The 2014 Hyundai Elantra GT is a five-door compact hatchback that offers a lot of flexibility, and the latest version offers some new goodies. Chris Wardlaw, Autobytel’s Road Test Editor, checked out an Elantra GT to see how it stacks up against the expectations for the compact car segment.
The most important new feature is the Elantra GT’s new drivetrain, showcasing a direct injected 2-liter that yields 173 horsepower. That’s 33 ponies more than last year’s engine. For that power increase, the fuel economy drops a bit, but the numbers are still good, coming in at 24 MG city and 34 MPG highway. The Elantra is a model name that’s applied to three different cars. There’s the five-door hatchback GT we see here, but Hyundai also makes an Elantra compact four-door sedan and a two-door Elantra Coupe. The Elantra GT is based on a Hyundai model known as the i30 that was developed especially for hatchback-loving Europeans, with a shorter wheelbase and a taller roof than the four-door Elantra. The result is a stylish, practical and efficient car that provides plenty of comfortable space for passengers and flexibility for cargo. Hyundai’s known for its excellent warranty, and the Elantra GT’s also proven itself with high safety ratings and customer satisfaction.
Engines and Transmissions:
A 145-horsepower, 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine is installed in the Elantra SE Sedan and the Elantra Limited Sedan. All other versions of the car get a new 173-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine.
A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard equipment for all models except the Elantra Limited. The Limited is equipped with a standard 6-speed automatic transmission, which is optional for other versions of the Elantra.
Fuel Economy Ratings:
The Elantra’s 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine is rated to get 31 mpg in combined driving with the standard manual gearbox, and 32 mpg with the optional automatic transmission. The new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine installed in the Elantra Coupe, GT, and Sport models is expected to return 28 mpg except for the GT with the optional automatic. This model is rated 27 mpg in combined driving.
Safety Ratings:
Crash-test scores for the 2014 Hyundai Elantra are incomplete. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the Elantra GT and Elantra Sedan a 5-star overall rating, but as this summary is written, the Elantra Coupe has not been tested.
The 2014 Elantra Sedan is named a “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which has not assessed the Coupe or GT as this summary is published.
Technology Highlights:
Hyundai includes a free 3-year subscription to Blue Link Assurance Connected Care services. This means certain versions of the 2014 Elantra include Automatic Collision Notification, which speeds rescuers to the scene of the accident in the event of an airbag deployment, as well as programmable safety features designed for households with teenaged drivers.