Can the Hyundai Elantra beat the Skoda Laura?

Hyundai India had launched their Elantra premium sedan at a starting price of Rs. 12.51  lakh (base petrol), going up to Rs. 15.85 lakh for the top of the line diesel variant (ex-showroom Delhi).  Here we compare the Hyundai Elantra with the Skoda Laura, which is one of its key competitors.

Performance and handling

Both the Laura and the Elantra come in petrol and diesel variants. The base Skoda Laura has a 1,968 cc diesel engine which makes 110 bhp of peak power and 250 Nm of peak torque. It also comes in the L&K variant which is powered by a 1,968 cc engine that makes 140 Bhp of power and 320 Nm of torque.

The Elantra, on the other hand, has only a 1,582 cc diesel engine, but it makes 126 bhp of power and 260 Nm of torque. So the diesel Elantra is more powerful than the regular Laura diesel, but not compared to the Elegance and L&K variant.

Among the petrol variants the Elantra has a 1.8 litre DOHC engine that produces 148 bhp of power and 177 Nm of torque. The Skoda Laura has a 1.8 litre petrol engine as well, but it produces a massive 160 bhp of power and 250 Nm of torque, because it is turbocharged. So in terms of performance the petrol Laura is a lot better.

Space and comfort

In terms of comfort, it is hard for the Elantra to compete with the Laura, which has comfortable and well contoured seats. But the Elantra does give the impression of a little bit more space. It is wider by a negligible 6 mm than the Laura. The ride in the Laura is a good blend of comfort and ability to reward sporty driving. We can expect the Elantra to have similar characteristics although more can be said only after a complete road test.

Looks

The Laura’s design is now quite dated; the Elantra on the other hand is fresh and sharp. The Laura’s USP though is its elegant, non-fussy design cues which are still popular among buyers. In comparison the Elantra, with its fluidic design, may seem too much like the Verna to appeal to some buyers. All in all looks are subjective, but the Elantra is definitely a good-looking car.

Features

The top-of-the-line Skoda Laura L&K variant comes with features like AC, climate control, 4 power windows, adjustable seats, parking sensors, cruise control, power steering, tilt steering, telescopic steering, tachometer, ABS, EBD, ESP, iPod dock, audio control in steering, music system with multi CD and 6 airbags.

The Elantra offers electronic stability control, vehicle stability manager, cruise control, cooled glove box, heated ORVMs, rear AC vents, parking sensors, reverse camera, ABS, six airbags, hill hold control, electronically adjustable driver seat and more. The Elantra also comes with automatic headlight control and rear seat audio controls in the arm-rest. So in terms of features the two cars are quite close and its all about which features you find more useful.

Price, mileage and overall VFM

The Skoda Laura is priced between Rs. 12.90 lakh (base petrol) and Rs. 18.97 lakh (top end diesel L&K) the Hyundai Elantra on the other hand comes at a starting price of Rs. 12.51  lakh (base petrol), going up to Rs. 15.85 lakh for the top of the line diesel variant (ex-showroom Delhi). So the Skoda Laura L&K is much more expensive than the fully loaded Elantra. The Elantra is more value for money than the Laura.

Verdict

The Skoda Laura has its own set of fans, especially the L&K variant, but the Elantra will be more practical and easy on the pocket. It will also benefit from Hyundai’s wider service network.