that your car could swallow a small cat and not even notice? Half of the grill isn’t even needed for cooling, it is a design thing, I know that, just not my cup of tea. In fact when you look at the car from the front, if you were too remove the Hyundai badge, and park it next to a Mazda 3, it could be confused for the Mazda. The only distinguishing difference is that the Elantra has more angles and the Mazda is rounder, but the styles are very similar.
Overall I am happy and impressed with this car. I would recommend it for anyone shopping for something new. It may have less power than a VW GTI, but it is comparable to a Civic SI and Mazda 3 GT. When the snow and salt is gone, and I get the 18” factory alloys back on the car I will be able to update with more handling opinions, for now the 16” winter tires are keeping the car solidly on the tarmac and allows me to toss it around a bit.
