Hyundai Love

The 4th Generation Elantra GT

In 2018 Hyundai premiered its 4th generation Elantra GT, the impressive sport model is paired with a 1.6 litre turbo charge four cylinder that provides 210 hp and 195 lbs per foot of torque. Combined with a 6 speed manual transmission in the sport model or a dual clutch 7 speed automatic transmission in the sport ultimate, it is definitely an European inspired mid size car!

The Elantra is also available in three other trim levels, the GL, GLS and Sport Ultimate are priced in order with our focus vehicle sitting in the third tier.

The comparisons to perceived upscale Euro model competition does not stop there. Improved performance in the GT Sport models is also evident in the multi link rear suspension and 18 inch wheels. It is worth noting that you will find 16 inch wheels on the GL model and 17 inch tires on the GLS. 

One noticeable aesthetic change that is very evident is what Hyundai calls a “cascading front grille” design that is expected to be Hyundais new look from a branding perspective. On the inside of the sport model, black leather interior and red sticking accents further stress the european influence.

In real word highway driving conditions the Sport model provided a decent 7.1 litres per 100 kms. Not bad for a 200 hp plus engine.

 The tech is there too; the now standard touch screen display with rear view camera is present as well as a nifty cub hole for your smart phone that includes wireless recharging.The quiet interior is also a plus for longer trips!

Notes on the interior include an eight direction powered adjustable seat on the Sport mode for drivers l and a six direction manual adjustable drivers sear on the 2.0’s. Standard on all models is an eight inch screen in the centre of the dash. Hyundai’s answer to OnStar is Blue Link Telematics. You can find this on the Sport Ultimate model at no additional cost for five years. All GT trim levels include a back up camera, blind spot detection and a rear cross traffic alert system. The rear seats fold, but they are not completely flat as many have become accustomed to in typical modern wagon inspired hatchbacks. That said the Elantra GT offers 705 cubic litres or 24.89 cubic feet.

Hyundai Gator Hydrogen Powered Dragster

Hyundai is noted for innovation and value. Quite often many “premium” options are included at price points below its competitors cost. With that aside, Hyundai concepts are some of the most out there and ambitious designs. Most are auto related and some are not. as crazy as it seems to have one of the worlds leading car companies designers work on projects that are not solely auto related, that is exactly what happens at Hyundai! 

Non auto related concepts that these talented auto designers have been working on include but are not limited to amphibious transportation, human androids with artificial AI, their own open purification unit, human flying suits and a fully independent moving city.

Hyundai has launched an internal design competition to promote and encourage designers to be as creative as they dare to be. 

One of the most ambitious car designs to come out was 2006’s Hyundai Gator Drag Racer. Not intended for residential driving, it was inspired by the glory days of Top Fuel racers from the 1960’s. The vehicle was filed by a hydrogen fuel cell. Clearly not the choice of past drag racers, Hyundai is forward thinking even when being inspired by the auto.racing industry of the past! Not to be outdone by an outlandish design the car was controlled using a side stick instead of a steering wheel. The steering system was paired with a heads up display or HUD incorporated into a space age drivers helmet. The cars main fuselage included built in roll protection and housing for the fuel cells.

In 2015 it became official, for the first time in two decades Hyundai had surpassed both Toyota and Honda in J.D. Power Ratings for Initial quality in for the first 90 days of ownership. Considering the strength of the Japanese auto makers and their foot hold in North America this was no small accomplishment.

How did they do it?

In in the 80’s and throughout most of the 90’s, Korean made vehicles were views by North American’s as “cheap”. This may have been due Hyundai focusing on quantity over quality as it battled to gain a foot hold in the highly contested North American auto market.

In 1998 Hyundai changed its focus dedicating more resources into vastly improving the quality of its vehicles. This was inspired by the success of Korea’s Samsung brand which increased sales and popularity dramatically in North America due to its focus on providing quality electronics and competitive prices. Hyundai engineers have no problem tearing apart current designs multiple times until they are confident that they have covered every possible problem or defect with the vehicle. This attention to detail and willingness to change is not limited just to the design phase of the vehicles. This high standard is written into performance reviews and manufacturing process at every level of the company.

Hyundai is also a company that values customers opinions, this is a major factor in Hyundai’s current success. In 2006 Hyundai polled its customers and payed attention to the fact that most felt that Hyundai’s vehicles looked “weird”. The companies response was to lure a top designed from Audi away from the European manufacturer and completely overhaul the athletic design of all of it’s models. The result? Hyundais reviews and market shares changed dramatically.

Hyundai also offers one of the best warranties in the auto industry. A 5 year/100,000 KM bumper to bumper and power train warranty is standard on all Hyundai’s. This gives it an edge on both the Big Three and Japanese auto makers and is an attractive selling feature for budget minded consumers that plan to keep the vehicle beyond they standard 3 year/60,000 KM coverage that seems to be an industry standard minimum.

While many consumers may still trade in their vehicle as the standard warranty period is ending, the extra two years of standard coverage that Hyundai offers helps maintain re-sale value.