Text by Tom Appel
2024 Hyundai Elantra HEV Limited
Specs
Class: Compact Car
Color: Ultimate Red
Seating Capacity: 5
Miles driven: 106
Real-world fuel economy: 54.1 mpg
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Comfort | A |
| Power and Performance | C+ |
| Fit and Finish | A |
| Fuel Economy | A |
| Value | A |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup. | |
| Big & Tall Comfort | |
| Big Guy | A- |
| Tall Guy | B |
| Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 137-horsepower 1.6-liter |
| Engine Type | Hybrid 4-cylinder |
| Transmission | 6-speed automatic |
| Drive Wheels | Front-wheel drive |
Driving mix: 60% city, 40% highway
EPA-estimated fuel economy: 49/52/50 (city, highway, combined)
Fuel type: Regular gas
Base price: $29,450 (not including $1150 destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Floor Mats ($210)
Price as tested: $30,810
Pros and Cons
The great: Exceptionally roomy and comfortable, outstanding fuel economy
The good: Bargain price
The not so good: Could be quicker
Review
As a man pushing 60 years of age, I find myself drawn to mental challenges to help keep my mind sharp. For example, I am reteaching myself algebra—something I was never very good at. But, for as much as I curse the quadratic equation, which never solves into anything satisfying, I did just drive a car that—at its empirical best—equates to a fantastic consumer proposition. Here’s the formula: Fair price + great mileage + roomy and comfortable interior = awesome commuter experience. Meet the improbably good Elantra Hybrid Limited.
Prices and Trim Levels
I say improbably, because there are elements of the Elantra’s goodness that I did not expect, including a premium-feel cabin, rear-world 50+ mpg mileage, and the quietness and ride quality of a larger, much more expensive vehicle. Can you tell that I’m impressed? A little back story…
For 2024, Hyundai offers its compact sedan in four non-hybrid trim levels, and just two hybrid variants. The conventionally powered Elantras can be had is base SE, midline SEL, premium Limited and sporty N-Line trim. Base prices range from around $23,000 to roughly $30,000. While the N-Line is powered by a 201-horsepower 1.6-liter turbo, other non-hybrid Elantras featured a normally aspirated (no turbo) 2.0-liter engine rated at 147 horsepower.
Hybrid Elantras are offered only in Blue ($27,400) and Limited ($30,600). Both are powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor. The hybrid drivetrain mates to a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. All Elantras are front-wheel drive.
EPA Fuel Economy
Thanks to its lower weight—due to coming with less equipment—and smaller wheels and tires, the Elantra Blue Hybrid boasts better fuel economy than the Limited, though both return excellent mileage. The Blue is rated at a combined EPA-estimated 54 mpg, the Limited comes in at 50. That’s some impressive math.
Consumer Guide recently spent a week behind the wheel of a 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited in Ultimate Red. All told, our test car came to $30,810 including destination charge.
2024 Updates/Room and Comfort
The Elantra was freshened for 2024, and looks both crisper, and somehow larger. In fact, this author thought an error had been made upon delivery of the Elantra, mistaking it for the midsize Hyundai Sonata sedan. That sense of largeness continues inside the car, as the Elantra feels especially roomy for the class, with plenty of front and rear-seat space, and an open and airy cabin feel. Even seated behind taller front-row occupants, rear-seat passengers will find plenty of knee and leg room.
Cabin
The cabin looks good, too, featuring mostly high-grade surface materials and apparently high-quality assembly. We found the single, contiguous bright-metal climate vent a classy touch.
Like other recently updated Hyundai products, the Elantra features a single-piece console touchscreen and driver instrument panel. The looks is simple and elegant, and gives the dashboard a modern and integrated look.
Connectivity
The infotainment system works well, and is easy to manipulate. We found screen icons to be large and easy to identify, and the system quick to respond to touch inputs. We were frustrated, however, by the audio system’s tendency to default to satellite radio each time the car was restarted. Also annoying, our test car “lost” the Bluetooth connection to our phones several times, necessitating time-consuming pairing operations. That said, the Limited’s standard Bose-brand audio system did a nice job with the mid-century American jazz enjoyed by this author.
Though the Elantra’s hybrid powertrain produces less reported horsepower than the non-hybrid version, it does deliver considerably more torque, which comes in handy in low-speed, stop-and-go driving. Indeed, we found the hybrid setup to not only be quick around town, but also quite smooth in operation. We’ve been critical of Hyundai hybrids in the past for crude low-speed behavior, however the company seems to have rectified that situation; the Elantra Hybrid is premium-car refined in regular driving.
As for power, the Elantra Hybrid is quick enough in merging and passing situations, and responds to sudden demands for power without drama.
Here’s the big news: Though EPA rated at a combined 50 mpg, Consumer Guide enjoyed a frugal 54 mpg over 106 miles of mostly city driving. Color us impressed.
The Elantra is also fun to drive. The small sedan has a jaunty character, and handles well, and rides even better. Again, Elantra feels larger than it is, and settles in nicely on long highway trips. Elantra also enjoys an extremely tight turning radius, a helpful trait in parking lots and tight parking garages. The cabin is quiet as well, allowing for easy Interstate-speed conversation, or podcast listening.
Back to math, the Elantra’s number are so good, we wish American consumers were still interested in cars—small sedans especially. For $31,000 buyers get a roomy and comfortable ride that just happens to be super frugal. You don’t need to be especially good at algebra to see that Hyundai’s smallest sedan (the subcompact Accent has been discontinued) makes for a nearly perfect daily commuter car.
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2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited Pictures
Click below for enlarged images
