autoevolution
 

2017 Hyundai Elantra Sport vs. Honda Civic Touring: Battle of the Turbos

The Civic Si is right around the corner, having been spied in barely disguised configurations around death valley. Some publications say that it will pack a de-tuned version of the 2.0-liter turbo used by the Type R, in which case it will have the Elantra by the cojones.
2017 Hyundai Elantra Sport vs. Honda Civic Touring: Battle of the Turbos 4 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
2017 Hyundai Elantra Sport vs. Honda Civic Touring: Battle of the Turbos2017 Hyundai Elantra Sport vs. Honda Civic Touring: Battle of the Turbos2017 Hyundai Elantra Sport vs. Honda Civic Touring: Battle of the Turbos
But in case they are wrong, and it packs the high-output 1.5-liter turbo from the CR-V, just like the concept Si, things will be the other way around. In any case, we figure Hyundai has got a winning combination in the Elantra Sport, because its exclusive independent rear suspension setup offers both extra comfort and sportiness, both being things that customers paying around $25,000 expect.

The Civic used to be decent, and it's now a top contender in the compact sedan segment. But to get there, it has traded some of its katana sharpness for some American waterbed coziness.

The Elantra Sport slots somewhere between the comfortable, spacious and dull Civic and a Jetta GLI or something like an Audi A3. It features a unique styling pack that changes the look of the bumpers, sills and wheels for the better.

When you fire up the Sport, you realize that it's not a regular Elantra, and that's because engineers worked hard to give the 1.6-liter turbo engine a unique sound signature. It's almost as if they put an aftermarket muffler on this thing.

The Elantra Sport also boasts sharper steering and a more sure-footed suspension. Paired with that 1.6-liter turbo engine is an honest 6-speed manual gearbox. Like Volkswagen, Hyundai offers a twin-clutch gearbox as an alternative. Adding it makes the combined fuel consumption 4mpg better. However, enthusiasts might want to hear about the dry clutch configuration.

The driver of the Elantra Sport is probably the type who wants to be involved, so the car does without the advanced safety systems offered by the Honda Civic.

The 201 horsepower Hyundai can be yours from $23,585 while a Civic Touring CVT with all the bells stickers for $27,435, which is the last bit of information we want to share ahead of the video.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories