By Lorne Drury

Hyundai is sure on a roll in Canada these days With an up-to-date lineup and attractive pricing, Hyundai vehicles are flying off dealer lots in record numbers.

In October alone, Hyundai delivered 8,415 vehicles in Canada- a 43 per cent increase over the same month last year. It marked the 10th consecutive month of double-digit sales increases for the Korean manufacturer, which earlier this year vaulted into fourth place in overall global vehicle sales.

In Canada, the Elantra Touring five-door is one of those new vehicles that is helping propel Hyundai to ever higher sales figures.

Launched in 2009, the Elantra Touring is largely unchanged for 2010 except in some packaging details. I recently tested the '09 version in GL Auto trim that listed for $19,995 ($21,490 with the destination charged added in).

The Elantra Touring is a sportier spin-off of the popular Elantra sedan, Hyundai's best-selling model in Canada. In October, 1,973 Elantra Sedans were sold, while the Elantra Touring accounted for another 750 sales. The Elantra Touring is not based on the same platform as the Sedan, but on a totally different one that is sold as the I30 in Europe and Asia.

The Elantra Touring is aimed squarely at five-door hatches such as the Toyota Matrix, Dodge Caliber and Pontiac Wave.

At the recent Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) Testfest in Niagara-on-the-Lake Ont., the Elantra Touring finished second to the Mazda3 Sedan and ahead of the Kia Forte Koup in the Small Car (under $21,000) category. Because of pricing, a more direct competitor, the Mazda3 Sport hatchback was in a different category (Small car over $21,000), where it also came out on top.

While the Elantra Touring didn't win its category at Testfest, the judges including yours truly were understandably impressed with it as it topped the scoring in categories such as braking, cargo room and safety features.

Its low coefficient of drag (0.33) helps with fuel efficiency and reduces interior noise. It also has a broad stance and long wheelbase for extra stability.

For a vehicle priced under $20,000, the Elantra Touring has the interior look of a higher-priced vehicle. It's an attractive family car, in fact a great alternative to the minivan if interior space is a big consideration. It has the most interior volume of any five-door in its class at 3,571 litres, while its cargo capacity is 1,849 litres with the 60/40 split rear seats folded down. That's more than the much larger Infiniti FX (1,710 litres) and Hummer H3 (1,577 litres).

The interior is plain, yet nicely designed with materials that are an upgrade from earlier Hyundai offerings. There's less of the hard plastic and more soft touch materials on this model.

Drivers get an eight-way adjustable seat, including height adjustment and lumbar support as well as a tilt and telescopic steering wheel. The seats are fairly supportive, but not the best in classic. Hyundai's blue LCD technology is used on the central information display and gauge cluster as in some other models. Visibility is excellent all-round. Legroom and headroom is decent both front and rear.

Power for the Elantra Touring comes from a 2.0-litre, 138 hp four-cylinder DOHC engine. This is the same engine as in the Elantra Sedan. My tester featured a four-speed automatic transmission (with Shiftronic manual control) but it also is available with a five-speed manual.

Prices for the 2010 Touring L with manual start at $14,999, while the automatic adds $1,200 to the tab. Trim options have changed somewhat for 2010. The 2009 GL trim becomes the GLS for 2010 and the 2009 GL with Sport Package is the GLS with Sport Package for 2010.

The 2010 GL is priced at $17,399 for the five-speed manual and $18,599 for the automatic, while the GLS goes for $19,299 and $20,499. Add the Sport Package (17-in alloy wheels, upgraded audio system, power sunroof, steering wheels audio remote control, rear spoiler) and prices jump to $21,699 and $22,899. The GLS and GLS with Sport Package now come standard with electronic stability control (ESC) and traction control (TCS).

My tester had 15-inch steel wheels, remote keyless entry with alarm, dual front airbags along with front side and front and rear curtain airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and active head restraints. Other features included air conditioning, cruise control, trip computer, front heated seats, AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with six speakers, power windows and door locks and tilt steering. There' also heated exterior mirrors, fog lights, variable intermittent wipers and body colour door handles.

On the road, the Elantra Touring is a competent vehicle and certainly an attractive one in its price range. Its engine engine performs well in the city, but labours somewhat on hilly stretches (this is where the manual version of the Shiftronic can be employed). A fifth gear in the autobox, though, would surely help in those situations, but the four-speed tranny works well and shifts smoothly.

During AJAC testing, the Elantra Touring turned in a 0-100 km/h time of 10.3 seconds, slower than the other contenders in the Small Car class. Similarly, the 80-120 km/h time was 7.4 seconds, also trailing the Mazda3 and Kia Forte Koup.

Braking, however, topped the class with 100-0 km/h accomplished in 41.3 metres, well ahead of the competition.

The suspension is MacPherson struts in front with a multi-link rear setup along with springs, front and rear stabilizer bars and dampers that are unique to the vehicle, which is much more rigid than the Elantra Sedan. This results in a vehicle that handles well in all situations. There is little body roll on hard cornering, but the steering is a bit overly assisted and provides little road feedback.

On the fuel economy front, the car shines with rating of 8.7L/100 km (32 mpg) city and 6.5L/100 km (43 mpg) highway.

Add to that Hyundai's excellent warranty of five years/100,000 km (including a five year/100,000 powertrain warranty) and three-year/unlimited kilometer 24-hour roadside assistance and you have a car with lots to offer.

With a starting price south of $15K, the Elantra Touring is an excellent choice for families and young couples looking for a sporty economy car that provides the cargo capacity of a small minivan or SUV with the fuel economy of a compact. It's quite a combination and one that is making the Elantra Touring a rising star in the compact hatchback class.

HYUNDAI ELANTRA TOURING 2009

AT A GLANCE

BODY STYLE: five-door hatchback.

DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, front wheel drive.

ENGINE: 2.0-litre DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder (138 hp, 136 lb/f) with five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission with Shiftronic.

FUEL ECONOMY: 8.7L/100 km (32 mpg) city, 6.5L/100 km (43 mpg) highway.

PRICE: 2010 models- $14,999 to $22,899. As tested, 2009 GL Auto $19,995.

WEB SITE: www.hyundaicanada.com