2017
Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai
revealed its all-new 2017 Elantra at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show. As one of
Hyundai's all time best-selling models, the new Elantra enters its
sixth-generation building on the momentum and success of its proven
award-winning formula and strong value proposition by offering a bold
aerodynamic design with sophisticated styling, all-new efficient powertrains
for enhanced fuel economy, better ride quality and noise insulation, and
comprehensive safety with class-above features.
Assembled
in both Montgomery, Alabama and Ulsan, South Korea, the new Elantra
distinguishes itself from the compact car class with the addition of
segment-first premium convenience and safety technologies, and is expected to
receive a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety (IIHS) and a 5-Star Safety Rating from the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA). The 2017 Elantra will arrive at Hyundai dealers
in January 2016.
From the
front, the new Elantra is defined by Hyundai's signature hexagonal grille that
projects a distinctive character when combined with its modern lighting
signatures, including available HID headlights with Dynamic Bending Lights and
unique vertical LED daytime running lights, which are firsts for Elantra.
Elantra's sporty lower front fascia integrates functional front wheel air
curtains, a component that is derived from the Sonata Hybrid that helps manage
air flow from the front of the vehicle and around the wheels to minimize
turbulence and wind resistance. In addition, underbody covers, an aerodynamic
rear bumper bottom spoiler and rear decklid designed with an expanded trunk
edge contribute to Elantra's 0.27 coefficient of drag.
Elantra
features a sleek bodyside character line that accentuates a sweeping side
window silhouette and striking side profile. Available premium features such as
17-inch alloy wheels, all-new LED door handle approach lights, side mirror LED
turn signal indicators and LED taillights with high tech graphics add a level
of sophistication and detail to this class-above compact sedan. The 2017
Elantra will be offered in eight exterior colors, five of which are new to the
model. Elantra's overall length has increased by just under an inch and its
proportions are further enhanced by increasing its width by 1.0-inches,
presenting a more athletic stance and stable appearance.
On the
inside, Elantra continues to depict a modern driver-oriented design that is
optimized for intuitive control, improved interior roominess, high-quality
materials and premium technology features. The contemporary interior design
integrates premium soft-touch materials in key touch points and high-tech details
to create an inviting and comfortable interior environment for all passengers.
The wide
design of the instrument panel provides a feeling of spaciousness and is
available with a 4.2-inch color TFT LCD instrument display for improved driver
visibility and functionality. The rest of the center stack is laid out in a
horizontal design with buttons and controls placed in logical groups by
function, and a slight seven degree tilt toward the driver for optimal
ergonomics. Available premium convenience features such as a segment-first
integrated memory system for the power driver seat and side mirrors, dual
automatic temperature control with auto defogging system and auto-dimming
rearview mirror further enhance driving comfort, along with advanced ergonomic
front seats. The front seats feature high-tension lightweight seat frames for
improved performance against collisions, and a multi-firmness seat pad to help
reduce driver fatigue over long distances.
In fact,
all of Elantra's seats, covered in either cloth or available leather, are made
of SoyFoam, an environmentally friendly seating foam that substitutes
petroleum based polyol with hydroxyl-functionalized soybean oil and optimizes
the formulation/process to maximize mechanical performance. For added comfort and
convenience, passengers enjoy available heated front and rear seats with a
versatile 60/40 split-folding rear seat. Elantra also offers class-above total
interior volume with improved rear headroom and legroom.
The 2017
Elantra is not only lighter than the outgoing model, but its rigid chassis is
now reinforced with 53 percent advanced high-strength steel compared to 21
percent from the previous model, providing improved stiffness at a lower body
weight. This increased utilization results in a 29.5 percent stiffer torsional
rigidity and 25.3 percent greater bending strength, which bring improvements in
vehicle ride and handling, quietness, durability and driving performance.
Furthermore, the new Elantra increased structural adhesive application 40 times
at higher stress points on the chassis and to reinforce welding areas. A
component often found in aerospace applications, these structural adhesives
also contribute to improved NVH and vehicle dynamics due to extra stiffness in
the chassis. Hyundai engineers focused on these enhancements to develop a more
rigid body structure in an effort to target top safety ratings by the IIHS and
NHTSA.
Improved
ride comfort, handling and stability are achieved through Elantra's redesigned
rear suspension geometry that modifies the angle of the rear shock absorbers
and changed the position of the coil springs on the coupled torsion beam axle.
Additionally, an increase in rear bushing diameter helps to improve long term
durability. Elantra's front suspension uses an optimally designed McPherson
strut with coil springs and gas shock absorbers along with a front stabilizer
bar to help reduce body roll when cornering. The standard Motor-Driven Power
Steering (MDPS) system instantly adjusts to changing driving conditions for
greater precision and steering feel while improving fuel economy. Increased
caster provides safe and reliable steering feedback at highway speeds.
For 2017,
the new Elantra receives two all-new powertrains designed for improved fuel
efficiency and everyday drivability performance. The standard engine available
on the base SE and Limited trim is a 2.0-liter Nu MPI Atkinson four-cylinder
engine producing a peak 147 hp at 6,200 rpm and 132 lb-ft. of torque
at 4,500 rpm (estimated). This Atkinson cycle-type engine reduces pumping loss
by delaying the close timing of the intake valve in the compression stroke,
therefore maximizing the expansion ratio - it is the only Atkinson cycle engine
to be combined with multi-port injection in the compact class. This greater
expansion ratio is made more efficient by allowing additional energy to be produced.
Furthermore, this engine features a high compression ratio of 12.5.
This
2.0-liter Nu four-cylinder engine is paired with either a standard six-speed
manual transmission (available only on the SE trim) or Elantra's next
generation six-speed automatic transmission. The new automatic transmission
helps deliver dynamic performance with an overall 3.3 percent increase in
efficiency for optimized fuel economy. A new valve body improves gear shift
responsiveness and control, while an optimization in oil pump size aids in
improving operating efficiency. A multi-clutch torque converter is also a new
addition that allows more control over lock-up. Finally, rolling resistance and
friction are minimized by adopting double angular ball bearings.
The second
powertrain is an all-new 1.4-liter Kappa turbocharged GDI four-cylinder engine
equipped on the Elantra Eco trim, available in Spring 2016. This engine
produces 128 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and a robust 156 lb-ft. of torque at a low
1,400-3,700 rpm and will be mated to an EcoShift seven-speed dual-clutch
transmission. The Eco trim is projected to achieve an unsurpassed estimated 35
mpg combined rating based on internal testing.
Other
features of the 1.4-liter turbocharged GDI four-cylinder engine include an
integrated cylinder head and exhaust manifold that improves fuel economy 5-7%
at higher engine speeds. An optimized straight intake port increases tumble
flow for fast combustion, suppressing knock tendency and improving fuel
economy. The turbocharger is a single scroll design with an electric wastegate
actuator. The optimized turbine and compressor employs a sophisticated
scavenging strategy that improves low-end torque and response, while the
electric wastegate actuator improves low-end torque and part-load fuel economy
by reducing back pressure. Finally, the high pressure fuel injectors have six
individually sized laser drilled holes to optimize the fuel spray pattern.
Both engines
feature a multitude of friction-reducing and cooling components and high
efficiency engineering features designed to enhance fuel economy and maximize
performance. In addition, all Elantra trims are equipped with the new Drive
Mode Select feature that adjusts both powertrain performance and steering
effort, allowing the driver to customize the driving character by selecting
from three modes: Eco, Normal or Sport, simply by touching a button on the
center console.
