2018 Elantra Sport GT

 
 

Hyundai's Elantra Sport GT gets a lot of great reviews so I was very excited to get my hands on it. 

Disclosure: Hyundai Canada & JS Auto provided me with the 2018 Hyundai Elantra Sport GT for a week to test drive, and photograph. All photos in this blog post was taken by me

ACCELERATION: 8.5/10

  • 201 HP @ 6000 / 195 @ 1500 - 4500 
  • 1.6L (1591cc) Turbo GDI in-line 4 cylinder
  • 7 speed dual clutch transmission
  • 6.6 seconds 0-100 km/hr 

BRAKING: 8.25/10

  • Light curb weight allows for it to stop relatively fast.
  • The Sport version also comes with wider tires which will help with improving stopping time.

HANDLING: 7/10

  • While the handling is not terrible, this is an incredible competitive segment with a lot of really good cars. In comparision to the other cars in the segment the handling is not as refined.

RIDE: 7.8/10

  • Sport versions get an independent rear suspension!
  • Suspension feels slightly firmer than the sedan version
  • Broken pavement and gravel roads is a bit harsh which is expected in a sportier version.

ECONOMY: 7.5/10

  • City: 26 ( 7DCT)
  • Highway:  32 ( 7DCT)
  • Combined: 28 ( 7DCT)
  • Because it's not a CVT it won't have the best fuel economy in it's class but it's not as engaging to drive.

CABIN NOISE: 7/10

  • Quite a bit of road noise

EXTERIOR: 6/10

  • Styling looks very plain jane
  • 18 inch wheels (Sport version)
  • Does not look sporty at all, and has no street presence. The Elantra Sedan version looks better in my opinion, and even the Accent Hatchback.

SAFETY|SECURITY|TECH: 8/10

  • Airbags, Driver & front passenger - Advanced type

  • Airbags, Occupant Classification System (OCS)

  • Airbags, Driver & front passenger side impact

  • Airbags, Side air curtains (front & rear passengers)

  • Airbags Driver' s knee

  • Power window lock-out button

  • Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD)

  • Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) w/ stop and go capability

  • Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

  • Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS)

  • High Beam Assist (HBA)

  • Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) Electronic Stability Control system (ESC) w/ Traction Control System (TCS)

  • Energy-Absorbing Steering Column

  • Energy-absorbing front and rear crumple zones

  • Anti-theft system integrated w/ Remote Keyless Entry and Panic alarm

  • Front seats, 3-point seatbelt

  • Front seats, Front adjustable shoulder belt height

  • Front seats, Front seatbelt pretensioners

  • Rear seats 3- Points seatbelt, all positions

  • LATCH Lower Anchors & Upper Tether Anchors for Children

  • Smart Trunk 

  • Blind Spot Detection (BSD) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)

  • Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) w/ Pedestrian Detection

  • Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS)

  • Attention Assist

  • Dual-shell horn

  • Child safety locks (rear)

  • Body side reinforcements

  • Shift-interlock system (A/T only)

  • Immobilizer

INTERIOR FOR DRIVER: 9/10

  • Buttons are ergonomically placed
  • Ventilated front seats
  • Heated front seats
  • Tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel
  • 8-way power adjustable driver' s seat w/ lumbar support
  • Seats are pretty comfortable with enough leg and head room!

INTERIOR FOR PASSENGERS: 7/10

  • 6-way manually adjustable front passenger' s seat
  • 60/40 Split-Folding Rear Seats
  • Rear seat centre armrest with cup holders

INTERIOR STORAGE: 8/10

  • The hatch has a good amount of usable storage

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM: 8.5/10

  • Hyundai's infotainment system is one of the easiest to use
  • Tablet style sitting ontop of the dashboard
  • The buttons make it easy to jump to different modes
  • Supports Apple Car Play and Android Auto

OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE 2018 HYUNDAI elantra sport gt:

2018 Hyundai Elantra GT is an affordable turbo option. The hatchback version is actually the i30 from Europe that has been renamed to Elantra as their hatchback version.

The Sport Ultimate DCT trim clocks in around $30499 and at this price point it competes against vehicles like the Civic Sport Hatchback, SI, GTI and WRX which are all very impressive vehicles. Since the Elantra Hatchback is in a category with a lot of very strong cars catered to driving enthusiast, it would not be my pick as its driving dynamics are not as refined as its competitors. The exterior styling also has no street presence compared to the competition. I have never seen an Elantra at a car meet. If Hyundai brings over the i30n I'm sure it will be a much more exciting car!

At the end of the day it depends if you favour driving dynamics over lots of safety, tech and comfort features which the Elantra does have. Personally if I were to get an Elantra it would be the sport sedan trim instead.

 
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