Reader Review: 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT Sport

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CALGARY — Hyundai likes to tout the fact the all-new Elantra GT five-door hatchback was designed, developed and tested in Europe.

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And that ‘European-ness’ is evident in the car, says Darcy Kraus.

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“I thought it looked somewhat similar to an Audi A3,” the Calgarian explains of his first impression of the Elantra GT Sport. Finished in Iron Grey with black leather interior replete with red accents, Kraus’s tester cost $28,824 including the destination charge.

Last year, Hyundai unveiled the updated Elantra Sedan. To join it in 2018, the company introduced the fourth-generation Elantra GT, a hatchback that was first launched here in 2001. The Elantra GT comes in four trim levels, GL, GLS, Sport and Sport Ultimate. Powering the GL and GLS variants is a 165 horsepower 2.0-litre DGI inline four-cylinder engine paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

Upping the driving performance in the Sport models is a 1.6-litre turbocharged four that ups power output to 201hp and 195 pound-feet of torque. It works in conjunction with a six-speed manual transmission, but the Sport Ultimate features a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The Elantra GT has been given a stiffer chassis to increase the overall driving experience. In the GT Sport, 18-inch wheels, larger brakes and an independent multi-link rear suspension further improve the handling capabilities.

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Kraus learned to drive on Calgary’s streets and on a farm just east of the city – the truck of choice out there was a bright orange 1974 International half-ton. After he got his licence, Kraus drove a three-quarter ton Dodge truck and earned money hauling lawnmowers for his landscaping business.

A friend introduced him to Volkswagen GTIs in 1997, and the little hot hatches served him for quite a few years. A few other cars have come and gone, including a 1990 Mazda Miata and a Hemi-powered Magnum wagon, but Kraus currently maintains a 2009 Chevy HHR SS and a 1999 Jaguar XJR.

A traveling salesman for a building material supplier, Kraus is often on the road around Alberta visiting many of the major centres. Important purchase considerations for him include a degree of performance, fun-factor in the drive, and four seats as the family includes wife Danielle, six-year old daughter, Elaine, and one-year old son, Malcolm.

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Overall Kraus liked the look of the Sport GT package that includes a new cascading grille, a design that will be Hyundai’s new corporate face.

“Getting in was the eye-opener for me,” he says. “The visual appeal just popped with the red contract stitching and other red accents against the black leather.”

At six-feet one inches tall, Kraus didn’t have any difficulty entering the car and becoming comfortable in the eight-way power adjustable seat. But, when he went to buckle his kids into the rear he quickly discovered a drawback. The buckle receptor is easily lost in the seat cushion, making snapping the belt into position a two-handed job.

“Power felt underwhelming at first,” Kraus says of the 201 horsepower turbocharged engine. “But the more I got to know the car, I realized it’s really adequate. The shifter has nice short throws and the clutch action is very smooth on the uptake.

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“The shifter knob is easy to reach, and the console bin/armrest will slide forward or back to easily support your elbow.”

The GT Sport handled very well, according to Kraus, and was composed over level crossings and expansion joints.

When Kraus decided to do a little garage cleaning he folded the rear seats forward and loaded up the back of the car with items destined for the landfill. Hyundai doesn’t give a capacity specification for the cargo area with the seats folded, but with them in the upright position there’s 705-litres of space.

“It’s got a great greenhouse, with more upright A-pillars that make it easy to see around the vehicle with no real blindspots,” Kraus says.

The GT Sport has a respectable amount of technology features, including the now-common rear view camera and an eight-inch touch screen display. However, what Kraus didn’t notice at first was a dash cubby that was an ideal place to store a phone while driving. It’s ideal because Hyundai has wired it as an inductive Qi charging station for smartphones – if your phone is so equipped, simply placing it there will recharge the battery.

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On a highway trip to Red Deer and Ponoka, Kraus says the GT Sport returned 7.1L/100km. There was little road noise or wind buffeting while driving the 400 kilometres there and back.

“I didn’t like the rear seat belt issue, and I also had trouble – twice — getting the electronic parking brake to release and I live on a hill so that made me nervous,” Kraus sums up. “But, overall, it’s got great looks inside and out, and it really is a fun car to drive.”

DRIVER’S JOURNAL

Day One: Struck by the appearance of the Elantra GT, as it’s Audi-esque. Stepping inside, the black interior was welcoming with red stitching, red anodized accents on the dash, red seat belts, and a leather shift knob with a red top. The engine fires up, nothing too throaty for exhaust, and it settles down nicely. I made the mistake of turning on the stereo – I was surprised speakers could still sound this awful in 2017.

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Day Two: We took Elaine (six) and Malcolm (one) to the zoo today. Elaine needed assistance getting the belt into the buckle, which is not normally an issue for her in our own daily driver. As we took off, the car doors locked themselves. When we got to the zoo, my wife and I exited the front doors, only to find that the rear doors had not unlocked automatically.

Day Three: I played with the menu on the gauge cluster and disabled the rear door lockout, so now it is much easier to get the kids out! I ran errands for the day. No squeaks or rattles. It is still a sport suspension, but the bumps are very nicely damped out. The nicely weighted steering keeps everything in line. The steering wheel is small, leather wrapped, and heated, and has a nice on-center feel. The manual six-speed shifter is fun to snick up and down through the gears.

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Day Four: Fall cleanup. With the parcel tray removed and rear seats folded down I managed to haul away an old propane tank, an expired kid car seat, a metal coat stand, some crib parts and frame, crushed cardboard, and an old cooler. After a run to the dump, I hit a few off ramps and traffic circles. I think this car is really growing on me. I’m not sure if I am a fan of the electronically actuated e-brake.

Day Five: I took the Elantra for an evening cruise with a friend who is also a hot hatch enthusiast. He was impressed with the fit and interior finishes. He tried out his Samsung phone on the Qi enabled inductive charging unit inside the dash cubby. It fired up instantly and charged his phone. Overall the car is quite roomy – something I have not felt in other hatchbacks. The headlights are very good, with a sharp cut off and good illumination in the ditches.

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Day Six: I had to run to Ponoka and Red Deer for work, so I got a chance to enjoy the car on the highway. The 3,500-5,500 rpm range is a hoot in this car, and it definitely has enough power to pass and merge. Launching it hard produces almost no torque steer so all the power is quite manageable. I first thought that the seats were a bit flat and lacked padding, however, I actually had no issues going long distance. I did not adjust my seat throughout the day.

Day Seven: I did have two instances today where the electric emergency brake did not seem to want to release, after being parked on a hill. Toggling the switch on and off resolved the issue. Overall, the car is not a head turner in public. However, anyone who I visited with during the course of the week liked the styling and loved the interior.