2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring

You are an old fart. Or at least think like one. You just want a car that is easy to see out, is capable of wielding a lot of stuff, rugged and fun to drive. At the same time, to keep cars moving in the opposite direction, a sci-fi design, shrunk the windows, oversized and too complex dashboards, cramped rear seats, and the tuning of the suspension marshmallows (for example, to verify Honda Civic a couple of days ago.) But before you give hope to want to check out Hyundai Elantra Touring SE.



What Elantra Touring? Hint: Originally developed for the European market, it is badged the I30 domain in Britain. "Property" is Brit speak for wagon. A trap I30 is also available there, but was not imported. Compared to the car, the I30 extended Estate / Elantra Touring (106.3 against 104.3 wheelbase, 176.2 against 168.5 in total length) is a wagon. But with the proportions of a sedan and an upward trend to shorten the rear window, it's not a car through the eyes of Americans. The interior space is comparable to a compact crossover, but the height of 65 inches and a crossover. Instead, with a roof 59.8 inches above the sidewalk, pushing the Elantra Touring upper limits for a conventional car. Of the cars offered in the United States comes Scion xB and Toyota Matrix near direct competition, but they are shorter, higher elevations, and not feel nearly as much as a regular car from the driver's seat.

Elantra Touring is a whole class of self, which is both a strength (not in direct competition) and the weakness of the (few people know to look for one).

To compound the problem as a European car market, the Elantra Touring was only vaguely related to 2007-2010, the Elantra sedan and the United States market, and has little in common with the new design of 2011. Trying to sell two different cars with the same plate tends to result in one of them lost. Even against the Elantra sedan before, which attracted the attention of many American car buyers, the Elantra Touring struggled to break through. Now that the eye-in-my Elantra 2011 has arrived, the Elantra Touring is hopelessly eclipsed, at least until it is also redesigned. Therefore, it is not surprising that, for each of the Elantra Touring sold (about 1500 per month), fly more than ten cars from the crowd. And the proportion would be even greater if the dealers to sell more cars.



The design is a factor. Although subtly appealing If you cut three quarters around the corner, any other point of view, the Elantra Touring will start to look a little 'friendly, especially compared to the most stylish of 2011 Elantra sedan. Style of next-generation Elantra Touring, which has already been approved, it will become much more like the new sedan. This would be a good sale, but if you want the facade, and nothing controversial things you should get the Elantra Touring current when it is still possible. Just be sure to get an SE trim, which includes 17-inch alloy wheels. GLS, the pole is covered with 15s seem hopelessly sloppy.

Inside, the Elantra sedan is even higher style, with luscious curves and new equipment, while the Elantra Touring is simpler, more conventional design is easier to live with. The HVAC and audio controls are handy, and in large numbers. A USB connection and satellite radio are included, while Bluetooth is available as an accessory for $ 325. Apart from the lever a bit fragile for the adjustable lumbar support, everything seems robust. Texture, padded upper doors and dash is a nice touch. Too dark? Shame about the only interior color option. Think it's best sportsman and easy to clean.

If you want to pretend you're piloting a spaceship, go elsewhere. The Elantra Touring is the driving position is high enough for an excellent forward visibility, but low enough that it still feels like a regular car. Windshield is more upright than the Elantra and the dashboard is low and compact by today's standards. The changer is the conventional, rather than get on the scoreboard, as is often the case with the doors up. Contrary to recent trends, the windows are high. And feel from the driver's seat is very different from that of the Elantra, Focus, Civic, and so on. I hope that this position is maintained with the overhaul to come, but chances are not good.



Elantra Touring SE heated leather front seats, though not luxurious, they are comfortable. Hard to find a property at all costs: the headrest with the longitudinal adjustment. The rear seat is comfortably high on the floor, and contains much more legroom than the average for a compact hatch. Load? Elantra Touring has about as much as the average compact crossover, and much more than the average for a compact hatch, even if the glasses (65.3 cubic feet compared to 45 or so that the rear seats folded), may overestimate the practical difference . Unfortunately, the front passenger seat does not fold forward. This would improve the already highly functional package.

The only engine option is always the 138 hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder that powered the 2004 to 2010 Elantra. This mill feels lively at low speed, diet soft enough and growls pleasantly while doing it, but even the help of a manual transmission is missing beats the high end, when faced with £ 3.080. New Hyundai 2.4-liter four with 176 to 200 horsepower is a welcome update, but will not happen until the new design, if ever. The lighter (about £ 260) 2011 Elantra sedan continues with a 148-hp 1.8-liter. Could have been worse: the most powerful engine offered in the United Kingdom is a power of 124 to 1.6.

Elantra Touring SE Shifter business is not as precise or slick as the best, can be better, even much better than in other Hyundai. The short-term credit provided by the standard distance from the contact B & M and the care of the Hyundai engineers. The biggest problem: it gives you five gears to choose (and the automatic has only four). With the sixth gear, the engine would not need to turn over 3000 rpm on the highway. Between the old engine and the transmission ratio-challenged, the EPA ratings are only 23/31 compared to 24/35 for the Sonata sedan slightly heavier and 29/40 for the sedan Elantra. I noticed a high and low 20's and 30 on-board computer for driving the informal periphery, but suspect this was optimistic.

True to its European roots, driving the Elantra Touring is also closer than the typical Hyundai. The system seems not as rigorous or accurate as the Mazda3 and Mitsubishi Lancer, but (unlike the Elantra sedan) to build a natural HeFT wheel is on and the car changes direction quickly. Driving the system is not present, rather than it should, but not too aggressive. This Nanny can safely turn off the machine understeers gradually as it approaches its limit.

Elantra Touring's career may be employed, even climb the road particularly bad, but mostly without problems. Even during the raw material that is not affected car off his line. The body movements are much better controlled than in the Elantra sedab and noise levels are relatively low (although the engine running at 3500 rpm, it begins to interfere with the 80 on the highway).

Lost in the evaluation of each of these aspects separately, but not outstanding performance in a particular area, the Elantra Touring is just fun to drive. The main controls are more nuanced, but they share a direct company, they feel natural and are connected to systems that react with refreshing candor. Among the non-turbo compact hatch, the Mazda3 and only (perhaps) the Mitsubishi Lancer are nicer.



The Elantra Touring has a smaller, less powerful engine than any of these alternatives. Its advantages: less gadget style (compared to the Mazda and Toyota), a unique driving position, excellent ergonomics and superior quality, more spacious interior. The Hyundai could not succeed in a certain area, but no other car offers a similar combination of features and fun to drive cross hot hatch. If you have been looking for this combination, we found your car.