If you recall, we last spent some time in the Hyundai Elantra Sport back in 2015. So,we were excited to spend another week in this year’s model to see what changes had been made and what features remained. With a 201 horsepower 1.6L Turbo GDI engine and your choice of either a 6-speed manual transmission or available 7-speed dual clutch transmission, the Sport really stands out among the Elantra family.
As soon as the car arrived, I immediately noticed a few key changes to the exterior. The grille seemed more masculine, yet sleek- which I really liked. This time we ended up with the Sport in the Silver color- which I prefered in comparison to the black we had last time.
Some Standard key features of the Elantra Sport:
- 1.6L Turbo GDI 4-cylinder w/ chrome twin round exhaust outlet
- 6-speed manual transmission
- Available 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission w/ Shiftronic
- Multilink rear suspension
- 4-wheel disc brakes w/ front brake rotor size increase
- Sport-tuned suspension and steering
- Drive Mode Select (Normal & Sport)
- 18″ alloy wheels w/ 225/40 R18 tires
- Sport front grille and bumper fascia
- Sport rear fascia w/ diffuser element
- Sport side sill extensions
- HID headlights
- LED Daytime Running Lights
- LED taillights
- Side mirror turn signal indicators
- Sport front seats
- Leather seating surfaces
- Heated front seats
- Proximity key w/ push button start, immobilizer & hands-free smart trunk release
- Sport instrument gauge cluster
- 3.5″ TFT cluster display
- Flat bottom leather-wrapped sport steering wheel
- Black headliner
- 60/40 split fold down rear seatback & center armrest w/ cup holders
- Adjustable head restraints for all seats
- Alloy pedals
- Sunvisor extensions
- Illuminated vanity mirrors
- Sliding armrest
- Front passenger seatback pocket
- Dual Charging USB (power x2 / data x1)
Source: Hyundai
Once again, the interior of the Elantra Sport is a sleek black leather- but this time with a red stitched lining that gives the car even more of a sporty feel. The seats are extremely comfortable for both driver and passengers- including those in the backseat. There’s also plenty of legroom available.
We also noticed less road noise from what we remembered from the last Elantra Sport we reviewed, making for a quiet ride- when the kids aren’t bickering in the backseat of course.
Another feature that my husband loved about the 2015 model, which the 2o17 still boasts- is the quick acceleration. This allowed us to quickly merge into the flow of traffic on a busy Cross Bronx Expressway with ease.
Inside, Android Auto™ & Apple CarPlay™ are standard, making it easy safely answer calls and listen to music. Of course, as I’ve learned with my all black interior in our family car- is that it’s a good idea to keep some sort of duster in the glove compartment.
Another feature that really gives this car that strong sporty feel are the aluminum alloy pedals.
While we’ve heard about some seriously powerful vehicles in the making from Hyundai, the Elantra Sport seems like a great compromise for many small families who want both functional and powerful.
Overall, we really enjoyed our time with the Hyundai Elantra Sport, and were happy that most of the features that we enjoyed last time were still available- with some key upgrades. While our family of four has began to outgrow sedans, it is a great vehicle for smaller families, or as a second car. It’s sleek, it’s powerful, and it’s affordable.
For more information on the Hyundai Elantra Sport, visit www.hyundaiusa.com.