Someday in the not so distant future, people will own more cars, not fewer.
There will be one they drive only on the weekends — the family and boat in tow.
Then there will be a small two-seater that they’ll putt along to work in every day — at least those who still go to an office instead of telecommuting.
There may be other specialized family vehicles that promote efficiency and have specific purposes — school dropoffs, grocery shopping and Friday-night-out vehicles.
Until then, something like the 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring may have to do.
Far from perfect, the Elantra Touring joined the Hyundai family last year as a spinoff of the compact Elantra. In television terms the Elantra would be a successful spinoff, something along the lines of “The Jeffersons” (from “All in the Family”), and not like “After M*A*S*H.”
The Elantra Touring provides good mileage for daily driving, up to 65.3 cubic feet of space in the back for flexible packing and enough space in the second row to load up three kids for an afternoon of errands. It’s a jack-of-all-trades kind of vehicle.
You may have to leave the boat home, though, as the little 2-liter four-cylinder engine never felt like it could pull me and a few friends, much less the SS Minnow.
The 138-horsepower engine, which uses some pretty high tech features, such as dual overhead camshafts and variable valve timing to increase performance, would whine at high rpm when hitting the highway. And I was lucky to be driving the five-speed manual vehicle, as the four-speed automatic is likely to add some engine noise without that fifth gear.
When the car only had me in it, it seemed fine. Other than the fast-spinning engine, its performance was good. For a compact car, it still offers a fairly long wheelbase of 106 inches. That helps smooth out the ride, especially in Detroit.
Of course, if you’re expecting a racer, this car isn’t for you. Simply look at it as having more function than a Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic or Ford Focus, because it does. Fun, with zip in city
While the engine is far from overpowering, the car was still fun to drive, especially around town; its compact body allowed me to zip through traffic. In the city, its smaller stature means it can squeeze into tighter spaces, and you’ll finally get a chance to try out one of those “compact only” parking spaces without feeling guilty.
There were some other notables during the week I test drove the Elantra Touring. The heater worked great — which is something many compacts lack. I tested the Elantra Touring during the first cold snap in December and the cabin was warm before I hit the highway on my way to work.
The mileage numbers of 23 miles per gallon in the city and 31 mpg on the highway sound good at first glance, but really, they’re merely OK. The new Chevy Equinox, which offers a lot more space, bests that highway number and other larger cars do as well.
Of course, those vehicles cost thousands of dollars more. The Elantra Touring starts at under $16,000, making it a strong value for the dollar. Practical comfort
While inexpensive, the Elantra Touring doesn’t feel cheap.
The interior cabin is comfortable with a thoughtful design. There are large swaths of plastic that make up the dash, but the two-tone look breaks up the plastic feel. The center stack on the dash includes the main controls; they’re well laid out and easy to operate. There are also lots of little cubbies to store items such as your cell phone, water bottle and cup of coffee. The crisp blue lighting that illuminates the instruments at night is very easy on the eyes.
The second row is a little sparser but cozy. Because this is a five-door hatchback, the Elantra Touring feels much more open than the Elantra sedan.
I also liked the exterior of the Elantra Touring more than the sedan version. My test vehicle included the 17-inch wheels (instead of the 15-inchers) and that makes the car look much more dramatic.
Overall, the design is fairly simple, not pretending to be something it isn’t, but instead looks comfortable in its own sheet metal.
The same could be said for the people who buy the Elantra Touring. They’re comfortable with who they are — accepting the fact they need one car to fill all the roles life has for them.
The Elantra Touring just makes that task a little easier. And isn’t that what a car is supposed to do, even if it’s the only car you have?
sburgess@detnews.com (313) 223-3217
