Hyundai Elantra 2015-2016 CRDi SX AT

Elantra 2015-2016 CRDi SX AT Review

Hyundai Motors has established itself as one of the most reputed and renowned automakers in the country. It has a lot of splendid vehicles in their fleet, out of which, Elantra is an elegant looking sedan series. The company has launched its facelifted version with the same line up. It is being sold in several variants, out of which, Hyundai Elantra CRDi SX AT is the high end trim. This refreshed variant gets a revamped front fascia with large projector lamps and LED guide lights, redesigned bumper with a set of fog lamps and chrome garnished radiator grille. The side profile gets well molded wheel arches, which are fitted with a brand new set of alloy wheels, while rear end is designed with a radiant tail lamp cluster, which has new LED lighting pattern. On the other hand, the company has also made some minor changes to its interiors, which gives it more refined look. It now gets metallic scuff plates, leather seats, aluminum pedal, ergonomically positioned console box with armrest and rear AC vents. This cabin is also equipped with various features, which gives the occupants a plush feel while traveling. It has ergonomically designed seats with fabric upholstery, a multifunctional steering wheel, cruise control, all four power windows with driver side auto down function and many other such aspects. There are no mechanical changes in the sedan and this variant is powered by a 1.6-litre diesel engine, which is incorporated with a common rail based direct injection fuel supply system. It has the capacity of churning out a maximum power of 126.2bhp in combination with a peak torque output of 259.8Nm. This power plant is coupled with a six speed automatic transmission gear box, which ensures an impressive performance on the roads. Its braking mechanism is further augmented by ABS along with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist function. At the same time, it also has a reliable suspension system, which is enhances by vehicle stability control. At the same time, for a stress free driving experience, it is equipped with dual front airbags, front fog lamps, seat belts for all occupants, rigid body structure with crumple zones and several other aspects. All these features put together makes it one of safest, comfortable and good looking vehicle in its segment.

Exteriors:

Starting from the front fascia, the company has given this variant a bold radiator grille that is fitted with a single chrome slat. There is a prominent company logo embedded in the center of this hexagonal grille. It is surrounded by a trendy headlight cluster that comes in a swept back design and is incorporated with high intensity projector headlamps with LED light guide and side turn indicator. Just below this, it has a body colored bumper that houses a wide air dam for cooling the engine. It also has a couple of bright fog lamps that adds to the visibility of its driver. The windscreen is quite large and made up of green tinted glass. It is accompanied by a couple of wipers with five speed intermittent settings. Coming to its side profile, it is designed with some strong character lines and body colored moldings with chrome inserts. It has body colored external rear view mirrors that are integrated with side turn blinkers. These outside rear view mirrors are electrically adjustable as well as retractable. The door handles are treated with chrome, which adds to the classiness. Its flared up wheel arches are fitted with a set of 16-inch alloy wheels, which gives the side profile a decent appearance. All these rims are further covered with tubeless radial tyres of size 205/60 R16, which offers a superior grip on any roads conditions. At the same time, its rear end has an expressive boot lid that is embossed with a thick chrome strip and variant badging. The radiant tail light cluster is incorporated with LED based brake and reverse lights along with turn indicators. It has a body colored bumper, which is accompanied by a protective cladding for preventing the vehicle from minor damages. It also has a exhaust pipe that is in chrome finish. The windshield has a defogger along with a wash and wipe function.

Interiors:

The manufacturer has designed the internal section with utmost care and incorporated with a number of sophisticated features. It is designed in black color scheme, which is further complimented by a lot of chrome inserts on steering wheel, dashboard and center console. Its smooth dashboard is equipped with a few aspects like chrome accentuated AC vents, a large glove box with cooling effect, a multifunctional steering wheel and an illuminated instrument panel, which has a lot of functions for keeping the driver updated. Its seating arrangement is very snug and provides ample leg space for all its passengers. The seats are covered with premium leather upholstery, which gives a plush appeal while traveling. The driver seat can electrically adjusted in ten different way and comes with adjustable head restraints as well. The front and rear center armrest has a couple of cup holders that adds to the comfort level. This vehicle is bestowed with a number of utility based aspects including sun glass holder, front seat back pockets, door map pockets and a large boot compartment with a rear parcel shelf, sun visors with vanity mirror and several other features. There is a couple of accessory sockets in center console for charging mobiles and other electronic devices.

Engine and Performance:

The company has not made any changes under the hood and this sedan is fitted with the same 1.6-litre diesel power plant. This variable geometry turbocharger based engine comes with a displacement capacity of 1582cc. It is integrated with four cylinders and sixteen valves using double overhead camshaft based valve configuration. It is mated with a six speed automatic transmission gear box, which distributes the engine power to its front wheels. It enables the motor to achieve a to speed of 190 Kmph, which is quite good for this class. At the same time, it can cross the speed barrier of 100 Kmph in close to 15 seconds from a standstill. On the other hand, this engine is incorporated with a common rail based direct injection fuel supply system, which allows the sedan to deliver about 22.7 Kmpl on the bigger roads. While under standard driving conditions on the city roads it give about 18 Kmpl, which has been certified by the ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India).

Braking and Handling:

The cabin is incorporated with a responsive power steering system, which supports a minimum turning radius of 5.2 meters. This steering wheel is tilt and telescopically adjustable, which makes it easy to maneuver on city roads. The company has given it a sturdy braking and a robust suspension mechanism, which helps in giving a comfortable driving experience. Its front axle is assembled with a McPherson Strut type of suspension along with a coil spring, while the rear axle has a coupled torsion beam with gas type shock absorbers for superior comfort on rough roads. Both these axles are assisted by gas filled shock absorbers. It also has an advanced vehicle stability system along with an electronic stability program, which adds to the advantage. On the other hand, the efficient braking system is very adept with both the front and rear wheels having disc brakes. Apart from these powerful brakes, this premium sedan also has an anti lock braking system along with electronic brake force distribution to improvise the braking system on wet and slippery roads.

Comfort Features:

The lavish internal cabin of this sedan is bestowed with a number of refined aspects, which gives the occupants an enjoyable driving experience. It is integrated with an advanced 2-DIN music system that supports USB port, Aux-in interface, i-Pod socket, CD/MP3 player, radio tuner and Bluetooth connectivity for pairing the mobile phones. The auto cruise control helps in maintaining the steady speed on the bigger roads as set by the driver. Its multifunctional steering wheel is mounted with audio, call and cruise control buttons that adds to the convenience. Apart from these, the company has given it 10-way adjustable driver's seat along with lumbar support that maximizes the comfort levels, a dual zone automatic temperature control system with rear AC vents and cluster ionizer, tilt and telescopic adjustable steering wheel, all four power windows with driver side auto down function and many other such aspects. It also has smart key along with a push button start and an advanced supervision cluster with ECO driving and manual transmission gear shift indicator. It also has an organ type accelerator pedal as well. In addition to these, it is also bestowed with alternator management system, which means that the battery is only charged during deceleration or when the engine has power to spare.

Safety Features:

For a stress free driving experience, the car maker has given this top end variant a number of vital protective aspects. The list includes ABS along with electronic brake force distribution, electronic stability control, vehicle stability management, a high mounted third brake light, front fog lamps, rear defogger with timer and an engine immobilizer for preventing the vehicle from theft and unauthorized entry. It is also bestowed with dual front airbags along with side and curtain airbags, rear parking sensor along with a rear view camera, automatic headlight control, electro-chromic inside rear view mirror and so on. Its rigid body structure has impact beams, which helps in reducing the impact of collision.

Pros:

1. Power packed engine performance with decent acceleration and pick up.

2. Availability of vehicle stability management and ESP adds to its advantage.

Cons:

1. Lack of navigation system and panoramic sunroof is a minus point.

2. Lower ground clearance makes it difficult to dealing on uneven roads.