Hyundai Elantra diesel long term review third report

The Elantra has proved to be faultless, if a bit lacking in character.

Published on Jan 02, 2014 06:03:00 PM

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Hyundai Elantra diesel long term review third report

The new Hyundai Elantra has run faultlessly right through its term with us.

Five-up travelling: The rear suspension is a bit too soft for it.

Cooled seats: Now that the monsoon is past, this feature is very handy.

Bluetooth audio: You can’t switch tracks with the audio system’s controls.

Make : Hyundai

Model : Elantra

I’ve never been a huge fan of Hyundais. Sure, the new ones look very attractive and they certainly have a lot of equipment, and their engines (particularly the diesels) are punchy and smooth. I can see why that sort of thing will please most car buyers. But to me, Hyundais never had soul. They’ve always missed out on that last bit of driver involvement that makes cars special.

Which is why I’m pleasantly surprised by the Elantra. It still lacks soul, but I’m happy to say that with this car, Hyundai is slowly but surely getting there. I say that because the Elantra is a car that can be driven at higher speeds with a lot more confidence than any Hyundai I care to remember. Thanks to a steering that now has some weight to it and is reasonably direct, you at least know what the front wheels are up to. Then there’s the suspension that finds a nice balance between ride comfort and high speed stability, as I discovered on a rain-drenched jaunt down the Mumbai-Pune expressway. It’s still nowhere near its German rivals in this respect, but it is a whole lot closer now. So, a definite move in the right direction with the Elantra, then.