But with elusive brand Xs all around it this 2010, the Avante needs a much needed facelift before it can hope to pique the industry’s interest in the same way as it did with the Genesis. We’ll take a look at how this Hyundai bucked trends – how good was it at spanning more variations on this successful theme.
The Avante was one of the first to receive the new Hyundai “family” grille that in typical European form, aims to promulgate its DNA across different models, and from there it already gets unusual for this Korean manufacturer. The headlamp cluster is rather, perhaps delightfully large, with separate bulbs for high and low beams – very useful when you find yourself stuck along a dark stretch of road.
The bonnet points the way to A pillars which are located higher up, yielding a larger windscreen and better viewing angle from within. This leads on to a fluidly styled side profile that’s easy to capture and reflect light off. This, in addition to a raised C pillar for maximum rear passenger and luggage space.
The high boot also leads to your typical, European, sporty look that rounds off said fluid “S” curves that flow round the side of the car to the rear. This gives the car a side profile that is less than square in appearance. All of this is joined nicely with the front and rear fenders, complete with well designed brake-lamp clusters.
The Avante was one of the first to receive the new Hyundai “family” grille that in typical European form, aims to promulgate its DNA across different models, and from there it already gets unusual for this Korean manufacturer. The headlamp cluster is rather, perhaps delightfully large, with separate bulbs for high and low beams – very useful when you find yourself stuck along a dark stretch of road.
The bonnet points the way to A pillars which are located higher up, yielding a larger windscreen and better viewing angle from within. This leads on to a fluidly styled side profile that’s easy to capture and reflect light off. This, in addition to a raised C pillar for maximum rear passenger and luggage space.
The high boot also leads to your typical, European, sporty look that rounds off said fluid “S” curves that flow round the side of the car to the rear. This gives the car a side profile that is less than square in appearance. All of this is joined nicely with the front and rear fenders, complete with well designed brake-lamp clusters.
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With more straight lines to go around, you’ll feel as if you’re sitting in anything but a Hyundai. You see, homogeneity was never a strongpoint of the big “H,” but it’s in the Avante that one sees where they’ve tried hard. Well, sure, the colours are an average-like grey and the ergonomics aren’t very different from the rest of its class-rivals, but there’s a certain tastefulness here that we couldn’t deny.
In addition, it’s hard to find out-of-place-looking switchgear that isn’t finished in high-quality, soft-touch materials that would probably find home in a Volkswagen, what with tight-fitting panels and so on in that fashion.
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You might find rear shoulder room to be a little wanting though, especially if you’re coming from a Toyota Corolla, but this is made up for with generous amounts of head and legroom – almost on par with the current Sonata.
The rear seats also part ways in 60/40 split fashion. They fold down fully, where the moulded-plastic rear floor folds up to reveal a space saving tyre. It also has a nicely sized trunk. Although high, you’ll find that it’s easy to load stuff into, and it accommodates long, flat surfaces like your typical Ikea table easily.
Complementary to the standard affair of power windows and locks, mirrors, etc., our test car also came with a very useful multifunction trip computer that calculates stuff like your average and instantaneous fuel consumption, distance travelled and distance left to an empty petrol tank, and a surprisingly good audio system.
It’s an integrated unit that combines an optional hands-free Bluetooth connectivity and a standard USB/iPod interface that allows the user to control the external device from the centre stack.
Driving Impressions
Fire up the Avante, and you’re greeted with utter silence from the 1.6-litre, 121 bhp four-pot, which is shared with the i30.
The engine features variable valve timing, and revs eagerly, and doesn’t feel the slightest bit underpowered, thanks to its relatively light kerb weight of 1,172 kg.
The rear seats also part ways in 60/40 split fashion. They fold down fully, where the moulded-plastic rear floor folds up to reveal a space saving tyre. It also has a nicely sized trunk. Although high, you’ll find that it’s easy to load stuff into, and it accommodates long, flat surfaces like your typical Ikea table easily.
Complementary to the standard affair of power windows and locks, mirrors, etc., our test car also came with a very useful multifunction trip computer that calculates stuff like your average and instantaneous fuel consumption, distance travelled and distance left to an empty petrol tank, and a surprisingly good audio system.
It’s an integrated unit that combines an optional hands-free Bluetooth connectivity and a standard USB/iPod interface that allows the user to control the external device from the centre stack.
Driving Impressions
Fire up the Avante, and you’re greeted with utter silence from the 1.6-litre, 121 bhp four-pot, which is shared with the i30.
The engine features variable valve timing, and revs eagerly, and doesn’t feel the slightest bit underpowered, thanks to its relatively light kerb weight of 1,172 kg.
Any lack of drumming, whining or shouting from under the bonnet sort of reminds you where Hyundai did its research – it’s very quiet on the move, and coupled with a lack of road and wind noise, things remained silent way past 100 km/h, save for some mechanical noise. But again, it’s easily comparable to the NVH class-leading Corolla.
It gets to 100 km/h from zero in about 11 seconds in real life, pretty average if you ask us, but again, thanks to it not being overweight, in-gear acceleration from 90 km’h-120 km/h is surprisingly good, so you won’t feel short-changed in this car when you decide to head up north.
Rebel it is not. Smooth operator, it aims to be. This four-door sedan brings the Mazda 3 to mind. If you’ve driven one, you’ll also know that it feels quick to corner, but is a little heavy in feel. Good, if you like European cars, but bad if you want economical fuel figures at the end of the day.
The Avante feels as if it’s in-between the Mazda and its smaller brother, the Verna/Accent – while managing to stay agile, it also has a continental-like tightness to it.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the quick, linear steering and minimal body roll of the superb-handling i30, but nevertheless, it outperforms many other cars in its class, with reservations made for the “i,” as well as the bigger, heavier Mazda.
Is it still good?
Of course it is. In today’s Corolla and Vios-dominated times, we’d like to think of this car as the proverbial “Toyota killer,” ie. something that’s a real threat to the Japanese car manufacturer.
It gets to 100 km/h from zero in about 11 seconds in real life, pretty average if you ask us, but again, thanks to it not being overweight, in-gear acceleration from 90 km’h-120 km/h is surprisingly good, so you won’t feel short-changed in this car when you decide to head up north.
Rebel it is not. Smooth operator, it aims to be. This four-door sedan brings the Mazda 3 to mind. If you’ve driven one, you’ll also know that it feels quick to corner, but is a little heavy in feel. Good, if you like European cars, but bad if you want economical fuel figures at the end of the day.
The Avante feels as if it’s in-between the Mazda and its smaller brother, the Verna/Accent – while managing to stay agile, it also has a continental-like tightness to it.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the quick, linear steering and minimal body roll of the superb-handling i30, but nevertheless, it outperforms many other cars in its class, with reservations made for the “i,” as well as the bigger, heavier Mazda.
Is it still good?
Of course it is. In today’s Corolla and Vios-dominated times, we’d like to think of this car as the proverbial “Toyota killer,” ie. something that’s a real threat to the Japanese car manufacturer.
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Should you consider this?
The only weak point of the Avante so far, would have been its fuel consumption – we only managed 10-11 kilometres to the litre in mixed driving conditions.
But still, with prices starting from $54,299 for the automatic – a vast gap from that of a $71,000 Corolla, or even a Vios ($60,000).
The only weak point of the Avante so far, would have been its fuel consumption – we only managed 10-11 kilometres to the litre in mixed driving conditions.
But still, with prices starting from $54,299 for the automatic – a vast gap from that of a $71,000 Corolla, or even a Vios ($60,000).
There’s also the option of tasteful add-ons from Mobis, such as skirtings, folding mirrors and plastic door visors, scuff plates, 17-inch wheels, foglamps and a quality red-stitched gear knob and leather steering wheel set that also comes with volume controls.
The real competition would be from none other than its sister model, the Kia Cerato Forte. For $52,000, the Forte represents good value in terms of equipment, but suffers greatly with its performance and fuel consumption, what with nearly 1400 kilograms of weight to lug around.
The real competition would be from none other than its sister model, the Kia Cerato Forte. For $52,000, the Forte represents good value in terms of equipment, but suffers greatly with its performance and fuel consumption, what with nearly 1400 kilograms of weight to lug around.
