Automakers don’t recognize the tyranny of the calendar year. With the pages of 2019 just half gone, many car models are rushing into 2020 and beyond, which can lead to some confusion on websites and dealer lots. While Hyundai has released details about the 2020 Elantra and the new model can be viewed (and purchased) from dealer inventory, the 2019 Elantra also exists as a new car alongside its new sibling. I had a chance to spend a week driving the outgoing vehicle recently, a 2019 Hyundai Elantra Limited with a base price of $22,600 and an as-tested bottom-line price of $26,960. Optional equipment included the $3,350 Ultimate Package (Navigation with an eight-inch touchscreen; Blue Link Multimedia; Power Sunroof; Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection; Smart Cruise Control; Integrated Memory System for driver’s seat and outside mirrors; 4.2-inch TFT Color Instrument Cluster Display; and Safe Exit Assist), $125 carpeted floor mats and a $595 freight and handling charge.
Elantra received a thorough refresh for 2019, right in the middle of its sixth generation of production. The first generation Elantra was a 1991 model, so the nameplate has been around for quite a while now. Hyundai has made tremendous strides in quality and design over the past 28 years, transforming itself from an entry-level economy brand into a true contender with a well-deserved reputation for value and dependability. The turning point for the brand was the adoption of “America’s Best Warranty,” a 10-year/100,00-mile powertrain warranty, five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and seven-year/unlimited-mile anti-perforation warranty. Add five years/unlimited miles of roadside assistance, and you’ve got a pretty compelling package.
The compact sedan category has been a challenging space over the past few years, as buyers have shifted their gazes toward crossover SUVs. Ford and General Motors, notably, have been tilting production and development further in that direction. Hyundai has also loaded their lineup with crossovers, but has not abandoned cars as part of their lineup. In addition to the Elantra, Hyundai produces the Accent, Elantra GT, Veloster and Sonata, along with the Ioniq and Nexo and a complement of SUVs from sub-compact to three-row.
The 2019 Elantra is a good-looking, if unremarkable, car. It is a four-door sedan with coupe-like styling and a fast roof that avoids traditional notchback lines. It has an expressive front fascia with triangular LED headlamps. Its body features crisp lines, and the trunk has an insouciant integrated spoiler lip that adds a sporty finish. Its interior is a little dull, with a functional but uninspired dashboard and center console. Some hard surfaces and less than impressive plastic on the door panels betray a price point.
Where Elantra excels is content. The standard features and equipment list on the Limited model that I drove is impressive, from dual zone climate control to heated leather front seats to a wireless device charging pad and more. An Infiniti premium audio system with eight speakers, Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, proximity key with push-button start and hands-free trunk, auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink and more leave little to be desired.
Under the hood, a naturally aspirated (non-turbo) 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine pumps out 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque, picked up by a six-speed automatic transmission and sent to the front wheels. Fuel economy is rated at 28 mpg city/37 mpg highway/32 mpg combined, which is some compensation for the merely adequate performance that you experience behind the wheel. Elantra isn’t really a driver’s car – it’s a commuter’s car.
Hyundai has stacked the deck with a host of standard safety features, along with standard driver assist technology including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Collision Warning, and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.
That’s a lot of content for the money, a Hyundai hallmark. What’s missing is personality and passion. Elantra is a very good car, it’s just not one that I can fall in love with. In the class, I’m more passionate about the Mazda3, Toyota Corolla, and Kia Forte. Your taste may vary.
Which brings us back to the issue of model years. The 2020 Hyundai Elantra is here, and while it will carry a modest price increase (Limited models will go up by $200), it will looks just like the outgoing Elantra. The big change on the Limited trim is a new transmission. The six-speed automatic will be replaced by a continuously variable automatic (CVT) that will yield 30 mpg city/40 mpg highway/34 mpg combined. If fuel economy is important to you, the gain may be worth buying a 2020 over a 2019. If you prefer the driving experience of a conventional stepped automatic, stick with the 2019 while supplies last. Passion is where you find it.
