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      The Neo Fluidic Elantra: First impressions.

      Shiva Shankar

      Shiva Shankar

      Opening

      The Neo Fluidic Elantra: First impressions. 

      Hyundai has been a very well known car manufacturer for offering cars across all segments which start from the micro hatchback Eon to premium SUV Santa Fe. Earlier this year, Hyundai entered the mass car market and the C+ segment with the Hyundai Eon and the Hyundai Fluidic Verna

       

      With the Hyundai Eon, the company brought in its famous fluidic lines to an entry level car, which was a benchmark for any entry level car. The Eon became a very popular car if not a highly successful launch. The Hyundai Verna Fluidic has been already termed as a success story. 

       

      In an endeavor to launch a fresh D segment car imbibing the fluidic design, Hyundai has re-launched the Elantra. The Elantra was launched in India in 2004 but then didn’t make a very successful launch and was called off at 2007. However, learning from the past Hyundai have introduced the 5th generation Neo Elantra Fluidic and very positive about its performance in the D segment especially considering the company’s absence in this segment. 

       

      We find out more on the new Hyundai Neo Elantra Fluidic in our first impression report. 

       

      Appearance Exterior

      Hyundai has earned accolades and appreciation for it’s i concept of design. Also, the very fact of the same holding true is the fantastic sales figures that Hyundai has been scoring internationally. Hyundai has assimilated the Neo Elantra Fluidic with the same i style of design giving it a new Hyundai family looks.

      The front face of the car boasts of all the lines flowing in the fluidic way. The air intake has been enhanced with chrome styling. The radiator grille with a centrally placed Hyundai logo and the air intake on the bumper form a hexagonal arrangement which is very bold in nature.

      The angular finishing on the front bumper makes it a wide looking design. Since the design is aerodynamic and angular, the air flow is guided very well throughout the body.

      Multi Focus clear lens headlamps form the USP of the vehicle and its design extends to the almost half that of the fender length. Also the fog lamps have been detailed very nicely in a trapezoidal fashion.

      The combination design of front windshield, windows and rear wind shield are all part of the wind craft design concept. The proportionate dimensioning and shaping of wheel fenders, door panels and rear quarter panel with continuous running side character lines all give a bold and new look. The 16” 5 spoke alloy wheels gives the right blend of styling.

      The Elongated combination tail lamp is designed with inserts of indicator and clear lens reverse light .It has been given sharp styling towards side panels and classic look from rear view. The broad rear bumpers with inserts on reflectors offer right kind of bulge on the boot door. The aerodynamic shape of the rear wind shield is the best offered in any premium car.

      Appearance Interior

      Though both interiors and exteriors matter in determining the appeal of a car, the interiors have a greater importance as the comfort and the luxury form an influential criterion for many buyers.

      Hyundai design engineers have given lots of attention to the interiors.  The doors open wide and give easy access. Lumber supports and thigh support of the seats are designed well to offer best of comfort. There is ample legroom. The steering wheel is tilt adjustable.

      The steering wheel hints of a great driver’s car cause of its arrangement. It has audio controls, blue tooth connectivity and also cruise control options and all the buttons are very well distributed on the steering wheel making them easy to access.

      Dashboard is wide and nicely designed with smoothness and utility as a priority.  The Instrument culture is truly a super vision cluster which not only provides all the necessary information but also gives a feeling of sophistication.

      Combination of glass and metal finish on console complement the shape of dashboard along with perfect dual toning. Even the door panel has been designed in detailed manner. Power window control switch, rear view mirror adjustment switch are placed on a vertical position on the door panel. When the door are closed, it looks a part of the dashboard .Broad arm supports, bottle and magazine holder inserts are given in door panel for greater utility.

      The broad seats with leather cushioning, good lumbar support and plenty of leg room are the highlights of the interior along with appropriate color combination on dashboard, quality of finishing of the gear knob, the digital display with blue background and electrically adjustable driver seats. All these adds to the comfort value and make it a premium offering in the D segment. 

      Performance Drive

      The Neo Fluidic Elantra is available in two versions i.e. Petrol and diesel. The Petrol version comes with a 1797cc 4 cylinder engine delivering a power output of 149.5 PS at 6500rpm and a torque of 178Nm at 4700 rpm. Diesel version comes with a 1582cc 4 cylinder engine delivering a power output of 128PS at 4000RPM and a torque output of 260Nm at 2750rpm. 6 speed Manual transmission (MT) and a 6 speed Automatic transmission (AT) option are available for both the versions. Hyundai claims a mileage of 16.3 kmpl for petrol MT and 14.3 kmpl for petrol AT. In diesel version, the new Elantra gives 22.7 kmpl in MT and 19.1 kmpl in AT.

      Petrol version price ranges from Rs.13 to 15.5 Lakhs and the diesel version ranges from 13.5 to 16.6 Lakh ex showroom Mumbai.

      Driving the Neo Fluidic Elantra is a great experience. Inside the cabin, one can appreciate the new shape of the car and also the impression it endorses on road. Wide doors encourage easy ingress and egress. There is ample leg space and the fit and finish of the seats ensures the passengers experience the best of comfort.

      The Neo Elantra Fluidic comes with a Start/Stop button. Once the ignition is switched on, the instrument cluster gets illuminated with informative features. A Digital shift indicator guides the driver to shift at proper engine rpms in order to get the optimum mileage.

      The drive is as smooth as the sibling model Fluidic Verna. The powerful engine encourages one to drive at high speeds and is a very smooth performer. The drive experience of the Neo Fluidic Elantra is a pleasure because of the smooth pick up of the engine, helpful gear change indicator and ergonomically positioned rear view and cabin mirrors.

      Suspension quality is good and one can feel best of comfort even during humps or ditches etc. The interior fit and finish are impressively good. Overall, one has to experience the amazing power, ease and comfort of handling the car. We had taken the car for a test drive in city limits and will soon provide a detailed review.

      Rear seats are wide and comfortable, with an attention to the back support, head rest etc. Audio controls switch are provided in the arm rest too. The Hyundai Neo Elantra Fluidic has an amazing storage space.

      The Hyundai Neo Elantra Fluidic not only offers the best in class styling with the fluidic exteriors but also provides fantastic interiors. The quality of fit and finish is amazing.

      Tech Specs

      Technical Specifications
       Make Hyundai
       Model Neo Fluidic Elantra
      Variant PL (Dual VTVT) DSL(CRDi VGT)
      Engine Capacity 1797 1582
      Power in PS/RPM 149.5/6500 128/4000
      Torque in Nm/RPM 178/4700 260/2750
      Gears 6/MT/AT 6/MT/AT
      Fuel Petrol Diesel
      Length mm 4530 4530
      Width mm 1775 1775
      Height mm 1470 1470
      Wheel base mm 2700 2700
      Kerb Weight in Kg 1270 1300
      Ground clearance mm 167 167
      Fuel tank capacity L 55 55
      Turning circle radius in M 5.2 5.2
      Tyre Spec 205/60 R16 205/60 R16
      Fuel Effeciency(KMPL) 16.3(MT) /14.3 (AT) 22.7(MT)/ 19.1(AT)

      Features

      Features VTVT 1.8 S CRDI 1.6 CRDi 1.6 S VTVT 1.8 SX
      Power Steering
      Power windows
      Central locking
      A/C
      Music system
      Fog Lamps
      Rear wind shield washer
      Defogger
      16 " Alloy wheels
      Electrically adjustable ORVM
      Steering mounted audio control
      Rear seat arm rest
      Fuel consumption display
      Driver seat height adjustment
      TGS Knob-leather
      Push button start
      Rear Camera
      Solar Glass
      Driver seat electric lmber support
      Auto Cruise Control
      Leather seats
      Leather AT knob
      ABS
      Dual airbag
      Side and curtain airbag
      Price Ex Showroom Mumbai 1312462 1354555 1430960 1441231

      Competition All Specs

      Competitors of Hyundai Neo Fluidic Elantra
        Neo Fluidic Elantra  Fluence  Altis  Civic 
      Variant SX Petrol E4 1.8 GL 1.8V MT
      Engine Capacity 1797 1997 1794 1799
      Power in PS/RPM 149.5/6500 137/6000 132/6000 132/6300
      Torque in NM/RPM 178/4700 190/3700 170/4200 171/4300
      Gears 6/MT 6/MT 5/MT 5/MT
      Fuel Petrol Petrol Petrol Petrol
      Length mm 4530 4618 4540 4545
      Width mm 1775 1813 1760 1750
      Height mm 1470 1488 1480 1450
      Wheel base mm 2700 2703 2600 2700
      Kerb Weight in Kg 1270 1210 1200 1210
      Ground clearance mm 167 170 176 170
      Fuel tank capacity 55 50 55 50
      Turning circle radius in M 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.4
      Tyre Spec 205/60 R16 205/60 R16 195/65 R15 195/65 R15
      Fuel Effeciency kmpl 16 13.4 13 15
      Features
      Power Steering
      Power windows
      Central locking
      A/C
      Music system
      Fog Lamps
      Defogger
      Alloy wheels
      Upholstery Leather Leather Leather Leather
      Steering mounted audio control
      Rear seat arm rest
      Fuel consumption display
      ABS
      Airbags
      Ex showroom Price Mumbai (in Lakhs Rs.) 1441231 1527648 1426851 1431049

      Conclusion

      Hyundai has taken a good decision in re-launching the Elantra in the Neo Fluidic Elantra avatar. It has all the features one expects for from a premium car. There is an option of Automatic Transmission in both petrol and diesel versions respectively. Though it has already got plenty of awards in other countries it still is a new launch in India and yet to garner positive feedback from different types of customers.

       Elantra will get tough competition from Renault Fluence. A new variant of the Fluence was launched recently and is also getting good bookings. Other cars like Honda Civic and Chevrolet Cruze have already established themselves in the same segment and would offer great competition

      With the launch of Neo Fluidic Elantra, Hyundai has filled the gap in the range of Rs.13 .5 to Rs.17 Lakh. The Fluidic Verna sits below this range and the new Sonata above it. The excellent service back up from Hyundai would enhance the confidence of the customers in choosing the Neo Fluidic Elantra over other options.

      Hyundai