2017 Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo REVIEW | Turning Up The Heat On Hyundai’s Small Sedan
Hyundai has added a new version of the Elantra sedan to its Australian line-up, and it may not be what you were expecting.
The new model is positioned as the flagship of the Elantra line-up, but rather than simply adding more luxury items and marketing the newest Elantra model at retirees, Hyundai has gone down the performance path with a turbocharged engine and improved handling.
Though the Elantra SR Turbo isn’t a fully-fledged performance car in the vein of a Golf GTI, and more of a warm-sedan than properly hot, that doesn’t mean that Hyundai has shied away from giving the Elantra SR Turbo a comprehensive makeover.
Vehicle Style: Small sedan
Price: $28,990 manual, $31,290 automatic (plus on-roads)
Engine/trans: 150kW/265Nm 1.6 litre four cylinder turbo patrol | 6sp manual, 7sp automatic
Fuel Economy Claimed: 7.6 l/100km manual, 7.0 l/100km automatic
OVERVIEW
The Hyundai Elantra SR Turbo has taken its time to reach Australian shores, arriving over seven months after the more pedestrian Elantra models went on sale here, but it may have been worth the wait.
Cosmetically the Elantra SR Turbo brings more-aggressively styled front and rear bumpers, a black-trimmed sports grille, chrome-tipped exhaust, twin-spoke alloys, sports seats and a flat-bottomed steering wheel.
There’s more to it than just styling additions though. Under the bonnet you’ll find the same 150kW turbo engine as fitted to the Veloster SR Turbo, and at the rear the Elantra rides on a multi-link rear suspension in place of the torsion beam suspension used in the Elantra Active and Elite.
A promising start indeed.
THE INTERIOR | RATING: 4/5
- Standard Equipment: Leather seat trim, power-adjustable sports front seats with seat heating, flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, keyless entry and start, red contrast stitching for seats, steering wheel, and gearknob, red seatbelts, bi-Xenon headlights, sports-styled LED taillights, chrome exhaust finisher, alloy pedals, steering wheel gear-shift paddles (automatic only), 17-inch alloy wheels
- Infotainment: 7.0-inch touchscreen, USB and Aux inputs with iPod compatibility, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, six-speaker audio, Apple CarPlay compatible
- Options Available: Red leather interior, $295
- Cargo Volume: 458 litres, expandable via 60:40 folding rear seats
Inside the Elantra SR Turbo some things change, and some stay the same.
To maintain the sporting theme, the Elantra SR Turbo is upgraded with carbon fibre-style trim pieces on the dash and doors, plus dark charcoal metallic door handles. The flat-bottomed steering wheel, black headlining, and alloy pedals also hint at the SR’s sporting intent.
The front seats have been upgraded with bigger bolsters and ‘Sport’ logos and come trimmed in black leather (or optional red leather) and include seat heaters and powered adjustment.