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Hyundai Elantra: First Drive
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The all new Hyundai Elantra is finally here and this time it intends on dominating the segment rather than being just another run of the mill product offering. It's got all the bases covered and Hyundai is betting big with this one!
In terms of driveability, the Elantra offers a well planted ride, which came as a pleasant surprise considering the fact that the company is known for their soft suspension set up which takes away from drive dynamics. While the ride quality is smooth, the car remains composed even at three digit speeds and at no time did it instill any nervousness. The steering is great to grip and is rather light at city speeds which is great while driving around town. On the highway the steering does firm up with higher speeds but I personally felt that it remained a little light. Regardless, the Elantra is a joy to drive.
The new Elantra is piped directly against the Chevrolet Cruze, Toyota Altis and Honda Civic, and on the higher end of the spectrum the car is up against the Skoda Laura and the Volkswagen Jetta. It’s not an easy marketplace to operate in and there are a bunch of big brands that are determined on demanding their piece of the pie. Hyundai has already burnt their fingers once by offering a run-of-the-mill product in this segment, however this time around the new Elantra does have the mettle to play its cards right. The new car boasts of a stellar design that has worked wonders for Hyundai, its well kitted, offers decent performance and it has already garnered a number of accolades across the globe.
Hyundai has reason to bet big on the success of the Elantra however the real deal lies in the pricing strategy. If the lesson learnt from the Verna is anything to judge Hyundai by, then expect the Elantra to be offered across a plethora of versions (engine options + transmission options + variant options = a very long choice list!) to cater to a wide price bracket and therefore garner maximum market interest. It worked for the Verna and it remains to be seen if this success story will unfold again for the Elantra.
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Readers' opinions ( 35 )
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deepu
I am a proud owner of elantra diesel s and after having done about 2000km I feel this is the best bet in the segment and the quality is top notch .. nothing beats it.not even Honda. Cruze sucks in terms of refinement.and so do the germans.
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Hiremath
It will be the snobbish dealer behaviour and useless waiting periods which will surely deter sales of the Elantra, the Fluidic Verna has already has quietly vanished with no mark largely due to a stupid impractical wait period of 6 months. Most of the long list of 'extras in the Elantra are gizmos and will have a small edge , what will surely sell will be if the engine has a punch , it is doubtful because they have fitted the same engine of a Verna , a different engine with a higher PS value would simply catapulted this model into a different orbit of sales... BUT alas everyone has a 'cheap' plan for India , well most auto manufacturers !We hope that the Elantra does make a dent at the cost of SKODA due to their horrendous service records , and a dent at the cost of Jetta's cheap Indian trick in offering a low class fit and finish as compared to other countries were launched.
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Divesh Raj
The Elantra is piped up against the likes of the New Cruze,Altis , HONDA Civic and of course the SKODA and VW brands.Offered in a wide rangeof Engine and fuel options this one should be their trump card in this competitive segment.
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Arun Bandi
ACCI-PREVENT SYSTEMAccidents happen in a spur of moment .â?�Most of the accidents happen due to wrong judgment while overtaking. â??Overtakingâ?� is a virgin phenomenon
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dr mrinal duwarah
ground clearance,will be a big big problem for elantra. needs another once inch height.
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