A Better Ride With Hyundai

 

I had the pleasure of driving and enjoying the launch of two great vehicles by Hundai in San Diego and understanding the brand’s concept to a better ride with Hyundai, which means:

• More Comfort
• More Safety
• More Technology
• Fuel Efficiency
• Bold Lines infused in Style
• More Space

Here are some of the reasons why the Elantra GT and the Sonata do offer a Better Ride:

Sonata 2018

More comfort is felt in a spacious cabin with cooled seats and a super spacious trunk.

One of my favorite features on the Hyundai Sonata 2018 is the ability to open the trunk just by touching the emblem! No more awkward push and pull, also offering the hands free smart trunk system.

The super convenient and easy one touch button on the emblem was by far one of my favorite features, and I also loved that I could open the trunk just by being near by without kicks or flips! The trunk automatically opens if you walk back to the vehicle, after you locked and went somewhere.

 

The new 2018 Sonata is jam packed with safety features which come standard. Some of my favorites:

• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Hands Free Infotainment – voice activated

Technology is definitely where the vehicles really impressed me, Google Home and Alexa integration for remote start and many other features, puts Hyundai in the fore front of efforts to make vehicles that make your life easier and more comfortable.

You know I’m all about using technology to make my life easier and better, so just the fact that I can enjoy a cup of coffee while Google Home remote starts my car and turns on the air before I even close my front door or every time I’m at the movie theater and I can’t remember if I locked my car doors, I can view it and lock it, without ever having to leave the theater.

 

The Clari fI system offers the music restoration technology, where it actually changes the files, offering a better sound experience!

The Sonata is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible, giving us unlimited possibilities without ever having to touch a button!

Pairing my Iphone and Sony phone was super easy and allowed me to enjoy the convenience of using my voice to play my favorite playlist, find my favorite restaurants in town or just asking Siri questions about San Diego!

I also loved the piano keys buttons, which gives it a completely unique and fresh look!

 

 

The extra USB in the back was a great thought! Definitely a plus for a mom of a teen who is always fighting to charge his phone in the car {and there are two extras in the front).

I sat in the back and I had a lot of space; also in the front driver and passenger seats, something I really value, having a 6’5″ son!

 

Beautiful design, the cascading grille, extended headlights and beautiful fog lights highlight a bold, beautiful design! 

You might want to consider that:

• Even though I personally loved the flat design, giving a more refined look, the steering wheel seemed thin and lacked padding
• The interior plastic frame lacks that finished touch, which I would love to see in future updates!

 

• MSRP starts at  $22,935.

These are just some of the amazing features I’ve enjoyed on the New Sonata, but above all I was really amazed by all the efforts Hyundai is putting in to be the leading brand in developing vehicles that integrate technology as a standard commodity!

I can’t wait to have the Sonata at my home and spend a few days integrating apps like Pandora, Spotify and my Google Home and Alexa to navigate some of the great features, allowing me to enjoy a comfortable ride with my favorite music and soak up the sun!

Elantra GT and GT Sport

I had a chance to spend almost 4 hours driving around San Diego, on board the new Elantra GT!

It is a great vehicle with a lot of trunk space, but the folding seats are a feature that I really like since I always have trouble sliding the seat down when I need more room!

I also loved the raised infotainment center and more:

The new extended body makes it unique in its own category.

Love the new lines, cascading grille design and extended headlights.

I also loved the extended sun roof.

But I was really impressed with the trim of the Elantra Sport, that I unfortunately did not have a chance to drive!

 

You might want to consider:

• It does not come with adaptive cruise control
• The pick up and overall ride was compromised once we hit a higher speed limit, not as comfortable and smooth, as you would expect!
• I was surprised by the car lock on the front panel, which is something I’ve never seen in vehicles!
• I also noticed that there was only one USB in the front and none in the back, so I could not charge both phones I was using for my review and I know my son would drive me crazy with just one USB charger in the vehicle.
• The MSRP starts at $ 18,800.

I really love the new design and awesome lines, which make this hatchback an absolute favorite in its category!

Here are some of the San Diego famous spots we had a chance to visit while driving the Elantra GT:

 

 

The Elantra GT showed me San Diego for the first time, even though it was my 4^th time there! It helped me make long lasting memories, fall in love with the city and a priceless moment: my first time enjoying the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean!

I will be sharing more of my visit to San Diego and some Hyundai event highlights soon!

For more on the Sonata and Elantra GT, check the Hyundai site at: Hyundai

I can’t wait to hear what you think about both vehicles, as usual give us a Trendy Shout!