And then there’s all that rear cargo room — 689 litres with rear seats up, and 1,886 litres with the rear seats down. (Those numbers are almost identical to those of the VW Golf Wagon.)
I wish the rear seats folded down a bit flatter. But otherwise the rear section of the Touring is very optimized for carrying stuff. The hatch opens wide and high, and there’s virtually no "lift over" — you can slide things in and out very easily. There is also a useful “under tray” which has compartments for organizing smaller stuff.
Built for Touring
While the car uses the “Elantra” nameplate, Touring is actually built off a different platform than the Elantra sedan. But that’s not to say it isn’t built like pretty much any mass-market compact vehicle in the world: front-drive, 2.0-litre I4 engine (138 hp/136 lb-ft of torque), 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions, MacPherson strut front suspension, multi-link rear suspension, speed sensitive power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS.
The Transport Canada fuel rating for our automatic GLS is also right in the thick of things, at 8.7/6.5 L/100 km City/Highway.
On the road, the Touring displays easy-going handling that will appeal to many folks. It has a strong “on centre” feel; combined with an easy gait on the highway (revving at 3,000 at 120 km/hr), the Touring feels like it could cruise all day without tiring the driver.
But if you’re pining for really sport intensive driving, I would look elsewhere — the body leans a bit too much when pushed.
Engine output and refinement are just right for this type of practical run-about.
Looks Good Too
A lot of people like the profile of a wagon, and I’m one of them. It just looks right — like the vehicle is properly using all the available people and cargo room available for its wheelbase. The Touring was styled in Europe, and exhibits some of the flair of those aforementioned upscale wagons.
I wish the rear seats folded down a bit flatter. But otherwise the rear section of the Touring is very optimized for carrying stuff. The hatch opens wide and high, and there’s virtually no "lift over" — you can slide things in and out very easily. There is also a useful “under tray” which has compartments for organizing smaller stuff.
 |
| The cargo space is rated at 689 litres with rear seats up, and 1,886 litres with the rear seats down. (Photo: Mike Goetz/Auto123.com) |
Built for Touring
While the car uses the “Elantra” nameplate, Touring is actually built off a different platform than the Elantra sedan. But that’s not to say it isn’t built like pretty much any mass-market compact vehicle in the world: front-drive, 2.0-litre I4 engine (138 hp/136 lb-ft of torque), 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions, MacPherson strut front suspension, multi-link rear suspension, speed sensitive power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS.
The Transport Canada fuel rating for our automatic GLS is also right in the thick of things, at 8.7/6.5 L/100 km City/Highway.
On the road, the Touring displays easy-going handling that will appeal to many folks. It has a strong “on centre” feel; combined with an easy gait on the highway (revving at 3,000 at 120 km/hr), the Touring feels like it could cruise all day without tiring the driver.
But if you’re pining for really sport intensive driving, I would look elsewhere — the body leans a bit too much when pushed.
Engine output and refinement are just right for this type of practical run-about.
Looks Good Too
A lot of people like the profile of a wagon, and I’m one of them. It just looks right — like the vehicle is properly using all the available people and cargo room available for its wheelbase. The Touring was styled in Europe, and exhibits some of the flair of those aforementioned upscale wagons.
 |
| A lot of people like the profile of a wagon, and I’m one of them. (Photo: Mike Goetz/Auto123.com) |