Road Test: 2019 Hyundai Elantra Sport M/T

Thank you, Hyundai. For what? Let’s start
with keeping the manual transmission alive and putting it into a fun and
stylish sport sedan that is also very affordable. Clean Fleet Report spent
a week in the 2019 Hyundai Elantra Sport with the six-speed manual transmission.
We begrudgingly handed back the keys after appreciating what a nice car we were
driving that can be had for about $23,500.

Driving Experience: On the
Road

The2019 Hyundai
Elantra Sport, with the six-speed manual transmission, has a turbocharged 1.6-liter,
inline four-cylinder engine, putting-out 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of
torque. The EPA fuel economy rating is 22 city/30 highway/25 combined, but in
254 miles of 75-percent highway/25-percent city driving throughout Southern
California, we averaged 27.2 miles per gallon (mpg). However, in a 175-mile
highway run, with the cruise control set at 65 mph, we achieved 32.3 mpg. We
were impressed with our self-restraint, as exceeding the EPA numbers means we
weren’t hot rodding this sports sedan all the time.

Zero-to-60 times were right
around seven seconds, where the best times were by taking first gear to 15 mph
and second to 30 mph, and then getting into 3rd and 4th gears as soon as
possible. The torque pulled strong in the 1,500-4,000 rpm range, taking
advantage of no turbo lag and an engine that loves to be revved to the 7,000
rpm redline. Fifth gear also pulls well, and 6th is for maxing-out the fuel
economy.Fuel economy numbers reported by Clean Fleet Report are
non-scientific and represent the reviewer’s driving experience. Your numbers
may differ.

The six-speed manual welcomes
being driven hard through gears. The clutch was a bit soft, but all shifts were
positive with the gears easy to find. The sport-tuned suspension and the manual
makes it fun taking twisty esses in the 25-40 mph (or as much as 10 miles per
hour over the posted speed limit) range, where the engine and gearbox don’t let
you down. Third gear was our favorite for the broad range of speeds it could
handle, as well as having the ability to wind-out for maximum acceleration and
performance. The Hankook Ventus 225/40 tires on 18-inch rims offered both good
grip and a quiet freeway ride.

Driving
Experience: Exterior and Interior

Redesigned for the 2018 model
year, the Elantra Sport is a great-looking compact sedan. The sculpted body
panels and the LED lights make for an attractive combination. Add-in the
restrained use of chrome and the Elantra Sport has a decidedly upscale look. The
power, tilt and slide sunroof is standard on the Sport model.

Clean Fleet Report has spent a considerable amount of time in different Hyundai
models,  noticing how clean and simple
the interiors are designed. The dashes have logically laid-out controls and
knobs, as in having a volume and channel knob for the radio, and one each for
the fan speed and temperature control. Simple and easy to understand.

Soft touch materials are interspersed with hard
plastic, with the subtle use of chrome accents giving the dash, door panels and
center console a feeling of quality. Even the judicious use of faux carbon
fiber added a nice touch. The large, round speed and tach gauges with black
backgrounds and white numbers are extremely easy to read and all within easy
reach of the driver.

Clean Fleet Report’s Elantra Sport’s seats came with red top stitching
that popped against the black leather. The front seats were heated, with the
driver getting six-way adjustments. There were no lumbar adjustments, but the
padding and thigh bolstering were ample so as to not induce fatigue on long
drives. The center armrest is positioned nicely and the 12V, USB and Aux ports
are conveniently located at the base of the center stack.

The Elantra Sport seats five passengers, but two in
the rear seat would be more comfortable on longer trips. The flat-folding 60/40
split rear seat also had a fold down armrest, with cup holders. When folded
flat, storage was just what two would want on a long weekender.

The six-speaker infotainment (information and
entertainment) system included a 7.0-inch high-resolution color touchscreen for
the AM/FM/CD/MP3/AUX radio. Features include SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto. The leather-wrapped steering wheel, with a flat bottom, has
mounted controls for Bluetooth that offers hands-free telephone, voice and
radio controls.

Our Elantra Sport came equipped with cruise control,
power windows and door locks, keyless start and entry, power and heated side
mirrors with turn signals, dual automatic climate control with rear vents, and
a tilt and telescopic steering column.

Safety

The 2019 Elantra Sport has safety features of seven
airbags, four-wheel power disc ABS braking system, a tire pressure monitoring
system and a temporary spare tire. For security there was a remote panic alarm.
The Elantra Sport came standard with blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic
alert, rear view camera, stability and traction control systems, and brake and
lane change assist.

In testing by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the 2019 Elantra received four stars (five stars
is their highest rating), while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
(IIHS) awarded the Elantra its top safety pick for
overall crash protection.

Pricing and Warranties

Clean Fleet Report’s 2019 Elantra Sport
with the six-speed manual transmission and optional carpeted floor mats ($125),
had a MSRP of $22,725. This price excludes the $920 freight and
handling charge.

The 2019 Elantra comes
with these warranties:

Powertrain – 120
months/100,000 miles

New Car – 60 months/60,000 miles

Anti-perforation – 84 months/Unlimited miles

Roadside Assistance – 60 monthd/Unlimited miles

Observations: 2019 Elantra
Sport with the six-speed manual

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra Sportdelivers
more fun and standard driver safety technology than would be expected for a car
costing under $24,000. It has class-leading style and offers spirited driving
in a comfortable long-range road trip car.

Hyundai announced in July 2019 that manual
transmissions were being dropped in 2020 for the Elantra Sport, and one of the
three Veloster models. We are big fans of the Veloster as you can read here, and our experience
in this review of the 2019 Elantra Sport only reinforces how much we love, and
need, manual transmissions.

The move to automatic transmissions is not
unique to Hyundai, as even exotics such as Ferrari and Lamborghini have made
the move to semi-automatics for efficiency and faster launch times. So, if
owning a sporty coupe with a clutch is on your bucket list, don’t wait too much
longer (we’ve listed some of the remaining manual options below).

When visiting your Hyundai
dealer insist on taking a test drive where the sales associate will let you
push it hard on corners and through the gears. Prediction: fun ahead and an
Elantra Sport in your driveway.

Whatever you buy, Happy Driving!

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