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

18,544 Views

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.

There is room for improvement. Load the Elantra up with five people and camera equipment (like we did for the M5 vs E63 AMG shoot) and you’ll find the rear suspension to be too soft – any kind of long-wave undulation would have the rear bobbing about excessively. This forces you to back off and slow down before things get out of control.

There aren’t many grouses otherwise. Our 13,800km car’s faux leather seats are looking a bit grubby (excusable as so many of us at Autocar drive it over so many different conditions). Also, there’s a small issue with the Bluetooth audio – you can’t skip tracks with the audio system buttons; you have to pull your phone out and change the music on it.

These are but small irritants in a car that has run faultlessly right through its term with us, and this dependability is, I guess, why most people buy a Hyundai. So Hyundai, well done with the Elantra. All you need to do now is some soul-searching.

Ouseph Chacko

Odometer: 13,874km

Price: Rs 18.42 lakh (on-road, Mumbai)

Test economy: 14.9kpl (overall)

Maintenance costs: None

Faults: None