2019 Hyundai Elantra Sport Premium review
But that’s exactly why ‘perceptions’ can sometimes be dangerously off the mark. Mind you, you can still get a bog-standard (and boring) entry-level Elantra Go from just $21,490 plus on-roads. And by all accounts it’s a practical, well-equipped daily for those fiscally prudent buyers who place little aesthetic value on their personal mobility.
However, if you can stretch the budget to just $28,990 (plus on-roads), there’s an entirely more satisfying proposition on the table. One that will even add a little petrol-headed pleasure to your daily drive. It’s called the 2019 Hyundai Elantra Sport, which is not only guaranteed to surprise you, but also put a smile on your face as you scurry past more powerful cars in the peak-hour stampede.
Essentially, the new Sport replaces the previously badged SR (Turbo) model – meaning under the bonnet you’ve got a factory-fettled 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine making a thoroughly respectable 150kW of power and 265Nm of torque. It’s enough to elevate an ordinary car into a properly warm offering that’s guaranteed to inject some genuine excitement into the commute.
I’m not quite sure why the powers that be at Hyundai would choose to change the badge, though, because I’d argue the old SR moniker carried considerably more weight on the street than the generically dull ‘Sport’ moniker of this new version. But that’s just me, and others may have an entirely different view.
From any angle it’s a sharp-looking thing, which sets it apart from the standard Elantra fare; though, even in base-model guise, it’s much improved over the previous design. We particularly like the Alfa-esque rear light assembly and those twin exhaust tips, which somehow look better than those on some high-priced Euro kit.
There’s proper sporty intent on show here thanks to a tasteful body kit with integrated rear spoiler and deep-set grille, which some might describe as ‘gaping’ rather than aggressive. Either way, it works well with the Sport’s sharply-raked windscreen and coupe-style tapering roof line. The result is a low-slung stance that’s ultimately capped off by its triangular headlight assembly with full LEDs, and multi-spoke 18-inch alloys wrapped in sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres. So far, so good then.
