Is Sport the Right Word For the Hyundai Elantra?

When you take a look at the new Hyundai Elantra and wonder how it will do on the road you need to think first about what this car is expected to be. The Elantra is built to be a bargain-priced compact sedan to allow you the ability to have an affordable drive with more features than you would normally find at this price point. Adding the term sport to a car that is built to be one that is right for so many to drive that doesn’t need added performance or looks seems to be a bit of a reach for this car.

There are times when we see regular cars offered as sport models and we search for the sport aspects. Just because the manufacturer added a flat-bottomed steering wheel, bucket seats or upgraded wheels does that make the car qualify as a sport model? I can see adding the term to a car that has an improved suspension, bigger brakes, and more power from under the hood, but when the sport aspects are purely cosmetic, what makes the car more of a sport model than what the typical version of the is for the drive?

While the stance of the Elantra offers you a bit of a sporty look with a high and raked rear end and a low front end, the ability to call this car a sport model begins under the hood. The 1.6-liter Gamma four-cylinder engine is turbocharged to give you 201 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. This is 54 ponies and 63 lb.-ft. of torque more than the typical Elantra which means the first box of making a true sport model has been checked off as this car offers you more power than the regular one.

When you accelerate in this car you’ll feel the engine and enjoy the melodic sound it gives as this power plant is mated to the six-speed manual transmission which is offered as the standard version. This is the second way this car can be sporty as it allows you to row your own gears. If you want an automatic instead, you can choose the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that may cost a little more, but offers you the quick-shifting technology you’re looking for in order to have a car that gives you a dynamic ride. Box number two is now checked off for this to be a true sports model.

To aid the power delivery and make this car the sporty model you want to drive you need to have upgrades under the body as well. The new Hyundai Elantra Sport benefits from a multilink rear suspension, a larger front stabilizer bar, the addition of a rear stabilizer bar, a better steering ratio, and an upgraded suspension. This gives you the ability to toss this car to the corners and have the confidence you need to know the car will return the performance you want to enjoy out on the road.

In addition to the driving upgrades to make the car drive faster and handle quicker, you need better stopping power to help you make sure the car will stop when you need it to. The new Elantra Sport offers you larger front brake rotors that are a full foot in diameter to help you be able to stop or slow down when you need to. Box number four checked off and this car is truly becoming a sports model that you can drive, admire and have a lot of fun in when you get behind the wheel.

The final box that will make this car a true sports model, because Hyundai did a fantastic job of handling all the workings the right way, is the visual aspect. This car offers you a variety of unique fascias in the front and rear, a hexagonal grille, 18-inch wheels that have high-performance all-season tires on the rims, HID headlights, LED running lights, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and a familiar look on the dashboard. This is a car that you’ll look at and admire as a car that has one of the complete sport packages for you to make the right choice.

If you’re looking for a compact sedan that offers you the fun and dynamics you’re looking for, the Hyundai Elantra Sport has earned the right to be considered a sport model. This car has every aspect of the sport name checked off and gives you the ride and the look you’ll enjoy when you’re ready to hit the road.

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