Driving Impressions

The Hyundai Elantra offers spirited handling with predictable response and calm confidence. The Elantra rides softer than the sportier Nissan Sentra or Mazda3. The ride is good, although after a couple hours on a bad freeway, the sharp bumps might wear on those who are perhaps more tender. Overall, it's a good fit for someone who just wants good transportation without attitude. The brakes are excellent. We really used them hard a few times, and they didn't cause the car to dart or weave while they sharply, and evenly, brought down the speed. The five-speed manual gearbox worked well. Out on the freeway, 80 miles per hour doesn't feel like 80, which is always a good sign, especially for a compact car. The tachometer showed 3500 rpm at that speed, and it's not in the least bit buzzy. It feels long-legged for such a small car, as if it could cruise cross-country with smoothness and ease. There's plenty of oomph in the four-cylinder engine, which makes 138 horsepower. Our test model had the five-speed, and the engine revved right up to the redline of 6500 rpm. And, with a sufficient supply of torque, 136 pound-feet, it also accelerates easily at low rpm. We felt that the throttle was perhaps a bit sensitive upon initial acceleration; with the manual transmission, it required a deft touch with the throttle to pull out from a standstill without giving it more gas than it needed. Fuel economy is 24/33 mpg City/Highway with the manual gearbox, 25/33 mpg with the automatic. The Touring model, which weighs about 200 pounds more than the sedan, is rated at 23/31 mpg with the manual and 23/30 mpg with the automatic.

Final Word

The Hyundai Elantra offers a roomy interior for the class, a good package of safety equipment, and a strong warranty. The styling holds its own in the class; it looks very clean but doesn't try to draw attention to itself. The seats are comfortable, the brakes are excellent, and the cornering capability is good, making it enjoyable to drive. The engine offers the latest four-cylinder technology; it can power the Elantra to 80 miles per hour without much effort and delivers good fuel economy when driven conservatively. With a price that's lower than most other compact cars, the Elantra is a worthy competitor in the class and offers a very good value for the money. Sam Moses contributed to this NewCarTestDrive.com report.