Hyundai’s arrival and continued success within the automotive mainstream lies primarily with their strategy to offer class-above features, giving owners more than they expect. Take the all-new 2017 Elantra for example; it’s available with HID headlights with Dynamic Bending and LED daytime running lights. There are even LED door handle approach lights, side mirror LED turn signal indicators and LED taillights. Though it plays in the affordable compact segment its voluminous trunk and spacious interior bump it up to a midsize according to the EPA, just like its toughest competitors. About an inch longer and wider than before, the Elantra’s chassis is significantly more rigid and weighs less contributing to improved noise-vibration-and-harshness levels and sharper vehicle dynamics. The new Elantra receives 2 all-new powertrains. The standard engine on the base SE and Limited trims is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder producing 147 horsepower running on the efficiency-minded Atkinson cycle, resulting in improved fuel economy of 29mpg city/38mpg highway with the next generation 6-speed automatic transmission. A 6-speed manual is also available.

The all-new 2017 Elantra welcomes a 2nd engine to the mix, this one aimed at the frugal, flaunting a 40mpg highway rating via a small turbo and dual clutch transmission. Now this is an Elantra I can get behind. Don’t let the Eco name fool you; sure it’s combined fuel economy is top rated alongside the Honda Civic at 35mpg, but the 156 pound-feet of low range turbo-induced torque combined with the manual-like quickness of the 7-speed DCT produces an energetic, more satisfying, fun-to-drive nature that is lacking from the 2.0-liter models. While other Hyundai/Kia Eco models I’ve driven have been a letdown, this one hits the sweet spot of pricing, efficiency and drivability. Using a 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder outputting 128 horsepower, a selectable Eco driving mode and new 15” Hankook eco-friendly tires, this Elantra is rated at 32mpg city/40mpg highway – a 3mpg improvement over the 2.0-liter/6-speed auto powertrain. We ended up at an impressive 38mpg for the week. Now, saving $50 per year on gas doesn’t seem like much but I prefer the Eco’s drive to the sluggish 2.0-liter model and its $21,610 as-tested price is very attractive. I like the price-point of the Eco model for the level of equipment and extra MPGs you get. It plays better to me than the Limited trim I initially drove and the turbo definitely feels spunky enough so you're not sacrificing. However, there has been a moment or 2 when I floored it and nothing happened for what seemed like forever; something to do with the transmission and engine not playing friendly. But by in large, it's smooth cruising. Loud at times but smooth. Dual clutch transmissions are just different enough that the average driver knows something isn’t quite the same – after all, they are manual transmissions at heart. And this 7-speed is usually quite transparent in that its shifts are composed like a traditional automatic but note that it falls asleep sometimes in around the town driving and that can be disconcerting. I haven’t seen sidewalls this wide in a while but they help this Elantra drive with an uncanny sumptuousness for this class of car. And on a smooth road it’s relaxingly quiet – but on textured surfaces the cabin gets obtrusively loud. Driving modes affecting the powertrain and steering effort start with a very livable Eco mode, and then move to Normal and excitable Sport, though the steering feels fairly artificial no matter. But the chassis is engineered to keep the Eco driver suitably engaged on back roads. The content level is high and everything you see here other than the floormats comes standard. This includes smart entry with push button start, the 7” Display Audio touchscreen with Apple Car Play and Android Auto which can take up the slack for the absence of built-in navigation, heated front seats, dual zone automatic climate control and a high-end driver information display. And then there’s the backup cam with rear cross traffic alert, blind spot detection and lane change assist. The manually adjusted seats make it easy to find a comfortable position and the rear seats don’t skimp on leg room with 3 across not out of the question. Plus the trunk expands with a couple of levers dropping the rear seats without needing to slide the front seats forward. Now all that being said, I still don’t care for the catfish-styled front end, fit and finish no longer seem to be keeping pace with the competition and the stellar Honda Civic turbo nets even better gas mileage with a far more sophisticated drive for not that much more money when comparably equipped. But the Eco emotes the Elantra’s best personality…at least until the Elantra Sport arrives later this year.

The compact sedan segment is seeing lots of action recently with a number of new and updated entries that have the midsizers feeling jealous. This is Hyundai's play at doing premium for less...this is the all-new Elantra. Looking at sales figures, you could say compact is the new midsize. And if you want to be technical about it, most of these cars are large enough to be classified as midsize as is the case with the Elantra. Replete with premium features and more palatable pricing, it’s no wonder customers are enamored with this class of car. If you’re a regular viewer of mine, by now you know that everyone’s chasing the new Honda Civic…it is the benchmark in nearly all key areas. So here we are with Hyundai’s best-seller, remade for 2017 with segment-first features, class-leading safety and improved efficiency in its crosshairs. I’m driving the top trim model – the Elantra Limited which comes standard with a new 2.0-liter engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 2 available option packages are both here too; the Tech and Ultimate. And that’s where you’ll find all the goodies that present the Elantra as a class above, such as Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Smart Cruise Control, HID headlights that bend in the direction of travel, an 8” touchscreen navigation system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wonderful sounding 8-speaker Infinity Premium Audio System, heated front and rear seats, driver’s seat memory settings and more. Just like this, MSRP is $27,710 including destination. For some perspective, that’s within a few hundred bucks of a comparable Civic. A little longer and wider than before, the Elantra’s body is lighter and stiffer while the torsion beam rear axle has had its geometry redesigned to improve ride comfort, handling and stability. But where did the car’s cool styling go? Looks like another Hyundai misstep following the Sonata redesign. The front end is a letdown while the rest is conservatively derivative – disappointing from a company that used to surprise us. Even the interior design has a “been there, done that feel.” Sure, it’s reasonably comfortable and spacious throughout, certainly capable of seating 5 with the flat floor, but it seems as though the Elantra has plateaued in terms of its perceived quality. The next generation Blue Link system is top notch; concise, easy to use, and full of awesome features that can fully integrate your smartphone and smartwatch. Three different service packages full of added OnStar-like features are offered at subscription pricing. From a diving standpoint the Elantra just isn't quite there. The engine feels tired, the steering has that artificial feel again and the handling is unremarkable. It is very, very quiet in here which lends to a premium sedan feel and 30mpg is certainly nice but Hyundai missed an opportunity to build a segment leader. The efficiency-minded Atkinson Cycle is typically applied to hybrid engines where an electric motor can compensate for lost power while benefiting from the higher MPGs. Here though, the Elantra’s 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque feels lacking and the next-gen 6-speed does its best CVT impersonation with undesirable sounds and sensations. Mileage improves by 1mpg in combined driving to 32mpg, considerably less than the more powerful Civic. The ride is Euro-tuned for a pleasant blend of feel and comfort and again, it’s quietness is Lexus-like. For a decade now, Hyundai has hung its hat on offering mega features and exciting design for a bargain price and though items such as the hands-free smart trunk are cool, the new Elantra comes up short with the power to surprise.