The Best Tech Features Standard On The 2023 Hyundai Elantra Limited
The days of needing a Mercedes or BMW in order to enjoy flagship tech features are long over. Now, even the most affordable cars and SUVs typically boast cabin gadgets that were unthinkable even just a decade ago. The 2023 Hyundai Elantra may start at under $21,000, but this affordable sedan manages to avoid feeling spartan when it comes to creature comforts.
Of course, Hyundai offers upgrades, and in the case of the 2023 Elantra Limited trim, there are some advantages in return for its $26,500 (plus destination) sticker price. Buyers on a strict budget might well be wondering whether the delta is worth it, but there are some stand-out features that you don't get on Hyundai's cheaper SE and SEL trims.
All 2023 Elantra trims get climate control, two USB ports, an alarm, power windows, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, Bluetooth phone connectivity, and steering wheel media controls. Hyundai also makes forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection standard, along with blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, lane following assist, driver attention warnings and high-beam assist. Rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, and safe exit warnings are also standard.
Limited trim loads up the creature comforts
That's not bad for the sticker price, but the Elantra Limited trim is worth considering for its upgrades. It gets a power tilt-and-slide sunroof, for example, plus dual-zone automatic climate control. Keyless unlock and push-button start are standard, too, and the analog driver gauges are replaced by a fully-digital, 10.25-inch screen. A hands-free trunk release is standard, as is Hyundai Digital Key, which allows you to use your smartphone to unlock the car.
Inside the car, you can drop that phone onto a wireless charging pad, which is standard on the Limited trim. The infotainment system has a 10.25-inch touchscreen and navigation, larger than the 8-inch standard screen. In a longstanding Hyundai oddity, the bigger display also means you only get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though, not wireless. However, the Bose 8-speaker audio system and standard-fit SiriusXM probably make up for that foible.
While Hyundai's standard active safety suite is comprehensive, the Elantra Limited adds cyclist and junction-turning detection to the forward collision-avoidance assist system, plus reverse parking sensors and reverse parking collision-avoidance assistance. It also includes Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, and the automaker's Highway Drive Assist (HDA) system. The latter combines adaptive cruise control with lane-guidance assistance; it's a hands-on system, but it can definitely make long-distance journeys more comfortable.
Hyundai's voice recognition is smarter than many
Just how valuable the 2023 Elantra Limited's other tech additions will be to you, depends on how you like to interact with your car. Dynamic Voice Recognition is standard on the Limited trim and launched on select trims of the 2021 model year Elantra. Though it allows for voice control over navigation and multimedia, it also supports more broad-ranging questions such as those you might address to a Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa smart speaker.
That includes weather forecasts, general trivia information, or even stock updates, along with natural language requests for nearby points of interest. Rather than having to phrase a search for a gas station or coffee shop in a certain way in order to have it understood, you can simply tell the Elantra "I need coffee" and it'll figure it out itself.
The other high-tech feature standard on the Elantra Limited trim is Bluelink. Three years of both the Bluelink Connected Care & Remote Package, and the Bluelink Guidance Package, are included. The former includes diagnostic alerts and service updates, along with Enhanced Roadside Assistance which can share your specific location with rescue services, plus the ability to remotely start the Elantra from the Hyundai app. That same app supports remotely locking and unlocking the car's doors.
Bluelink Guidance, meanwhile, builds on the navigation features. For example, you could save favorite locations within the MyHyundai website, and wirelessly share them with the car. There's also a Search by Voice button on the Elantra's mirror for hands-free searches. After the three-year subscription, each of the packages is priced at $99/year or $9.90/month.