Elan and mantra of Elantra

In the past 10 years, Hyundai has found great success in the Philippines. It started-unofficially, even, through gray-market imports—with the Mitsubishi-based Starex van. Then their SUVs started getting better, too; enter the Tucson and the Santa Fe. Now the Korean company is focusing its considerable acumen on the sedan market. The Sonata and Accent have been a pair of surprise-and-delight cars, catching its great Japanese rivals seemingly with their pants down.

Hyundai’s latest major model, launched at this year’s Manila International Auto Show, is aimed at the former heart of the passenger car market. The all-new Elantra follows the styling cues of the larger Sonata and smaller Accent. Normally, cut-and-paste styling has its limits, but Hyundai seems to have found a way to make it work on an entire lineup of vehicles. The “fluidic sculpture” template has not looked better than on the Elantra. The proportions look exactly right, from the size of the double grilles, to the tilt of the greenhouse. Surely, bigger wheels can make it look better-perhaps that is a job best left for the aftermarket.

When styling is king, that usually means some compromises in the function. In the Elantra’s case, it means a little more ducking than usual. The seats are not at the tall hip height that is currently the norm, and the sharply-sloping door openings require a small bow as you enter, lest you conk your head.

Once inside, space is sufficient even for tall passengers. The steering wheel is adjustable for both reach and rake, making the ideal driving position easier to set. The secondary controls are split among an upper cluster for the audio and a middle group for the air conditioning. The USB and aux jacks are hidden behind a hinged cover just above the gearshift. The system allows access to iPod controls using the audio head unit and steering-wheel buttons. Instrument lighting is in the cobalt blue that is used in all Hyundai vehicles.

Hyundai has not hesitated to install its latest drivetrains in its cars. In this case, it’s the 1.8-liter gasoline inline-four mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. The engine is whisper-quiet during idle and mild acceleration. Even at full blast, it is still barely audible. The six-speed shifts unobtrusively as well, with smooth kickdowns. The manual-override mode went largely unused during our drive, as the gearbox was capable of staying in the appropriate gear without human interference. With 150 hp and 178 Nm on tap, the engine feels rather subdued. It’s content to deliver the goods without announcing it. We recorded 8.7 km/liter in mostly city driving.

The car rides on 16-inch wheels and is comfortably compliant over pockmarked roads and highway joints. The handling won’t have any effect on your heart rate. The front MacPherson strut-rear torsion beam setup neither excites nor frustrates. The steering does have a strong self-centering tendency that feels rather artificial, as if a rubber band were always pulling the wheel back to center.

Safety features are rather basic. The Elantra features ABS with EBD brakes (all discs on the 1.8 liter variant), airbags (single for the 1.6-liter MT, dual for the 1.6 AT and the 1.8).

The Elantra promises excitement and a high-tech driving experience with its dynamic exterior. The excitement will have to come from looking at the car in your garage or washing it every Sunday, and the high-tech element comes from knowing that the car’s engine and gearbox are the very latest that Hyundai has to offer.