2012 Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Corolla Altis

Hyundai unveiled the new Elantra at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. The new Elantra has been designed keeping in mind Hyundai’s fluidic design theme and hence looks a lot like the Fluidic Verna. When launched, the Elantra will go head to head with the Toyota Corolla Altis. Here we compare the two to see which of the two has more to offer buyers.

Driving and handling

 

The Corolla Altis is a reasonable tame and well behaved car. It drives well and handling too is respectable, however it’s driving and handling capabilities aren’t anything you would rave about. We are yet to drive the all new Hyundai Elantra so there is little that can be said at this juncture but the old Elantra was a great handler and if that is anything to go by we can expect the new Elantra to have above average handling at the least.

Space and comfort

In terms of space and comfort the Elantra with a wheelbase of 2,700 mm will be more spacious than the Altis which has a wheelbase of 2,600 mm. Legroom and headroom in both cars is ample for a normal sized individual. The Elantra will likely be just as comfortable as the Altis, which itself has a stable and pliant ride.

Looks

In terms of looks the Elantra definitely looks much more modern than the Altis but the fact that it resembles the Verna so much may put off a few buyers. In terms of design the Elantra has smooth flowing lines that give it character and also make it look sporty. The Altis is a reasonably good looking car but its design is now starting to show its age and is not a head turner.

Features

The Altis has safety features like ABS, EBD, front fog lamps, power steering, tilt steering and a telescopic steering. It also has a tachometer, climate control, central locking and adjustable seats. The Elantra on the other hand will likely have safety features such as six airbags, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), brake assist, 3-point seatbelt with front seatbelt pretensioners, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), daytime running lights, anti-theft system integrated with remote keyless entry, trunk open warning, front & rear crumple zones. When it comes to features the Elantra beats the Altis hands down.

Price mileage, overall VFM

The Elantra is expected to be priced in the range of Rs. 12 – 15 lakh which is where most of its competitors are also priced such as the Honda Civic (Rs. 12.21 -13.96 lakh), the Chevrolet Cruze (Rs. 12.03 – 14.44 lakh) and the Skoda Laura (Rs. 12.44 – 15.05 lakh). The Toyota Corolla Altis starts Rs. 11.77 lakh and goes up to Rs. 14.94 lakh for the top end variant.

Verdict

It is likely that the Elantra will be a great package but whether it will be better than the Altis depends on a lot of other factors. We will have to wait for Hyundai to launch the car before we can give a final verdict.