Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo 2017 Review

Hyundai gives its humble sedan the sporty treatment in the Elantra SR Turbo, the latest addition to our long-term garage at motoring.com.au

Now I know what you’re thinking… ‘a sporty badge does not make a sporty car’. But the Elantra SR Turbo brings more than badge appeal – it’s the real deal. It brings more power and torque, more kit and it’s more refined. With a starting price of $28,990, it ticks a lot of boxes!

On paper, it has what it takes to become a class-leader in the small sedan segment. Even after a limited run at the Australian launch event, it became clear that the Elantra SR Turbo is a step-change for the Korean carmaker.

Powered by a potent 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine, our long-termer also features the optional seven-speed dual-clutch transmission ($2300), metallic paint ($495) and red leather interior ($295). Perched in the driver’s seat, the SR Turbo is spacious, comfortable and the ‘sporty’ vibe feels pretty authentic. It takes me no time to get comfortable behind the wheel, with easy adjustability and good ergonomics.

And there are enough of the basic creature comforts to keep me happy, like heated seats, dual-zone climate control, glass sliding sunroof and Apple CarPlay. Call me easy-pleased in this instance, but what brings this all together is the execution. Yes, there’s lots of plastic, but good design (restraint) softens the blow considerably. I really like the feel inside the cabin. A Euro snob at heart… I could be happy here.

Behind the wheel, it’s quite a spirited drive. There’s plenty of pep from the engine (nearly forty per cent more power and torque than the standard Elantra), but it won’t set your world on fire. It feels like a solid step up for would-be enthusiasts.

The flat bottom steering wheel gives good feedback and steering is beautifully accurate. It gives you a sense of involvement that you hunt for in a sports car, but in an affordable family sedan. But it’s perhaps the locally-tuned suspension that’s the real game changer for the Elantra SR Turbo. The time spent in development has delivered ride/handling balance that’s well matched to Australia’s shabby-at-best roads.

It’s smooth and comfortable, firm but not harsh. It addresses one of the major criticisms of Korean rides in the past – and now delivers a more refined ride than any Hyundai I’ve driven.

My fondness of the Elantra SR Turbo grew when put to the family test. The second row offers good space for three passengers. The seat base is quite flat giving equal real estate to three bums should the need arise. A reasonably flat foot well again gives thoughtful space to three passengers. Dual air vents are welcomed, while just one seat back pocket and smallish indoor storage are a negligible nod to the true amount of detritus families bring to the game.

Likewise, the 458-litre boot is generous and offers good access, but there are no bag hooks. The lining feels flimsy, as do the four plastic anchor points on offer. It offers 60:40 seating configuration, but 40:20:40 is the benchmark for me because of its greater flexibility.

The Elantra SR Turbo’s fuel economy threw a spanner in the works. At the end of my week, it returned an average of 11.4L/100km. This dropped to 10.6L/100km with the introduction of short freeway stints – but still well shy of its claimed 7.2L/100km (ADR combined). Gasp as you may, the Elantra was subjected to my regular driving week – mostly short trips and lots of stop start driving, like a lot of suburban families.

It’s an honest example of real-world driving. And let’s not forget the quiet joy of this vehicle: turbo power. You are going to plant your foot on occasions – otherwise you’ll give the sporty SR Turbo a miss. Surely? Idle-stop technology would no doubt help this scenario, but it’s not available. I’ll be keen to see what fuel usage my colleagues reveal.

The Elantra SR Turbo’s safety is well sorted, with a five-star ANCAP safety rating. Standard kit shared with the active and Elite models includes six airbags, traction and stability control, while the SR Turbo adds blind-spot detection, lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert. Autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control are not offered.

The Elantra comes with Hyundai’s competitive after sales support – a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

The SR Turbo’s combination of performance, practicality and functionality speaks volumes. If first impressions are anything to go by, Hyundai has done well.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Elantra SR Turbo.

2017 Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo pricing and specifications:

Price: $31,290 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 150kW/265Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch

Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 163g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Long-Term Tests
motoring.com.au aims to make your choice of vehicle easier. Our Editorial section does this via our mix of news, international and Australian launch reviews, as well as our seven-day tests.

From time to time we also take the opportunity to spend more time in a vehicle. These longer-term tests can be as short as a couple of weeks, but more recently we’ve settled on a three-month period as indicative of ‘normal’ ownership.

Long-term tests give our staff writers and contributors a chance to get to know a car as an owner would. While the car is with us, we pay for fuel, pay for the servicing and generally use and live with the car as a new owner would.

We believe long-term tests give car buyers an added insight into the vehicle on test, but also the qualities behind the brand and nameplate. The extended period also allows us to touch base with the dealer networks in question.

It comes as no surprise that manufacturers tend to have a love-hate relationship with long-term tests. Three months is plenty long enough to fall out of love with the latest and greatest, and start to nitpick — just like real owners do.