The Elantra has been around for a while, but it started garnering major attention when the fifth generation debuted in 2010. Now in its sixth generation, the Elantra is grabbing more headlines. New for the 2017 model year, Hyundai is adding the Eco trim to the Elantra’s repertoire. This isn’t some hybrid with expensive batteries or electric motors – no, this is simply an honest gas-powered sedan that achieves 40 mpg on the highway.
Let’s back up a bit. Hyundai’s last Elantra, the fifth generation, came to market with swoopy lines, a futuristic interior, and an overestimated fuel efficiency sticker hanging in the window. Owners started complaining and the EPA caught on. The Korean automaker ended up reimbursing thousands of owners and got slapped with a $100-million fine from the U.S. Government. Of course, Hyundai’s engineers want to avoid that at all costs, so the development of Eco trim in both the Elantra and Sonata were put into motion.
Unlike some “eco” trims on competing cars that merely bolt up low rolling resistance tires and a couple aerodynamic features, Hyundai dove head first with an entirely new powertrain. Replacing the 2.0-liter four-cylinder and six-speed auto in the standard Elantra, the Eco gets a unique 1.4-liter turbo mated to a seven-speed dual clutch programmed for the utmost efficiency. It also has low rolling resistance tires, too.
I recently got to spend a week with the 2017 Elantra Eco, using it in everyday driving situations between date night and pre-K pick-up lines. Happily my time in the car closely followed a previous week I spent with a non-Eco version, the 2017 Elantra Limited. The two cars are, of course, very similar, though the differences are hard to miss. Let’s take a look.
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