As standard, the 2019 Hyundai Elantra engine is a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-4 unit putting out 147 horsepower and a sluggish 132 pound-feet of maximum torque. The transmission duties are being handled by a 6-speed manual system or an optional automatic transmission for $1,000 extra. The standard engine is available in all the trims except the Eco and Sport. The Eco sports a smaller 1.4-liter turbocharged mill which puts out 132 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque. This engine comes with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The Sport trim, on the other hand, sports the most powerful 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine putting out a maximum power of 201 horsepower and a maximum torque of 195 pound-feet, kicking it in an early 1,500 revs. All three engines are front-driven.
As a standard engine, the big 2.0-liter engine is not the powerful one in the lot but offers decent performance for your everyday home-to-office drives. The overall acceleration is on par with the competition with a 0-60 miles per timing in just under 9 seconds and a standing quarter-mile acceleration in under 16.8 seconds. The automatic transmission acts in a delayed manner sometimes at lower speeds, otherwise, all three engines offer decent performance for the price.
Models
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2019 Hyundai Elantra
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2019 Toyota Corolla
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2019 Honda Civic
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2019 Volkswagen Jetta
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MSRP
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$18,200
|
$18,700
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$19,550
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$18,745
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Engine
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2.0-liter Naturally Aspirated inline 4
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1.8-liter Naturally Aspirated inline 4
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2.0-liter Naturally Aspirated inline 4
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1.4-liter Turbocharged inline 4
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Drivetrain
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FWD
|
FWD
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FWD
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FWD
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Transmission
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6-speed Shiftable Automatic
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Continuously Variable Transmission
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Continuously Variable Transmission
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8-speed Shiftable Automatic
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Power (hp @ RPM
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147 hp @ 6,200 RPM
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132 hp @ 6,000 RPM
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158 hp @ 6,500 RPM
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147 hp @ 5,000 RPM
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Torque (lb-ft @ RPM)
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132 lb-ft @ 4,500 RPM
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128 lb-ft @ 4,400 RPM
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138 lb-ft @ 4,200 RPM
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184 lb-ft @ 1,400 RPM
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0-60 MPH (seconds)
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9.0
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9.4
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8.2
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7.7
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Quarter-Mile (seconds)
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16.8
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17.2
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16.3
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16.0
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Top-Speed (MPH)
|
116
|
112
|
118
|
127
|
Both the Honda Civic and the Volkswagen Jetta wins the performance round with the former offering more raw power and the latter a lot of grunt due to the turbocharged engine and that makes it accelerate quicker than the competition. The Hyundai Elantra offers decent performance for the price and is definitely better than the Toyota Corolla, which has an underpowered engine.
How well does the 2019 Hyundai Elantra handle?
In the past, Hyundai has incorporated a soft suspension setup in the Elantra which, they claimed, was to provide a more comfortable overall ride, but the cars had a wobbly ride on the highways and could not handle corners without a lot of body roll. Hyundai now has removed all the uncertainties from the earlier model year and equipped the Elantra with a slightly stiffer suspension system to offer better handling. The Elantra takes corners and can go at high speed without a lot of instability. The steering feels more confident and offers a decent amount of feedback as well.
Braking Performance
Braking performance on the Elantra has paid off well even though it packs a smaller set of brake rotors- 8.0 inches for both the front the rear, and coupled with a decent curb weight of 2,844 pounds, the car takes 125 feet to go 60-0 miles per hour which is impressive given that it has smaller rotors. Hyundai has worked on the braking performance well to provide what the consumers desire without increasing the price too much.
Models
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2019 Hyundai Elantra
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2019 Toyota Corolla
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2019 Honda Civic
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2019 Volkswagen Jetta
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Brake Rotors: Front (inches)
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8.0
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9.0
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11.1
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11.5
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Brake Rotors: Rear (inches)
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8.0
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9.0
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10.2
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10.8
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Curb Weight (lbs)
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2,844
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2,840
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2,771
|
2,959
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60-0 (feet)
|
125
|
119
|
113
|
191
|
In the competition, except for the Jetta, all three cars offer good braking performance. The Civic offers the most enhanced braking and coupled with a lower curb weight, it just gets better. The Corolla and the Elantra are not far behind and offer good braking performance as well.