Skip to main content

The 2017 Elantra is Hyundai’s safest version yet, and not just in a crash

The Hyundai Elantra you’ll find in dealerships today looks a bit strange, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. It’s a fairly bulbous, expressive, almost aquatic-looking thing, and the masses apparently approve because the Elantra remains one of Hyundai’s most popular models. In an automotive climate that insists on pleasing the greatest number of consumers possible, weird can be good.

That’s why when photos of the 2017 Elantra started popping up, I found myself slightly disappointed. It’s a fine-looking vehicle — in fact it’s more classically attractive than the old one — but it also looks a bit safe. It’s the latest example of Hyundai’s “Fluidic Sculpture” design language, and as such, it equips a more traditional front end punctuated by a large hexagonal grill. It’s a similar piece to the one found on the Hyundai Genesis, Sonata, and Tucson, but it also happens to be strikingly similar to the chest plate you’ll see on dozens of cars on the market today. The sixth-gen Elantra may be the best one yet, but stylistically it may blend into the crowd.

2016 Hyundai Elantra
2016 Hyundai Elantra Image used with permission by copyright holder

That being said, aesthetics are just one element of what makes up a good car, and the 2017 Elantra looks to be much improved overall. The new body is actually sleeker than the old one with a 0.27 coefficient of drag, and the interior is much cleaner, albeit in a more conventional, horizontally-focused way.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Performance has also been boosted considerably for the 2017 model year. The Elantra’s chassis is now reinforced with 53 percent high-strength steel compared to 2016’s 21 percent, which improves rigidity, quietness, ride quality, and handling.

Two new engines are available for 2017 as well, including a 2.0-liter four-cylinder on SE trims with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, and a 1.4-liter turbo for Eco trims with 128 hp and 156 lb-ft.  The 2.0-liter engine bolts up to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, while the boosted powerplant mates to an “EcoShift” seven-speed dual-clutch. Hyundai estimates that the Eco option will return an impressive 35 mpg combined, but the 2.0-liter’s numbers of 29 mpg city and 38 mpg highway aren’t bad either.

Safety is always a high priority for Hyundai, and this vehicle is no exception, with its available automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, blind spot detection, and rear cross-traffic alert. The brand expects a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and a 5-Star Safety Rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The new Elantra arrives at dealerships in January, and pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Honda unveils sleek electric sedan and SUV prototypes at CES 2025
Honda 0 Saloon and Honda 0 SUV prototypes.

Honda’s next-generation electric vehicles are a step closer to production. At CES 2025, the automaker unveiled prototypes of the 0 Saloon and 0 SUV, the first two of its 0 Series EVs that will start rolling off assembly lines in Ohio next year.

The two EVs follow 0 Series concept cars Honda unveiled at CES 2024. These are closer to what buyers can expect to see in showrooms, hence the label of “prototype” rather than “concept.” How close exactly? When Honda unveils a prototype, that vehicle generally makes the transition to production with minimal changes. But that would be particularly remarkable here.
They still look like concept cars

Read more
Digital Trends’ Top Tech of CES 2025 Awards
Top Tech of CES

Las Vegas is overrun. Every billboard in town is shouting about AI, hotel bar tops now sport a sea of laptops, and after hours The Strip is elbow to elbow with engineers toting yard-long beers.

That means CES, the year’s biggest tech bacchanalia, has come to town, and Digital Trends editors have spent the last four days frolicking among next year’s crop of incredible TVs, computers, tablets, and EVs. We’re in heaven.

Read more
Sony and Honda’s Afeela 1 EV makes more sense at CES than in the real world
Afeela 1 front quarter view.

The Sony car is almost here. After its creation via a joint venture with Honda in 2022 and two years’ worth of prototypes, the electronics giant’s Afeela brand is finally taking reservations for its first electric vehicle, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2026.

But will it be worth the wait? Coinciding with the opening of reservations, Sony Honda Mobility brought updated prototypes of the Afeela 1 (as it’s now officially known) to CES 2025, representing what California customers (Afeela is only taking reservations in that state) who put down a $200 refundable deposit can expect when they take delivery.

Read more