With seating for up to five, the compact Elantra's looks and fuel efficiency - it's rated at 40 mpg on the highway - make it a compelling choice in the segment. The Elantra is available as a four-door sedan, a coupe or a four-door hatchback. Competitors include the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze.
The Elantra coupe hopes to gain youthful buyers looking for a sportier compact car. The coupe uses the same engine and transmissions as the sedan to hit mileage ratings up to 40 mpg with a manual transmission. Other small coupes include the Honda Civic, Kia Forte Koup and Scion tC.
There are two fewer doors, but that doesn't mean Hyundai has sacrificed space inside. The coupe's interior dimensions are close to the sedan's dimensions, plus the coupe's trunk is just as large as the sedan's sizable cargo area of 14.8 cubic feet.
To liven up the driving experience, the coupe's suspension and steering system have been tuned to offer more responsive driving, Hyundai says. On the inside, the front seats have thicker side bolstering to grip the driver.
Under the Hood
The Elantra is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that's rated at 148 horsepower and gets an EPA-estimated 29/40 mpg city/highway whether you get the standard six-speed manual or the optional six-speed automatic. Mechanical features include:
- Uses regular gas
- Front-wheel drive
- Available push-button start
Safety
Standard safety features include:
- All-disc antilock brakes
- Side-impact airbags for the front seats
- Front and rear side curtain airbags
- Electronic stability system with traction control
- Tire pressure monitoring system