2019 Hyundai Elantra GT N-Line
“The 2019 Hyundai Elantra GT N-Line ticks all the boxes and adds an extra dose of fun.”
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Nice styling
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Ergonomic interior
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Powerful engine
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Sporty driving dynamics
Against
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Lack of standard driver assistance techniques
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Unimpressive fuel economy
With so many crossovers and SUVs on the market, buyers have plenty of choices beyond conventional road-holding cars. Whither the humble hatchback? Hyundai hasn’t given up on that yet. The Korean automaker already has five crossovers in its lineup—with the 2020 Venue still on the way—but it also found room to squeeze in the 2019 Elantra GT N-Line.
N is Hyundai’s new performance sub-brand, and full-fledged N models are supposed to be top-of-the-range sports versions of existing models. Only the Veloster gets the full-fat N treatment in the United States, not just the N-Line trim package. The N-Line trim on this car is actually a step down, adding sporty styling elements and minor mechanical changes, but no major performance improvements.
The Elantra GT is a hatchback based on the current generation Elantra sedan, although the two cars have very different exterior styling. The N-Line replaces the Sport on the range-topping Elantra GT for 2019. Our test car had a base price of $25,285, which included an optional seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (a six-speed manual is standard) and mandatory destination tax.
The Elantra GT competes with the likes of the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Subaru Impreza for a shrinking slice of the hatchback pie. Hyundai needed to stand out from the crowd, but also justify the idea of the hatchback itself.
Honest design
Most vehicles that look like off-road vehicles are actually cars playing camouflage. These are crossovers that use car platforms, but with a taller, more robust body of traditional SUVs. This means that in addition to making crossovers look good, designers have to make them look like something they’re not. The Elantra GT, on the other hand, looks exactly the way it is.
The Elantra GT is not as radical in design as the Hyundai Kona. It’s just well executed. The car is incredibly well-proportioned for a front-wheel-drive vehicle, and Hyundai’s designers haven’t fallen into the trap of adding excessive details to try and dress things up, something that can’t be said for their Honda and Toyota counterparts. The N-Line trim level adds some model-specific styling cues, including a silver-trimmed grille, front spoiler and 18-inch wheels, but the car doesn’t venture into boy racer territory.
The interior has the same honesty as the exterior. Our N-Line test car had leather upholstery with red contrast stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and aluminum pedals, but the Elantra GT is still very much an economy car. Most of the interior was trimmed in plain black plastic, but everything seemed very well put together, which is all you can ask for in a car in this segment.
We were also impressed by the ergonomics of the interior. The N-Line has model-specific front sport seats (heated and ventilated on our tester) that add a little extra bolstering, helping to keep the driver and front passenger in place during cornering. But they were also very comfortable when driving in a straight line on a long highway cruise. Unlike many current front-wheel-drive small cars, the Elantra GT’s dashboard sits fairly close to the windshield, giving the driver a better view forward and more efficient use of interior space. Hyundai has also provided two different sized cup holders on the center console, so smaller drinks don’t move. Additional cup holders in the doors mean it’s still okay to order more than one large juice.
The infotainment system was easy to use, with reasonably designed menus.
Located on top of the dashboard, the 8.0-inch infotainment screen is at the driver’s fingertips. The Elantra GT comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Navigation and wireless phone charging are extras. As with other recent Hyundai models, we found the infotainment system easy to use, with sensibly designed menus and bold graphics that are easy to read at a glance.
When it comes to interior space, the Elantra GT is quite competitive with other compact hatchbacks. It’s near the top of the segment for boot volume, although the low boot floor height can make it awkward to retrieve items. The Elantra GT felt like the right size vehicle, offering more cargo capacity and overall passenger space than the Hyundai Kona, but in a more compact package than the Hyundai Tucson.
Workday warrior
The Elantra GT N-Line proves that ordinary cars can be fun to drive. It’s not as crazy as the Hyundai Veloster N or other similar popular hatchbacks, but it ensures that twisty roads won’t fail.
Under the hood, the N-Line gets a more powerful engine than the base Elantra GT. Previously used in the discontinued Elantra GT Sport, the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine makes 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, which is a healthy amount for a car this size. The car was quite fast, with just a hint of turbo lag. But a louder exhaust system for the full experience would be nice.
Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends
Power is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission in our test car. Hyundai’s choice of a dual-clutch transmission instead of a conventional torque converter automatic or continuously variable transmission (CVT) allows for quicker gear changes, giving the Elantra GT a sportier feel. The trade-off with a dual-clutch transmission is usually a lack of refinement, especially in stop-and-go traffic where the lack of a torque converter can lead to jerky shifts. But we had no problems with our test car, so there didn’t seem to be much compromise to be made. Well done Hyundai.
Hyundai has also made some small changes to the chassis for the N-Line. Compared to the base Elantra GT, the N-Line features stiffer engine and transmission mounts, larger brake rotors, retuned steering and a retuned suspension with stiffer springs. We didn’t have a base Elantra GT to compare it to, but in isolation the N-Line model felt pretty good. The steering was precise, and the car eagerly entered corners, without a hint of the understeer that often plagues front-wheel-drive cars. Now we can see why Hyundai turned this car (sold abroad as the i30) into a racing car. Hyundai also sells the i30 N in other markets, pairing the Veloster N powertrain with the Elantra GT body.
The Elantra GT is not as radical in design as the Hyundai Kona. It’s just well executed.
The stiffer suspension has a negative impact on ride quality, but we find it tolerable even after many miles of highway driving. The cabin was also pretty quiet for an economy car, so we imagine the Elantra GT would be a good choice for commuting.
Cars like the Honda Civic, Mazda 3 and Volkswagen Golf are also fun. But the Elantra GT N-Line still stands out. As with all hatchbacks and sedans, the Elantra’s low center of gravity and lighter curb weight make it inherently better in the canyon than the average crossover. Our time with the dual-clutch N-Line left us curious to drive the manual transmission model, which also has more grippy summer tires. We think it could be a very fun day ride.
Practical things
Dual-clutch Elantra GT N-Line models, like our test car, are EPA-estimated at 28 mpg combined (25 mpg city, 32 mpg highway). That’s slightly better than the manual version, which is rated at 26 mpg combined (23 mpg city, 30 mpg highway). The base Elantra GT, which uses a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission, is rated at 27 mpg combined (25 mpg city, 32 mpg highway). Those numbers are on the low side for this segment. The Honda Civic, Subaru Impreza, and Volkswagen Golf all get at least 30 mpg combined, while the Toyota Corolla is rated at 36 mpg when paired with the available CVT.
The Elantra GT N-Line is completely devoid of standard driver assistance technology. Hyundai offers adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, forward collision warning and driver attention monitoring, but only as part of an optional technology package. Both the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla hatchback offer adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist as standard, while the Mazda 3 hatchback gets those features as well as a driver attention monitor as standard.
Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends
The 2019 Hyundai Elantra GT was named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), falling short of the higher Top Safety Pick+ rating thanks to poor headlights and child seat anchors. The hatchback also received a four-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The federal safety agency noted an increased likelihood of rear-seat passenger injuries based on the results of one of three side crash tests, which prevented Hyundai from achieving a perfect score.
Hyundai offers a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty and a five-year, 60,000-mile limited warranty, which remains among the best coverage in the business. The Elantra received an above-average reliability rating from Consumer Reports (the magazine does not publish separate scores for the sedan and GT hatchback) for the 2018 model year — the most recent data available. As a brand, Hyundai scored well in the latest JD Power Initial Quality Study.
How would DT configure this car
While we think a six-speed manual transmission and summer tires would take the Elantra GT N-Line up a notch, we haven’t had a chance to drive the car in that configuration, so we can’t make a firm recommendation. But we’d definitely take the N-Line over the base Elantra GT. The more powerful engine, sportier transmissions, and chassis upgrades seemed worth the roughly $4,000 price difference between the base Elantra GT and our N-Line test car.
We would also add a technology package for adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance and a driver attention monitor. That package also adds a power driver’s seat, ventilated front seats, an upgraded audio system, and Qi wireless phone charging.
Abstract
On paper, the 2019 Hyundai Elantra GT N-Line doesn’t look like a winner. Other compact hatchbacks go further with exterior styling, technology and fuel economy, and even with 201bhp, the N-Line can’t match full hatchbacks like the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Both the Mazda 3 and Subaru Impreza offer four-wheel drive for bad weather. Still, the Elantra GT N-Line exceeds its specifications to deliver a satisfying driving experience in a usable package. It’s a reminder of just how good regular cars can be, and why the hatchback is still a great alternative to the crossover. Hyundai also didn’t have to resort to styling gimmicks or an overcomplicated infotainment system to make it happen. The Elantra GT’s introverted personality means that many buyers might pass it up, but savvy buyers shouldn’t.
Should you get one?
That. Unless you live somewhere where the winters are bad and you have to have all wheel drive, this is all you need.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn