Sporty, economic and an awesome value
I bought a base model Elantra. Yup; SE trim, manual transmission, not a speck of leather to be seen anywhere in the vehicle, not to its detriment.
I'm extremely happy with the Elantra. From the first time you see it, the sporty, aggressive exterior styling is refreshing, no other car on the road looks anything like it. I really like the white headlamp accent pieces, the faux-LED looking tail lights. Moving to the inside, though it is plastic galore, it's nicely shaped and solidly built plastic. I like the blue interior lighting accents. All the buttons and controls are in their place and are very easy to reach and use, and there's nothing too extra. I like how high you sit in the car too.
Mechanically speaking, first off I'm very impressed with how short the throws of the shifter are, and the gear selector feels solid, there's no lack of conviction when shifting gears. The engine is so quiet, you'll forget it's idling at first, always check the tach before turning the key! The engine also makes quite a satisfying purr at low RPMs and a decent growl at higher RPMs, for an economy car's stock exhaust. On the topic of economy, I've averaged about 34mpg with a 50/50 mix of highway and city driving, and I have a lead foot. Speaking of highway driving, the highway noise is minimal, and the ride is comfy without being floaty.
The engine is decently powerful, 145 horsies get the job done with plenty of zip, but I scratch my head and wonder why it's still multipoint injection and not direct injection like every other Hyundai engine.
Some other touches I have to praise Hyundai for, keeping in mind that this is the most base model vehicle, no upgrades or packages of any kind: one-touch down driver's window, that's huge for a base model. The speakers are insane; sharp and precise treble, balanced mids and impressively deep bass. XM radio, AUX jack, iPhone USB compatibility, and three power ports, standard. Awesome.
In summary, you can't go wrong with the Elantra for an exceptional value. Gorgeous, unique styling, great fuel economy, lots of amenities, plenty of bang for your buck, all covered by the best auto manufacturer's warranty in the business, it's unreal.
Recommended
Verified Owner
