Taking a look from the outside in paints an optimistic picture. The specs sheet for Hyundai's Elantra is full of perfectly respectable numbers. The engine is a right-sized 2.0 liters and it's clean enough to qualify as either a ULEV or SULEV vehicle, depending on state. Output, partly thanks to Hyundai's CVVT (Continuously Variable Valve Timing), is 138 horsepower and 136 pounds-feet of torque (down 6 and 3 on SULEV cars), which is above-average among the base models of competitors. Transmission choices of 5-speed manual and 4-speed auto are on par, and its 15-inch wheels are probably the ideal size for balancing ride and handling. The Elantra's front struts are universal, but its multilink rear suspension is leagues ahead in sophistication compared to cars wearing famous names like Corolla, Sentra, and Ion, to name three. It also has stabilizer bars standard at both ends, which many don't. All of the above is common to all Elantras.
Every automaker has their own lettering system to stratify their models. At Hyundai, "GLS" has traditionally designated the loaded model, and that's where the Elantra starts. With AC, power windows and locks, keyless entry with alarm, and side air bags, it's not bad. Cruise control, a CD player, antilock brakes with traction control, and a moonroof are all contained in numbered option packages that build successively, mostly in that order. Fully equipped with all of the above, an automatic Elantra tops out at $16,414, which is about $1,000 to $2,000 less than equivalent Japanese rivals.
The Elantra has only one other trim, the GT. Available as a sedan or 5-door hatchback, the GT adds leather, a Kenwood MP3 CD player with two extra speakers, a purple(!) instrument cluster, a tachometer, a spoiler, and alloy wheels. Aside from its sport-tuned suspension and sport-tuned steering, it will drive like the GLS. Still, it has a lot of extra stuff, which all adds up to $16,189. A moonroof and antilock brakes with traction control are the only two options, and adding them raises the price to $17,414 - exactly $1,000 above that loaded GLS. Opting for the more-versatile Elantra GT hatchback is free; there is no price penalty over the GT sedan. Does the good news never end?
Apparently not. The most enticing numbers come last: 10 and 100,000, 5 and 60,000. Those are the numbers for Hyundai's basic and powertrain warranties, respectively, in terms of years and mileage. Remember in 1999 when they started calling it the "Hyundai Advantage?" Since no one has beaten it, the advantage remains.
Criticisms? Critics have noted that the Elantra's driving dynamics, while competitive, aren't as refined as the best. Observed gas mileage figures have been a tad low: mid-20s instead of an expected high-20s. Every Elantra could use a telescopic steering column. And having an upgraded model with a high-output engine would make things much more interesting, but that's not a knock on the existing car. All things considered, Hyundai's right: we win.
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