FANCIER FAMILY SALOONS

Which of these three models has the best mix of equipment and abilities to satisfy the family man who wants more than just the basics?

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

Which of these three models has the best mix of equipment and abilities to satisfy the family man who wants more than just the basics?

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THE family runabout was once a no-frills saloon that was relatively spacious and efficient. Buyers today, however, have come to expect more than just these basics, and carmakers have duly responded.

The newest contender in this story is the Subaru Impreza. Utilising a new platform, the model is roomier and more comfortable than before. Apart from these attributes, Subaru also promises a more dynamic driving experience compared to its predecessor.

Trying to be more impressive than the Impreza is the Hyundai Elantra in Elite spec. We’ve always been impressed with this Korean saloon, which has an upmarket feel, an ergonomic cabin and a well-tuned suspension. It was recently updated, and now has a Euro 6-compliant engine. But can the Korean car beat its two Japanese rivals here?

The strongest competitor  facing the Impreza and Elantra is the Honda Civic, which boasts improved performance and nicer styling compared to its predecessor. The current Civic was voted as Singapore’s “Best Family Saloon” at the 2016 ST-Torque Awards.

Can the Civic emerge ahead in this shootout? Or will it have to give way to an even better 1.6-litre contender? Keep reading and find out!

SUBARU IMPREZA 1.6 
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ENGINE

Subaru’s 1.6-litre flat-4 with 114bhp and 150Nm is the smoothest-revving motor of this test.

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COCKPIT 

The group’s most driver-friendly cockpit features the best forward and lateral visibility, plus the sportiest pedals and the strongest air-conditioning. With four USB ports and two 12-volt outlets, this cockpit offers the best connectivity, too.

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BACKSEAT

Best for folks with big feet as the footwell space is the most generous. But the shorter backrests and higher floor protrusion (for the driveshaft) relative to the Honda and Hyundai mean this bench is more comfortable for two occupants rather than three.

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METERS 

Impreza’s meters look ordinary, but the dashboard’s Multi-Function Display, which shows info such as incline/decline angles and torque distribution, is out of the ordinary and will definitely interest keen drivers.

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BOOT

Impreza’s 460-litre boot is good for hauling longer and wider items such as flat-pack furniture, as its pass-through aperture is the largest. However, this is the only boot here without backrest release levers.

HONDA CIVIC 1.6
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ENGINE

Honda’s 1.6-litre 4-pot with 125bhp and 152Nm has the keenest power delivery.

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COCKPIT 

Most driver-focussed cockpit has the most supportive seats and the easiest-to-reach gearshift lever, and is also the only one with paddle shifters. But the short centre armrest and small front doorbins reduce practicality.

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BACKSEAT

Most spacious backseat of the group, with class-leading legroom and the tallest backrests, readily accommodates 1.8m tall passengers. The roomy rear doorbins also make this the most accommodating area for family members.

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METERS 

Civic’s all-digital instrument cluster is the sharpest and most advanced here. It plays a cool animation upon start-up and even lets drivers “remove” the tachometer.

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BOOT 

Civic’s 519-litre boot has the biggest opening and is the best for bulkier cargo. Its cargo-carrying flexibility, however, is affected by the ledge between the boot and the 60:40 split- fold aperture.

HYUNDAI ELANTRA 1.6 
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ENGINE 

Hyundai’s 1.6-litre 4-cylinder with 128bhp and 155Nm is the most powerful motor here.

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COCKPIT 

Feels even more solid than its two rival cockpits, and its large storage points make it more practical, too. But the car’s lower cost has meant the deletion of features such as the blind spot monitor and ventilated seats.

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BACKSEAT 

With the flattest floor of the three cabins, the Elantra can easily seat three adults. The supportive bench and better-placed air-con vents make this place the comfiest, too.

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METERS

New and old drivers alike will appreciate the Elantra’s logical instrumentation, the meters’ sizeable digits and the user-friendly menus.

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BOOT

Elantra’s 458-litre boot is the smallest but the most well-packaged. Apart from having the least intrusive wheel-arches, it’s also the only trunk here equipped with tethering points for securing cargo.

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SUBARU IMPREZA 1.6 (A) 

DRIVETRAIN

TYPE Flat-4, 16-valves

CAPACITY 1600cc

BORE X STROKE 78.8mm x 82mm

COMPRESSION RATIO 11:1

MAX POWER 114bhp at 6200rpm

MAX TORQUE 150Nm at 3600rpm

POWER TO WEIGHT 81bhp per tonne

GEARBOX CVT 

DRIVEN WHEELS All 

PERFORMANCE

0-100KM/H 12.4 seconds

TOP SPEED 185km/h

CONSUMPTION 15.6km/L (combined)

CO2 EMISSION 145g/km

SUSPENSION

FRONT MacPherson struts, coil springs

REAR Double wishbones, coil springs

BRAKES

FRONT / REAR Ventilated discs 

TYRES

TYPE Bridgestone Turanza T001

SIZE 205/50 R17 

SAFETY

AIRBAGS 7

TRACTION AIDS ABS, VDC

MEASUREMENTS

LENGTH 4625mm

WIDTH 1775mm

HEIGHT 1455mm 

WHEELBASE 2670mm

KERB WEIGHT 1407kg

TURNING CIRCLE 10.6m

BUYING IT

PRICE INCL. COE $100,800 (no CEVS rebate/surcharge)

WARRANTY 5 years/100,000km

+ MOST PLIANT RIDE, BEST ROADHOLDING, COOLEST INFOTAINMENT 

- LEAST EXCITING PERFORMANCE, LEAST ROOMY BACKSEAT, PROBABLY THE THIRSTIEST 

BEST IN REFINEMENT

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HONDA CIVIC 1.6 (A)

DRIVETRAIN

TYPE Inline-4, 16-valves

CAPACITY 1597cc

BORE X STROKE 81mm x 77.5mm

COMPRESSION RATIO 10.7:1

MAX POWER 125bhp at 6500rpm

MAX TORQUE 152Nm at 4300rpm 

POWER TO WEIGHT 100.1bhp per tonne

GEARBOX CVT with 7-speed override

DRIVEN WHEELS Front

PERFORMANCE

0-100KM/H 11.6 seconds

TOP SPEED 200km/h

CONSUMPTION 14.9km/L (combined)

CO2 EMISSION 153g/km

SUSPENSION

FRONT MacPherson struts, coil springs

REAR Multi-link, coil springs

BRAKES

FRONT / REAR Ventilated discs / Discs 

TYRES

TYPE Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2

SIZE 215/55 R16 

SAFETY

AIRBAGS 2

TRACTION AIDS ABS, VSA

MEASUREMENTS

LENGTH 4630mm

WIDTH 1799mm

HEIGHT 1416mm

WHEELBASE 2700mm

KERB WEIGHT 1249kg

TURNING CIRCLE 10.6m

BUYING IT

PRICE INCL. COE $118,999 (no CEVS rebate/surcharge)

WARRANTY 5 years/unlimited km

+ SWEETEST HANDLING, MOST RESPONSIVE POWERTRAIN, ROOMIEST BACKSEAT 

- THE FEWEST AIRBAGS, HIGHEST PRICE, LEAST PRACTICAL COCKPIT AREA 

BEST IN PERFORMANCE

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HYUNDAI ELANTRA 1.6 (A)

DRIVETRAIN

TYPE Inline-4, 16-valves

CAPACITY 1591cc

BORE X STROKE 77mm x 85.4mm

COMPRESSION RATIO 10.5:1

MAX POWER 128bhp at 6300rpm

MAX TORQUE 155Nm at 4850rpm

POWER TO WEIGHT 102.4bhp per tonne

GEARBOX 6-speed automatic with manual select

DRIVEN WHEELS Front

PERFORMANCE

0-100KM/H 11.6 seconds

TOP SPEED 195km/h

CONSUMPTION 14.5km/L (combined)

CO2 EMISSION 161g/km

SUSPENSION

FRONT MacPherson struts, coil springs

REAR Torsion beam, coil springs

BRAKES

FRONT / REAR Ventilated discs / Discs 

TYRES

TYPE Hankook Ventus Prime 2

SIZE 205/55 R16 

SAFETY

AIRBAGS 6

TRACTION AIDS ABS, ESC

MEASUREMENTS

LENGTH 4570mm

WIDTH 1800mm

HEIGHT 1450mm

WHEELBASE 2700mm

KERB WEIGHT 1250kg

TURNING CIRCLE 10.6m

BUYING IT

PRICE INCL. COE $95,999 (no CEVS rebate/surcharge)

WARRANTY 5 years/unlimited km

+ MOST POWERFUL ENGINE, SMOOTHEST TRANSMISSION, LOWEST PRICE 

- FEWER AMENITIES THAN BEFORE, SMALLEST BOOT, RELATIVELY BASIC INFOTAINMENT 

BEST IN BUILD QUALITY 

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LAST WORD

The Hyundai Elantra’s strong points include its sturdy construction, functional cockpit layout and smooth gearbox. At $95,999, it also costs about $10k less than the previous model, and is the most affordable saloon in this story.

The lower price, however, means the Elantra is less “Elite” than before, for it lacks some of its predecessor’s standard features, which include a blind spot monitor and ventilated front seats.

But if you can do without these goodies, the Elantra makes a very tempting proposition for the family man on a tighter budget.

Even more tempting than the Elantra is the Honda Civic. Families will like the roomy backseat and similarly roomy boot, while boyracers-turned-fathers will love the driver-oriented cockpit, responsive powertrain and agile handling, all of which is sure to make them fondly recall their bachelorhood.

The Civic has its shortcomings, though. Apart from having just two airbags (versus six in the Elantra and seven in the Impreza), it is also relatively expensive. The $118,999 Civic (at time of writing) is $23k and $18.1k dearer than the Elantra and Impreza respectively.

The numerous improvements made to the Impreza’s cabin, especially the enhanced connectivity, reduced NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) and roomier backseat, are indeed very impressive.

The creamy boxer engine and quiet CVT also deserve plaudits. You wouldn’t expect a family saloon to be this refined, but it is.

However, we do feel that the all-wheel-drive system is unnecessary in our urban context.

The Subaru Impreza might not be as exciting to drive as the Honda Civic or as well-made as the Hyundai Elantra. But as an overall package, it is the fancier family saloon to beat.