What's the difference?
Is there a place for the humble sedan in 2019?
Hyundai seems to think so. And so for 2019 it has overhauled its Elantra range, with a polarising new look and interesting new trim levels.
Is the price right to push the Elantra to the forefront, though? Or is the i30’s less-famous sedan sibling destined to be overlooked?
We’ve spent some time in each of the Elantra’s four variants over the past few months to find out. Read on to see what’s what, and which one is our pick of the range.
The Jeep Compass is something of a unicorn among the long list of small SUVs sold in Australia. It is now the only model in either the light or small-SUV category that is available with a diesel engine.
That diesel is found under the bonnet of just one variant – the rugged Trailhawk which is also the flagship of the range.
Aside from Suzuki’s adorable Jimny light SUV, the Compass Trailhawk is the only small SUV with some off-road ability.
After going on sale in Australia in late 2017, the second-generation Compass was overhauled as part of a mid-life update in 2021. Aside from subtle styling tweaks, the biggest change was a new multimedia system.
Has Jeep done enough to lift the Compass from an also-ran to a model that buyers should consider, or was the update too little, too late?
The Elantra might be overlooked compared to its famous i30 stablemate, but it shouldn’t be. It’s every bit as entertaining to drive and just as well equipped.
It’s a shame active safety is on the option list for lower trim levels, and there’s no radar features on higher ones, and the unnecessary styling changes might polarise buyers. But the Elantra is otherwise a well-equipped and rewarding-to-drive package across the range.
The Jeep Compass Trailhawk is a curious beast. On the one hand, it looks pretty cool, and it has a well-executed new interior, featuring one of the best multimedia set-ups in the business. It’s spacious and has a long list of standard comfort and safety gear.
Sadly, that’s where the positives end.
It is way too expensive for what you get, especially when you consider the quality of some of its rivals from mainstream and premium brands.
The driver assist features are badly in need of recalibration and the overall drive experience is a letdown.
If you really want a diesel-powered small SUV, perhaps look at one of the much better diesel models at the smaller end of the medium-SUV segment.