2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2019 Hyundai Elantra

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra received a significant facelift, featuring new styling elements forward of the windshield and front doors, redesigned wheels, and a revamped trunk lid, taillights, and rear bumper. While the previous model had a more conservative and upscale look, the 2019 version adopted a more geometric and kaleidoscopic design, which may not have been as universally appealing. Inside, subtle changes improved the interior, with new air vents, a carbon-texture finish on some plastic housings, updated gauges, and revised dashboard controls. The interior quality was high, with a robust and solid shifter, although some materials felt inexpensive, which is typical for a compact car.

In contrast, the 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI maintained a stealthy and innocuous appearance, with a 2-box design, honeycomb grille, red accents, and twin exhaust outlets. The GTI was available in S, Rabbit Edition, SE, and Autobahn trims, with prices starting at $27,595. The Rabbit Edition, priced at $28,895, featured gloss black 18-inch wheels, a rear roof spoiler, and side mirror caps, along with unique colors like Urano Gray and Cornflower Blue. Inside, the GTI's straightforward dashboard design, clear instrumentation, and quality materials were evident. The Clark Plaid cloth upholstery in the S and Rabbit Edition trims added a whimsical touch to the otherwise conservative interior.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra was equipped with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission powering the front wheels. While acceleration was acceptable, the driving dynamics were not particularly inspiring. The Elantra offered Normal, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Sport mode adding weight to the steering and Smart mode not being very perceptive. The EPA rated the Elantra at 32 mpg in combined driving, and during testing, it returned 29.3 mpg on a modified loop and 32.4 mpg after a week of driving. Handling was decent, with no significant praise or criticism for the steering and brakes, and the ride quality was busy due to the inexpensive torsion-beam rear-axle suspension.

The 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI, on the other hand, featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with an increased output of 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The GTI's VAQ limited-slip differential, standard on all trims, maximized traction and reduced understeer. The GTI's handling was impressive, with the VAQ differential and Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS P225/40R18 tires contributing to its performance. Acceleration was quick, with the ability to reach 60 mph without shifting to third gear. The GTI's ride was stiff, with plenty of bounce and chop on imperfect pavement, and the cabin filled with wind and road noise on the highway. The progressive, variable-ratio steering was responsive, and the brakes, borrowed from the Golf R, were sensitive and effective. The EPA rated the Rabbit Edition at 27 mpg in combined driving, and during testing, it returned 25.1 mpg.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra offered good front-seat comfort, with height-adjustable seats for both the driver and front passenger. Most trims included heated front seats, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. However, backseat comfort was less impressive, with hard plastic front seatbacks and a lack of air conditioning vents and USB ports. Interior storage was decent, with a good-size center-console storage bin, a sizable glove box, and a tray for smartphones. The Elantra's trunk offered 14.4 cubic feet of space, with a hands-free Smart Trunk feature on most trims.

The 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI provided height-adjustable front seats with robust bolsters, available in plaid cloth or leather, and a sliding and height-adjustable center armrest. The GTI's interior featured a thick-rimmed flat-bottom steering wheel, clear gauges, and sensibly arranged controls. Storage was plentiful, with a cavernous glove box, wide and deep lower door-panel bins, and a tray for smartphones. Backseat comfort was acceptable, with good thigh support and backrest angle, but limited leg space and narrow doors. The GTI's trunk offered 22.8 cubic feet of cargo space, though this seemed optimistic. Maximum cargo space was 52.7 cubic feet, with a pass-through for long items.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra, except for the base SE, came with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. The Limited trim included an Infinity premium sound system, and the Ultimate Package added an 8-inch display, navigation, and SiriusXM Data Services. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with a good balance of knobs and buttons. The Limited trim also offered a free 3-year trial subscription to Blue Link services, compatible with smartwatches and smart home devices.

The 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI's S and Rabbit Edition trims included a 6.5-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, and Car-Net App Connect with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Mirror Link. The SE trim offered an upgraded infotainment system with an 8-inch display, HD Radio, satellite radio, and a 6-month trial subscription to Car-Net Safety & Security services. The Fender premium sound system was available on the SE and standard on the Autobahn trim, which also included a navigation system. The Rabbit Edition's infotainment system was basic but functional, with some issues pairing an iPhone XS and running Pandora. The GTI also featured an adaptive LED front lighting system and a semi-autonomous parking assistant on the Autobahn trim.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra, starting with the SEL trim, included forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, a blind-spot-monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver-monitoring system. The Limited trim added adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, automatic high-beam headlights, and a Safe Exit system. The Elantra received top marks from the IIHS, except for an Acceptable rating for LATCH child-seat anchors. The NHTSA gave the Elantra a 4-star overall rating, with 4-star frontal-impact and rear-seat side-impact protection ratings.

The 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI offered forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and a blind-spot-monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert as a $450 option on the S trim. The Rabbit Edition included these features as standard. The SE trim added Car-Net Safety & Security services, and the Autobahn trim included adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, and an active blind-spot-monitoring system. All GTIs featured an automatic post-collision braking system. The GTI received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA, with a 4-star rating for the front passenger in the frontal impact test. The IIHS gave the GTI high marks, with an Acceptable rating for front passenger protection in the small overlap frontal impact test.