Buy New Hyundai Avante 1.6

Buy New Hyundai Avante 1.6

The all-new Avante is a car that has made the engineers at Hyundai proud. Because with this automobile, we have been able to find the perfect balance between performance, aesthetics and safety. The Avante promises an elegant appearance, extremely reliable functioning and a delightfully comfortable drive.

And it delivers on all acounts

In an Avante, eloquent curves of a distinctly European exterior, climate control air-con system and extensive legroom point towards emphasis on design. 5-star NHSTA rating announce that safety has been painstakingly achieved. An improved 1.6 engine delivering 121hps reassures you that performance has not been compromised.

On the inside as well, the Avante impresses - the quality of its materials is first class, and one definitely senses this is the two-tone cabin of a well-designed car. From prevalence of soft-touch material, to way in which the shapes of the door flow to match those of the dashboard, it is quite clear that no detail has been overlooked or forsaken. Even the door pocket for bottles has been canted slightly to accommodate the armrest, and there is even a small icon to remind one not to leave the bottle uncapped.

The textures on the Avante’s dashboard are certainly a nice tactile experience, especially for a Korean car. The switches that govern the digital climate control work with well-oiled precision and are backlit in a cool shade of blue, for example, and the metallic finishes on the centre and floor console have been etched with a fine hexagonal texture. Quite clearly with the Avante, Hyundai is out to impress with fine detailing – and it is does so very convincingly.

Apart from style, the other overwhelming feeling one gets from sitting in the Avante is of substance. The seats are generously proportioned and shaped, and one does feel as if they came from a larger car.

At the same time, the smooth shapes and well-blended forms gives the cabin a futuristic feel, not one that is trapped in the old beige-and-wood-veneer era. Despite looking so sleek on the outside, there is more than enough space for the cabin to take five adults in comfort.

Under the bonnet, the Avante gets a new DOHC 16-valve 1.6-litre engine with variable valve timing. Compared to the 112bhp put out by the Elantra, the new engine puts out an impressive 121bhp. This makes the Avante more powerful than the 115bhp Volkswagen Golf 1.6 with its direct-injection FSI engine.

On the other hand, the Koreans still have a thing or two to learn about making their engines sound sweet as the Avante can start to sound a little raucous when revved hard. The standard transmission is a 4-speed automatic, and it mates well with engine, allowing it to cruise at 100km/h with the engine at a relaxed 2500rpm.