2017 Hyundai Elantra Review

Fully redesigned for 2017, the Hyundai Elantra gets a fresh new look, three new engines and a slew of impressive tech features. The 2017 Elantra is classier looking on the outside and more refined on the inside than ever before.

For starters, ride quality has been improved, making the Elantra more livable during daily driving. The Elantra's three new engines include a new base 2.0-liter engine, a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine tuned for fuel economy, and a sporty 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder designed to raise pulses. Unfortunately, with a few early tests of the Elantra, we've found acceleration to be behind that of class leaders. Somehow that doesn't feel like such a big letdown, though, thanks to qualities such as a quiet cabin and a long list of tech features. At the top trim levels you can get items such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure intervention and forward collision mitigation. But no matter how you equip it, the 2017 Hyundai Elantra is as good as it's ever been and it's a strong contender in the compact car segment.

The 2017 Hyundai Elantra is a four-door compact sedan offered in four main trim levels: SE, Eco, Limited and Sport.

As the base trim level, the SE is sparsely equipped, especially if you get it with the standard six-speed manual transmission. It comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (147 horsepower, 132 pound-feet of torque), 15-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, full power accessories, cloth upholstery, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 60/40-split folding rear seatback, and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio and a CD player.

Automatic-transmission SE models also offer a Popular Equipment package that adds a lot of desirable features. It's our recommendation for the one to buy if you're getting into an Elantra. It includes 16-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, automatic headlights, cruise control, a 7-inch touchscreen (but no CD player), a rearview camera, Bluetooth connectivity, and smartphone integration with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

With the Popular Equipment package added, you can also get the SE with the Tech package. Those extras include LED daytime running lights, keyless ignition and entry, a hands-free trunk opener, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Next up in the Elantra lineup is the SE Value Edition. It's basically an SE with all of the above included as standard. It also has a sunroof.

The most fuel-efficient model in the lineup is appropriately named the Eco. It comes with the same equipment as the Value Edition but with 15-inch alloy wheels and without the sunroof. It also adds a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine (128 hp, 156 lb-ft) paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

To maximize the number of creature comforts in your Elantra, there's the Limited model. It comes with everything found on the Value Edition (including the standard 2.0-liter engine), plus 17-inch alloy wheels, additional chrome body trim, adaptive xenon headlights, LED taillights, leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver seat (with power lumbar adjustment), Hyundai's Blue Link system and a second (charge-only) USB port.

Limited models have two options packages: the Limited Tech package and the Limited Ultimate package. The Limited Tech package adds a sunroof, heated rear seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a bigger driver information display, an 8-inch touchscreen, voice commands, a navigation system and an eight-speaker Infinity sound system. The Limited Ultimate package (which requires the Limited Tech package) bundles adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and mitigation, lane departure warning and intervention, automatic high beams and driver-seat memory settings.

For a more powerful and sporty version of the Elantra, there's the aptly named Sport. It is equipped similar to the Limited, but it has a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine (201 hp, 195 lb-ft), a six-speed manual transmission (the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is optional), 18-inch alloy wheels, sport-tuned suspension and steering, bigger brakes, special front and rear fascias, xenon headlights, and some interior touches such as alloy pedals and a black headliner. The Sport Premium package essentially adds the same equipment as the Limited Tech package.