The 2019 Hyundai Elantra GT arrives from a foreign land where stylish wagons are feature packed and, as is the case here, even offered with a bona-fide sport trim.
What's New for 2019
The 2019 Hyundai Elantra GT is now available in N Line trim which replaces the Sport and is Hyundai’s new designation for its performance-focused lineup. It receives a thorough chassis update as it looks to make a name for itself in the hot hatch segment.
Choosing Your Hyundai Elantra GT
The Elantra GT hatchback shares very little with the recently updated Elantra sedan. Upfront, the large and upright chrome grille and sweeping headlights carry the eye to a nearly horizontal sharp styling edge that traces to the taillights. The gloss black rear spoiler creates a forward-leaning C-pillar and blends into the upright rear hatch door.
Inside, a low dash and horizontally stacked controls are also entirely different from the sedan, while the hatchback configuration affords an additional 10.5 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat.
There are two powertrains available. A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine serves as the base unit and generates 161 horsepower and 159 pound-feet of torque. It's mated solely to a six-speed automatic transmission.
The optional 1.6-liter turbocharged engine produces 201 hp at 6,000 rpm while peak torque of 195 lb-ft is delivered from 1,500 rpm to 4,500 rpm. The more powerful engine is mated to either a six-speed manual transmission as standard or a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission for $1,100. Front-wheel drive is the only configuration available.
The base powertrain receives EPA estimates of 25 miles per gallon city, 32 mpg highway, and 27 combined, while the more powerful engine with the dual clutch transmission actually delivers better ratings at 25/32/28 mpg (city/highway/combined). Selecting the manual transmission reduces those figures to 23/30/26 mpg
Hyundai’s newly established N Line brings legitimate engine and chassis performance improvements while still undercutting its competition in price. Disappointingly, the full gamut of active safety features is only found on the pricier model with the extra-cost transmission. If $30,000 is still within your budget, the 2019 Hyundai Elantra GT has a lot to offer.