2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring GLS Review

[ahmed_7erzon]

“Coolness” can swing in another direction in a moment’s notice. One day you’re swaggering around in acid wash jeans and big hair, happily playing air guitar to Motley Crue, then suddenly, a couple of decades later, people start avoiding you at parties.

This happens in the vehicle world too. A case in point is the station wagon, which is suddenly cool again, after decades of taking a back seat to the minivan, the SUV and the crossover.


Fueling the station wagon’s current swing back to coolness is a slight “anti-SUV” sentiment and the arrival of some really kick-butt high-end wagons — like Cadillac CTS-V Wagon and Audi A6 Avant.

There are also some new and cool wagons at the lower end of the market, though when it comes to these shorter cars, the definition gets murky, whether they are a traditional station wagon or a “squared off” five-door hatch.

Three current compact nameplates that are designed in the more “traditional” wagon template are Mini Clubman, VW Golf Wagon, and the subject of today’s test drive — the Hyundai Elantra Touring.

Playing the Value Card
The ice-box white Touring we picked up at Hyundai Canada HQ was tricked out in the GLS trim, for a pre-tax, pre-PDI total of $20,499.

But you can get into a Touring for as little as $14,999 (L trim, with 5-speed manual), which sets the nameplate apart from the European wagons, which tend to be only available in upscale, fully-loaded models.

Lots of standard kits on all trim lines: stereo with USB and aux inputs; cabin air filter; rear centre armrest with cupholders, 12V outlet; power doors and windows; split fold-down rear seats; tilt steering wheel; and six air bags.

GLS models also throw on standard electronic brake force Distribution and stability and traction control, making for a very “safe” package for a “low $20K” vehicle.


And then there’s all that rear cargo room — 689 litres with rear seats up, and 1,886 litres with the rear seats down. (Those numbers are almost identical to those of the VW Golf Wagon.)

I wish the rear seats folded down a bit flatter. But otherwise the rear section of the Touring is very optimized for carrying stuff. The hatch opens wide and high, and there’s virtually no "lift over" — you can slide things in and out very easily. There is also a useful “under tray” which has compartments for organizing smaller stuff.


Built for Touring
While the car uses the “Elantra” nameplate, Touring is actually built off a different platform than the Elantra sedan. But that’s not to say it isn’t built like pretty much any mass-market compact vehicle in the world: front-drive, 2.0-litre I4 engine (138 hp/136 lb-ft of torque), 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions, MacPherson strut front suspension, multi-link rear suspension, speed sensitive power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS.

The Transport Canada fuel rating for our automatic GLS is also right in the thick of things, at 8.7/6.5 L/100 km City/Highway.

On the road, the Touring displays easy-going handling that will appeal to many folks. It has a strong “on centre” feel; combined with an easy gait on the highway (revving at 3,000 at 120 km/hr), the Touring feels like it could cruise all day without tiring the driver.

But if you’re pining for really sport intensive driving, I would look elsewhere — the body leans a bit too much when pushed.

Engine output and refinement are just right for this type of practical run-about.

Looks Good Too
A lot of people like the profile of a wagon, and I’m one of them. It just looks right — like the vehicle is properly using all the available people and cargo room available for its wheelbase. The Touring was styled in Europe, and exhibits some of the flair of those aforementioned upscale wagons.


While the 2011 Elantra sedan is all-new and flaunts Hyundai's new design language, the Touring will remain in its current form for all of 2011, and likely for the 2012 model year as well.

Final Thoughts
Our tester’s interior was finished in black, with faux aluminum trim. The feel on the inside is consistent with the whole vehicle — practicable and good value for its asking price.


So while the Touring is not an over-achiever in any parameter, it would be an entirely welcome addition to any small family. And there are lots of families who already feel that way.

Hyundai Canada’s VP of marketing, John Vermile, notes that sales of Touring are up 20 percent over last year (when it was first introduced). He adds that many customers “come into our dealerships to look at the Elantra sedan and leave with the Elantra Touring.”