Chinese New Year 2018 with the (6th Generation) Hyundai Elantra Sport 1.6 Turbo GDi

[Automobiles]

 

Not too long ago, I got to play with the new Hyundai Elantra 2.0 Dynamic (which you can read about here – https://timchew.net/2018/01/03/a-date-with-the-6th-generation-hyundai-elantra-2-0/) which was a pretty decent C-segment offering from the Korean automaker. I was though, really very excited to test-drive the new Hyundai Elantra Sport over Chinese New Year even though I was staying in Kuala Lumpur and not heading outstation (who wants to sit in a 10 hour jam anyway?).

The Hyundai Elantra Sport shares many features with the 2.0 Dynamic variant which I won’t repeat as you can read about them on my previous feature. However the biggest difference would be the new powerful powertrain which is a  Gamma 1.6 Turbo-GDI that is mated with to an ECOSHIFT 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (the 2.0 Dynamic variant came with a 2.0l normally aspirated engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission). The Gamma 1.6 Turbo GDI (T-GDI) four-cylinder engine generates 204 PS at 6,000 rpm and 265Nm of torque at 1,500-4,500 rpm and was really happy to rev with little noticeable turbo lag.

The engine was really responsive especially when paired with the Sport mode, making the Elantra Sport a really fun and exciting ride! I took it up the hills of Ampang to visit Evian, and had so much power on tap that it was one exhilarating drive up the windy and steep roads! It really surprised me as the Elantra was a full-sized C-segment sedan and not a German hot hatch. While I do like hot hatches as they are easy to park and nippy through traffic, the lack of a full boot does make it rather inconvenient sometimes.

With the Elantra Sport, you get to have your cake and eat it! Meaning to say that you can have the fun of a ride with remarkable acceleration coupled with great handling (she stuck to the road like glue thanks to the rather stiff suspension, large rims and low profile tires), plus the convenience of a large boot to put your hold bags, or baby pram if you’re a family man.

During weekdays when you’re stuck in a jam commuting to work or fetching the kids to school, you can set the engine to Eco mode which upshifts earlier and saves fuel. There’s also the normal mode is a balance between the two modes however most of the time I was driving in either Eco or Sport mode. This makes the Elantra Sport one heck of a great package for the young family man who is a weekend warrior.

 

 

Other features of the Elantra Sport (which are not available in the other Elantra variants) include the fully leather seats with a really sporty red trim, Blind Spot Detection, High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, and “intelligent features” such as an Auto Defogging System, Dual Zone Auto Climate Control and Rain-Sensing Wipers.

The HID headlights not only look really cool, but also offer optimized illumination for the bends and curves, AND its angle can be adjusted up and down (but please keep it angled down unless you’re driving along a secluded and dark road and absolutely need it angled higher). The Blind Spot Detection which essentially is an icon which lights up on the wing mirrors when there is an automobile or motorcycle in the blind spot, is a really handy safety feature, especially on Malaysian roads where motorcyclists weave in between traffic with little regard for safety.

  

 

The Hyundai Elantra Sport is priced at RM131,488 (On the road price without insurance, for Peninsular Malaysia). All Elantra variants are entitled to 50,000km of free service with a three-year validity.

For more info, head over to https://www.hyundai.com.my/