There’s an unfair attitude that has developed in the car-reviewing business known as the “Korean curve.” It’s a reaction to the comparatively rapid progress that Hyundai and Kia have made in evolving their lineups from a collection of truly awful little cars into ranges of products that can compete with the best in the business. This transformation is undeniably impressive. The problem comes when reviewers, rather than pitching it straight over the plate and evaluating the merits of these new models­—or the lack thereof—praise them as excellent Korean cars. Such curveballs presume that Hyundais and Kias are inherently inferior to products from other manufacturers, which is as unfair as it is untrue. It’s the automotive equivalent of saying, “You throw well for a girl.” Let’s just retire this stereotype now; with Hyundai Motor Company launching its Genesis luxury brand, there can be no better time.

We can start by considering the new Hyundai Elantra Sport in the context of class-leading compacts such as the Mazda 3 and the Volkswagen Golf. Those are our two favorites, each having won multiple 10Best Cars awards in their current generations. In marked contrast, the Sport is the third new Elantra model to be introduced in the past year, coming after the standard 2.0-liter version and the fuel-sipping Eco model. Like the other new Elantras, the Sport is available only as a sedan.

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It starts at $22,485 with a six-speed manual transmission; add $1100 for the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. That’s as much as $4500 more than other Elantras, with the extra outlay covering some significant mechanical upgrades: The Sport’s 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder makes 54 more horsepower than the standard model, and a multilink rear suspension replaces the torsion-beam axle used in other Elantras. The front brakes are upgraded to 12.0-inch rotors, and exclusive 18-inch wheels with performance all-season rubber are fitted at the four corners. Hyundai says this all adds about 150 pounds to the curb weight, which is roughly 3000 pounds for the Sport. Fresh front and rear fascias and dual exhaust tips visually distinguish the Sport from other Elantras.

Feels Quicker and Quite Good

If any Elantra was going to impress us, this would be it. The turbo 1.6-liter is quick to rev and makes good power; it also makes a lot of noise, not all of it pleasant. The Sport puts its best foot forward when our right foot is on the brake pedal, which is firm and gives the brakes a solid, progressive bite. But apart from going and stopping, the Elantra Sport needs more work. The manual shifter is topped with a nice round VW Golf–like ball, but the lever is a bit long. The automatic simply shifts too slowly to be sporty. Similarly, the flat-bottomed, leather-wrapped wheel feels great in your hands, yet the steering feel and feedback are lacking. The Elantra Sport rides stiffly and corners confidently, but the car never feels as fluid as the Mazda and the suspension lacks the exquisite ride quality of the VW.

Our first encounter with the inside of the Sport didn’t do much to challenge the class benchmarks, either. The Elantra Sport has a nice enough feature set, including heated leather sport seats with red contrast stitching, a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an available navigation system (part of the $2400 Premium package). The exterior styling is generic while the cabin design is conservative and elemental—and not in the good way we enjoy in the simply presented and utterly functional Golf. When it comes to the quality of the materials used, the hard gray plastics in the Elantra are absolutely shamed by the Mazda 3’s beautiful cabin décor.

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You can compare check boxes on the equipment lists and call out specs like the Elantra Sport’s impressive 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, but that doesn’t remedy the deficit in real-world driving, where the class leaders are simply better. You could make a case that the Elantra Sport is a better value but only if you ignore how much nicer the Mazda and the Volkswagen are inside. If you think you absolutely must pay less and want to justify the purchase of the Elantra Sport over a 3 or a Golf, go right ahead—but know that you will also get less excellence for your money.

Value Proposition Reinforces Stereotype

What is perhaps most telling about the Elantra Sport is how Hyundai is trying to position it. It’s a little more expensive than a base Golf or 3, but it’s better equipped and has so much more power (the 2.5-liter–powered 3 makes 184 horsepower and the Golf’s turbocharged 1.8-liter four is rated at 170 horsepower) that it might be tempting to compare it instead with Volkswagen’s GTI, the pricier performance Golf model. Yet the Elantra Sport is several thousand dollars cheaper than a GTI. This is a longstanding Hyundai tactic, pitting its bargain competitor against an established leader such that even if the Hyundai falls a bit short, it still impresses. The practice dates to the brand’s introduction of the 2007 Veracruz SUV (a supposed rival to the Lexus RX350). But do not believe anyone who tells you the Elantra Sport is a budget GTI. The Volkswagen is superior in every way, most significantly in that it feels like it was engineered from the ground up to be the performance icon it is, while by comparison the Elantra Sport is an economy car treated to a garage full of bolt-on performance upgrades. When Hyundai is really ready to dispense with being graded on the Korean curve, it’ll quit playing this budget game—underselling itself, essentially—and step into the ring with the champions.

With no curve applied, the Elantra Sport is much like other Elantras—merely good, a more entertaining version of the Hyundai compact sedan, but not great.

Specifications VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

BASE PRICE: $22,485

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 97 cu in, 1591 cc

Power: 201 hp @ 6000 rpm

Torque: 195 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm

TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed manual, 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:

Wheelbase: 106.3 in

Length: 179.9 in

Width: 70.9 in Height: 56.5 in

Passenger volume: 96 cu ft

Cargo volume: 14 cu ft

Curb weight (C/D est): 2950-3050 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):

Zero to 60 mph: 6.3-6.4 sec

Zero to 100 mph: 15.4-15.6 sec

Standing ¼-mile: 15.0-15.2 sec

Top speed: 125 mph

FUEL ECONOMY:

EPA city/highway driving: 22-26/30-33 mpg

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