Can you be sensible and stylish at the same time?
While it is not something I consider a common occurrence for me, Hyundai has shown that it is more than achievable with its new Elantra sedan.
It has sensible sorted. A small sedan at a starting price of $21,490 = two ticks for sensibility.
The Elantra now on our roads was rigorously tested in Australian conditions = another tick.
Sensibly, Hyundai has given the new Elantra more grunt than the older model, the new 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 112kW and 192Nm of torque in comparison to the former 1.8-litre four and its 110kW/178Nm.
It is a bit thirstier as a result, but a claimed fuel figure of 7.1L/100km is still pretty reasonable… just drive sensibly and you won’t notice the difference.
Given the Elantra is most likely set to be a family car, it is sensible to ensure safety. The previous model had a 5 Star Ancap safety rating and this one has been built with stronger steel, keeping it on the right track in this regard.
So there’s clearly plenty of sensible about the Elantra.
How about style?
That, of course, is quite a personal thing.
And, personally, I think the updated broad-mouth grille and angled headlights combined with the coupe-like lines sweeping right through to the lipped boot design give the Elantra a particularly stylish look.
I think you can be sensible and stylish at the same time. And I know you can drive stylish sensibly.