How many new Honda Civics have you seen on the road today? Contrast that with the number of facelifted Toyota Corolla Altis and recently registered Mazda 3s, and you’ll have an idea of the Civic FC’s scale of dominance in the C-segment, which was once upon a time the car market’s centre of gravity.
Years of attacks from smaller sedans and SUVs means that it’s no longer the default, but the Civic’s entry last year has brought back some attention to this class of car, even if much of it is from Honda buyers validating their purchase against older opposition.
Besides the Civic’s expressive styling that made its rivals look half a size smaller overnight, Honda also brought the turbo engine to the masses. Sure, we’ve had European downsized turbos for awhile now, but nothing’s truly mainstream until a big Japanese brand carries it in a core product.
Keeping the Civic in mind as the class benchmark and the pioneer in turbocharged mass market sedans, we drive the new Hyundai Elantra.
The sixth-generation Hyundai Elantra actually predates the current Civic. This ‘AD’ generation sedan was introduced in Hyundai’s domestic market of South Korea in September 2015, before heading to North America in 2016. Hyundai released the Elantra Sport, the performance flagship variant, midway through last year.
It took awhile for the Elantra AD to reach our shores, but it eventually did so in June. Better late than never, and even better is Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors’ decision to offer the Elantra in both normal and Sport flavours.
Our local range kicks off with the 2.0 Executive, powered by the familiar 2.0 litre Nu engine with 152 PS at 6,200 rpm and 192 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. The naturally-aspirated MPI engine is paired to an in-house six-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
More interesting is the Elantra Sport, which has a 1.6 litre turbocharged engine under its hood. The Gamma T-GDI is packed with 204 PS at 6,000 rpm and 265 Nm of torque from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm, as per the Korean Avante Sport. Opting for the Sport over the Executive nets you an extra 52 PS and 73 Nm.
The downsized turbo engine puts the Elantra in the same conversation as the 1.5 litre Civic Turbo, but the Korean motor holds a substantial advantage – 31 PS and 45 Nm more to be exact.
The Elantra Sport is actually from a higher performance rung than our Civic. In the US, it battles the latest Civic Si – a sporty midpoint between the regular Civic and the Civic Type R – which puts out 205 hp and 260 Nm between 2,100 and 5,000 rpm. While the Hyundai has nowhere near as much street cred as the Si badge in the American sport compact scene, it has the firepower to match.
Back home, while our Civic comes with a CVT automatic, Hyundai’s gearbox of choice is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The ingredients are definitely there for the Elantra to be a Civic-beater in performance and driving terms, but all that on-paper promise can amount to nothing if it’s not cooked right. Previous Korean attempts at sporty cars have been less than tasty, and I’m rightfully wary.
We start off in the 2.0 Executive, which is a pleasant enough drive. The familiar 2.0L Nu engine and 6AT combo provides adequate performance that’s par for the course. The Ioniq was the last Hyundai I drove, and that hybrid car’s low NVH levels and good refinement really impressed – it’s more of the same in the Elantra, which means that it’s a much more soothing drive than the Mazda 3, and perhaps even the Civic.
From memory, the AD feels more substantial on the move compared to the previous-generation MD, with better isolation from bumps and ridges. The steering is precise and easy, but there’s not much feedback to speak of. That’s normal for a modern electric set up though, with only the Mazda 3’s lively helm standing out in the class.
The Elantra 2.0’s suspension is tuned for comfort. The extra slack from the soft springing manifests itself in more body roll and a loping gait at highway speed, compared to the Elantra Sport. While previous generation Korean cars such as the Elantra MD and Sonata YF somehow managed to combine a soft primary ride with not very good low speed bump absorption, the latest Elantra fares much better as a comfort-oriented sedan.
The Elantra AD is a clear improvement from the previous generation car, but that’s not much of a surprise as the MD – striking physical form aside – wasn’t a frontrunner in its prime.
The shock and awe was delivered by Elantra Sport. The 1.6 litre turbo engine endows this Korean with a serious punch, and the rate of acceleration feels alien in a mainstream Asian sedan. Never mind getting up to highway speed (which is ridiculously easy), the Sport can hit the double century without breaking too much sweat, and remains stable while at it.
The official 0-100 km/h time for the Elantra Sport is 7.7 seconds; that’s 2.2 seconds faster than the 2.0 NA, but the gap feels much bigger in practice. The 1.5 litre turbocharged Civic does the century sprint in 8.2 seconds.
There’s a slight delay in response before the T-GDI’s torque does its thing; while the DCT’s shifts aren’t as rapid and snappy as Volkswagen’s sport-tuned DSGs (as in the Golf GTI), it’s no deal breaker and lag from a standing start isn’t as apparent as in the Volkswagen Tiguan, for instance.
The gearbox is witty enough for smooth town work (not a given thing for dry DCTs, Ford owners can testify) and does a rather good impression of a torque converter automatic. Steering paddles are standard in the Sport, but you won’t be reaching for them often, another mark of a competent transmission.
The Elantra Sport is a more exciting drive than the Civic; but more than the power advantage, which is palpable, it’s a good DCT versus a CVT that really pushes the Hyundai ahead in driving terms. The former is just more conducive for spirited driving.
On that note, Hyundai did not engineer in a “sporty” engine or exhaust sound for the Elantra Sport, preferring a more “executive” way of gaining speed. Driven normally, there are no hints of the engine’s potency and the good NVH displayed in the non-turbo Elantra is evident.
Strong as the powertrain is, it’s perhaps the Elantra Sport’s competent dynamics that surprised us more. Korean cars have been given many tags before – stylish, well equipped and good value are among them – but ‘good to drive’ is not a common descriptor. The Ioniq was the turning point for this writer, and the good work is continued here – only this time, there’s performance to match.
The Sport gets larger front brakes (16-inch vs 15), multi-link rear suspension in place of the 2.0’s torsion beam, and a firmer set-up than the NA variant. The latter, which is immediately noticeable, combines with shorter suspension travel for tighter body control and well-contained roll. The corresponding busier high speed ride isn’t intolerable, but can be felt especially from the rear seats. As mentioned, high speed stability is good.
The chassis strikes a good balance between control and comfort, IMHO, and is a good match to the Sport’s pace. Unlike previous fast Korean cars, this one encourages you to drive harder when the opportunity presents itself.
Less evocative is the Elantra’s interior, which is the car’s weakest point. Nothing much wrong with the quality on offer, it’s just that the design of the dashboard is dated, and that’s even before you compare it with the cabins of the Civic (modern, digital) and Mazda 3 (sporty, minimalist). The dashboard layout is reminiscent of the Sonata LF’s – not a good design to be associated with, although the newer car is slightly less dowdy.
While I personally don’t mind the Elantra’s mechanical hand brake and analogue dials, an electronic parking brake – as employed by Honda and Mazda – would make for a neater centre console with more storage space. As for the classic twin dials, they give a racy feel to this old-fashioned driver, especially those on the Elantra Sport, which gets red needles and a six o’clock starting position. These elements may be traditional, but they’d be picked on less if the overall dash design was more contemporary.
Another old school sporty cue is the Sport’s red-black leather seats, which are more red than black. With red door cards thrown in as well, it’s a bit much, to put it mildly, and downright unpalatable if the exterior colour is a clashing one, such as our tester’s Blazing Yellow. Conversely, the 2.0 Executive’s black suede seats with red stitching is nice to the touch and more pleasing to the eyes.
Thankfully, not all of the Sport’s racy items are jarring. The CF-style trim across the dash is quite understated, and we like the flat-bottomed steering from the Ioniq, with red thread on the leather wrap and a red ring at the base. The Sport-only shift paddles could have better tactile feedback, though. The driver’s seat doesn’t go as low as the Civic’s, but we have no issues with the driving position.
At the back, space is adequate but far from spectacular. You get more room than in the cramped Mazda and some European C-segment hatchbacks, but the Civic – with an identical 2,700 mm wheelbase – is ahead. However, if you don’t need that much room, the Hyundai’s rear bench offers a more comfortable and natural seating position thanks to a long seat base that’s also higher than in the Honda.
But if you want the most space for the money, the B-segment is where you should look to. Many with modest driving expectations have already done so, and the Honda City and Toyota Vios – with flat floors and huge trunks – punch way above their price in space terms.
With basic motoring needs well-covered by sub-RM100k sedans, design is an area where the C-segment can fight back, as the Civic has demonstrated. The Elantra’s design isn’t as flamboyant, but it’s a smart looking car with good proportions. In isolation, the Hyundai appears significantly smaller than the Civic; but 60 mm deficit in overall length aside, both cars have identical wheelbase and width measurements. With shorter rear overhangs, the Elantra’s boot is 61 litres smaller.
While the Elantra MD was all fluidic, Hyundai has crafted a sharper suit for the AD. The arrow-like silhouette, tall boot and upturn in the window line have all been retained, which means that there’s some continuity despite the new face.
Speaking of face, the Sport has ample differentiation from the regular Elantra in front, thanks to a black border for the Audi-style grille and less chrome for the horizontal slats (six tightly spaced ones versus five on the regular grille). There’s also a discreet red ‘Turbo’ emblem one on side.
The Sport bumper is unique and features larger side intakes (there are air curtains on the sides, although not as obvious as in Audis), a more prominent chin and LED daytime running light strips. The HID headlamps (halogens on the 2.0) come with decorative chrome cradles and some red accents.
Both the NA and turbo variants ride on two-tone 17-inch alloys with 225/45 rubber, but each get its own rim design – blade-style for the Executive and twin five-spokes for the Sport. The latter adds on side skirts and a diffuser in the rear bumper, which integrates twin pipes on one side. Both cars get LED tail lamp signatures, but the Sport’s ‘triple C’ look is more distinctive than the 2.0’s ‘double U’ pattern.
Personally, I like how the Elantra Sport looks, which is aggressive without being too loud. Darker colours than blue or gold give it a stealthy aura that’s apt, especially as hot hatches (never mind the Civic Turbo and most premium compact execs) will find “that bloody Hyundai” harder to shake off than expected.
However, there’s one design problem that’s close to my heart, literally. While the upturned window line is not new, Hyundai has moved the sharp edge of the rear door much higher, from the signature line on the MD to the edge of the DLO teardrop on the AD. Opening the rear door pushed that sharp end into my sternum, resulting in a painful weekend. Of course, this may not be an issue for other users, but you have been warned.
Shorn of the Sport’s powertrain, it’s hard to make a case for the RM116,388 Elantra 2.0 Executive against the cheaper Civic 1.8. Not helping matters is the presence of the impressive Ioniq in the same showroom. A recipient of tax incentives, the hybrid starts from just over RM100k.
However, for those approaching the Civic with sporting expectations, the Elantra Sport – which is just a few hundred ringgit cheaper than the top Civic 1.5 TC-P – delivers more in that regard. The Hyundai does not just beat the Civic Turbo on performance, it’s the sharper and more sporting car to drive. Kit wise, it counters the Civic’s digital flash and LED eyes with blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
Will the Elantra cause a dent in Honda Civic sales? I don’t think so. Even if you disregard the combined brand power of ‘Honda’ and ‘Civic’, the FC is a great all-rounder that you can’t go wrong with. But the brave few to go against the flow with the Elantra Sport would have scored one hell of a performance bargain. It may not be as focused as dedicated hot hatches, but the fast and comfy Hyundai does the job of a premium compact exec pretty well, at half the price.
GALLERY: Hyundai Elantra 1.6 Sport
GALLERY: Hyundai Elantra 2.0 Executive
GALLERY: Hyundai Elantra 2.0 Dynamic (with bodykit)
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Wah! Article on a Saturday/Sunday! Doing OT?
Anyways, exterior design is too Audi-ish.
What u expect? PT.org is bestest carsite, NO kuih lapis teh tarik 8X a day.
BTW at half the price, Preve orso 1.6 Turbo.
The Hyundai’s 1.6T is much faster than the Preve
The Hyundai’s 1.6T is much faster than the Civic crab too
Civic crab got Type R.
But much more expensive
204ps but does 7.7s (0-100) is slow man!
I expect that if PT opis dun allow kuih lapis, & teh tarik, & kopi, nobody will work there, considering other work opis has pantry facilities. PT shud take care of their staffs, no?
From what i can see. Its all about performance
What about reliability? NO it is not
Ever wonder why veloster turbo ( same engine and gearbox ) have over 50k discounts for a new car ?
Reliability is the answer. Hyundai DCTs are well known to break down probably on par with DSG
Dude, just stick to your Punch CVT!
VW Jetta got high reliability !
The legend redefined, Toyota Corolla Altis.
doesn’t matter how great it is, in bolehland, only resale value matter.
Korea create world-beater, Hyundai. meanwhile proton…
Yes, world beating in copying.
World beating lousy RV.
World beating in lousy reliability.
Im sure P1 dun wan to take those titles from Hyundai.
Yes… Civic 1.5TC is still the best all rounder..
the Elantra 1.6T interior is not to everyone’s taste and most ppl won’t go for the “red more than black” interior
just bring this car to leather shop and change the color to your taste.. cost u less than 3k… its better than to live with 8.2s cvt box for the rest of your tenure with the civic.
I rather live with smooth cvt box in civic with nice and modern interior than ugly dated elantra interior. Interior is important where most of the time we spend inside the car. Elantra go in already no mood.Zzz
7.7secs vs 8.2 sec is only 0.5sec lar.. In KL everyday day jam how fast u can drive? Unless you can day day highway driving at 220km/h. Oh ya Elantra is thirsty at 7L/100km vs civic 5.8L/100km.
Dun be fooled by the FC number, even Preve got better FC coz smaller turbo
True Preve smaller turbo as long its not bocor.
Bocor is ady history
zoom zoom….its like saying i rather buy the civic turbo 1.5 than buying a civic SI…. coz elsewhere the elantra turbo is in the same category as the civic SI…
It’s hyundai malaysia’s ‘awesome’ job to put in red seats. They have noted their stupidity and already offers to change to black seats.
If only elantra sport comes with 6 speed manual as an option, definitely i’ll choose this over civic and mazda 3.
Hyundai, there is a phone call for you. It is the 1990s, and they want the dashboard back! Bright red seats doesn’t go well with BMW M4’s Austin Yellow “Gold” Metallic paint. Why no LED headlights?
Very good write up Danny as always, when it is being compared with a Civic. How does it stack up with turbocharged Focus sedan and Jetta? The C-Segment is very much alive once again.
The Elantra Sport over the boring top spec Honda HR-V anyday
I’ve saying the same thing about the two decade old design. Its like Hyundai wants to go all retro now.
Too bad no info on FC. A proper shootout video would be great.
This car will sell well…civic is crap and crab.good anli for Ah bengs..
This is a nice car, I wish I can own one. The tuning of the 1.6 T-GDI is so smooth, with nearly ZERO turbo lag. The dual clutch transmission is fast and instant. The soundproof is way better than the other same segment turbo car, a lot a lot better. Things I don’t like are the interior design and its red color seats, which feel childish. But the biggest draw back to many people, I believe, is the sad fact that the Resale Value is the concern…
Once again, it is really a nice car. Hope that Hyundai Malaysia will do something to save it out from the low RS pit.
Those striking red seats is not my cup of tea and Gawd what’s with the old interior design? Other than that it’s a great car to drive
Small error:
“Shorn of the Sport’s powertain”
You mean Short right?
“Opening the rear door pushed that sharp end into my sternum, resulting in a painful weekend.”
THANK GOD I finished my coffee halfway through the article! I could imagine the unexpected pain just from this! xD
Man you guys have really found a way to provide a nice weekend read. I like the buildup of all the paragraphs, as well as agree that in this segment, the civic really is the benchmark.
Glad the DCT knows how to play nice with our stop and go traffic, there is virtually no more Fiestas on the road in KL compared to a short period in 2012 when it was
EVERYWHERE. (Death of the powershift?)
Overall a nice pricing strategy by Sime Darby, feels like the 2.0 is a loss leader meant to push buyers for the turbo.
Based on our trend, culture and mentality, the Civic will reign as king. the Japanese cars to be exact. That said, this Elantra Sport does look exciting.
Need to ask Danny again (because last time he didn’t give the answer….)
Which would you like to be seen driving in? Like a gaggle of late 20-something attractive ladies trying to cross the road from in front of the Pavilion mall. The Civic V-TEC or this Elantra Turbo? You lagi suka orang tengok you pandu Civic atau Elantra?
I like the Elantra Sport’s styling, and I don’t care much about the image (or lack of image). For me, the question is if I can get used to the interior design. Not 100% sure on that
Interior design you will forget it once you see the road in front and driving
Better, faster, powerful 200hp, massive torque and the nvh is far quiter than the honda civic.
if you are looking for performance, forget the civic. Use CVT, the so called 1.5 vtec turbo which dint even have a vtec, using direct injection but only produce 220nm? Really? Ancient Proton CFE that use MPI also produce 205nm.
And the topspeed of 207kmh of a civic is such a letdown..
Want civic? Wait for the civic si if honda malaysia bring it here.
Otherwise, choose this elantra.. 200hp and 265nm of torque is no joke..
You should really test drive this elantra sport.. Just my 2 cents
Yes, I agree the Elantra’s dashboard design is very dated. The curved air grilles look like 1990s design.
You want dual clutch? Get the original and the real deal, and it’s only from Volkswagen. Nothing comes close to Volkswagen’s DSG.
Real DSG comes with real ownership experience. i.e. workshop time.
man those red & black seats are ugly
Jazz Hybrid oso use DCT
ahahaha.. yeah… the original crappy DSG and equally terrible service centers. Till now still have over heating problems for VW DSG. sigh.
Least this DSG is from a different supplier, and stand a better chance of it being more reliable.
This DCT is an in house development frm Hyundai itself. Try the Ioniq and you will feel that this is a much more refine and smoother dual clutch out there, albeit not as urgent and sporty compare to VAH group’s DSG.
Hondas DSG oso needed replacement once. If sausagelord and jepunislord DSG can fail, what makes u think kimchi is any better?
Horayy for kimchi!
It will become like an old days cpu war btw amd n intel….most of them will go for intel but only a few hardcore will choose amd for its ability to do the amazing overclock jobs much better than intel can handles
I got offended when i read this article that the writer say Hyundai elantra Sport is better than the civic.
How can that be? on the long term wise, civic still beats elantra in resale value. pound for pound you spend on the civic, you get more return.
the car i own and based on what i research and choice, civic is the best of the best. no other car in that segment can come close to it.
Don’t take things here too seriously bro else U will succumb to unnecessary stereotyping. If U are happy with whatever U are driving, who is here to say what U are driving is not as good as the next car.
U buy the Civic because U like it. U didn’t buy it because someone like it Right?! Be happy with whatever U have & your live will be happier. To each his own bro.
because you think like a fanboy. There’s alot of factors to be cosidered in a car and not just resale value alone.
the civic might be the best to you but not the others. not everyone likes to be whurred around in a cvt lol.
It is the writer’s opinion. Just like you have you own opinion of your “best in the world car”, whatever they may be. If you cannot accept this it is your problem.
Btw, judging from the many thumbs down of your post, many readers here are equally offended by the crap you post.
Of course you are entitled to your own opinion…. but just be aware that many car reviewers throughout the world prefer Hyundai Elantra sport than regular Honda Civic turbo. Please don’t google search or video on Hyundai Elantra sport/hyundai elantra sr vs Honda Civic, you will be offended many times.
Offended because other people don’t share your view?
You have a lot to learn EQ wise.
“Keeping the Civic in mind as the class benchmark and the pioneer in turbocharged mass market sedans, we drive the new Hyundai Elantra.”
Hellooooo….. Honda just started selling turbo charged sedan in …. how can they be a pioneer ?
While the VW Jetta and Peugeot 408 have turbo engines, they sell in tiny numbers – nothing’s truly mainstream until a big Japanese brand carries it in a core product.
As for the Preve, it’s in a different price category and I doubt Civic buyers would be considering the Proton.
Civic buyers prefer to eat maggi everu months rather than going overseas for holidays every years
Lolololololololoolololololololool almost vomit my dinner.
For Hyundai to priced it a tad lower than the Civic 1.5 turbo is bad business sense. Who is his right frame of mind would go buy the Elantra if there is a choice to be had in the Civic? I am no Honda fan and I find the Civic is not that great to drive – sound proofing is still a tad poor in my opinion. Rear seats are not too comfy too.
elantra turbo or avante turbo 1.6 T-Gdi already in production since 2014. At that time this engine is used in Kia Cerato Koup. If you look at korean market, their engine range is quite wide ranging from 1.6 turbo petrol to 1.6 turbo diesel…to 2.0 turbo petrol which already in production since kia sportage 2010….the 3.3 turbo on kia stinger already being used in Kia Kadenza or K7 and K9 and even in Kia Carnival back in South Korea….in malaysia people only know about vtec 200nm engine…so sadddddd
Elantra win in all aspects compare to civic.. high quality using high strength steel 55% vs civic 20%. Elantra Euro Ncap 5 star vs civic asia ncap only. More powerful. real turbo. interior better quality.. better safety.. blind spot monitor.. tyre pressure monitor.. bonet have auto open.. more beautiful.. in all aspect. Fuel efficient nt bad wit 7 speed dual clutch.. nw wit 3 years free service fully.. ELANTRA BEST ALL ROUNDER
u sell one meh?
i feel lame when test drive this car compare to civic…
seriously i dont know why..
yes, it was fast when i hit the accelerator pedal, but when driving in the town and try to feel the interior, seriously i feel lame…
Reduce price by 50%
I’ve got to say that the styling is really back to the 90’s are Korean car design. Interior is slightly worse, more like late 80’s design. I understand the need to sometimes take cue from our roots in terms of design. But this is really a tad badly executed.
I own 2 hyundai at the moment.
2012 elantra MD and 1 month old AD.
My wife’s six speed manual MD so far had not given me any issue except faulty usb charger and reverse sensor. Other than that the manual perfomance is great since we dont mind working on our left legs.
For my new AD its like dream come true since i always dream of a New budgeted sports sedan to drive kids at an affordable price. I had no regrets even many bad impression people have since the performance and stability is worth the money i pay. Since then i been taking care it with 5 min warm up and 10min cool down on each drive and 5K fully syn oil flushed same with my MD. Each time i accelarate i had fotgotten about the interior colors or bad impression people have on this car and only joy. For me, IF you need IMAGES then Honda is the one. IF you have budgets like me for ‘Performance Sedan’ then HYUNDAI will do the job.
I dont see anyone in PENANG driving the AD its like i am the only alien. But whenever i let my relatives test drive the car they are impress with the performance and money to pay.
My previous ride was exora turbo and its great to me. Since then, i dont see much Honda fanboy tailgating me so often than i drive my exora or MD.
By the way, hyundai service and claim department is damm terrible in penang!
For same price, shud consider Proton Perdana 2.4 instead
You are not an alien. Your car is special in Penang because your car is outstanding compared to others and rare. People will have a glance at your car first before having a glance at other common cars on the road. It happened to me with my Cerato (first batch) and people used to asked me what is it but Cerato is quite common on the road. It is not a crime being special. Remember that. Take this as a compliment. Ignore what haters say.
Saw the exact same Elantra Sport climbing Janda Baik road just now.
The acceleration is great, the stability as I observed behind the car is good, tackling the winding road without hesitation.
I wonder who ia driving :)
i have 2 hyundai right now and so far there are no major issues for me. I do wanted a sedan sport car but reality told me i need a hybrid due to long distance drive daily in kl city :(
i hope the steering coupler n battery issues does not exist this time…if not,poor hyundai…
Can’t afford if RM100k+. hahahaha. Heard Kia Rio starting price is RM78k. not bad also
Too audi-ish. By comparing on the facelift of all makers, i think kia did a very good job
i test drove elantra, wow feel really sluggish. i drive cerato better. i think last time i check they have RM16K rebate for new cerato.