The median price of a new vehicle in America is more than $38,000, but the Hyundai Elantra is proof that a great car can be had for half that amount.
The 2021 North American Car of the Year, the Elantra combines expressive styling and a roomy cabin with a sleek user experience, brisk performance, and crisp handling.
The NACTOY honor is one of the most prestigious on the whole entire planet. Awards are selected through a series of three separate votes by a diverse jury of automotive journalists from numerous outlets in the United States and Canada. Jurors evaluate the finalists based on segment leadership, innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction, and value for the dollar.
On this occasion, I happen to agree with the jurors. This is a car that feels like it should cost more.
Starting at $19,650 before manufacturer and dealer incentives the Elantra worthy competition for the Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, Subaru Impreza, and Honda Civic, all of which offer base models in the $19,000 to $21,000 range.
What, no American models in this class? None that I can think of.
Pleasant company
Even though our test model, a superbly equipped Limited ($25,450) averaged close to 35 mpg, I actually had to buy gas (six whole gallons!) because it arrived in a week that required a pair of trips to the Metroplex.
I picked up and dropped off the car at Texas Motor Speedway, so I experienced it during a pair of lovely road trips plus some aggravating Metroplex traffic jams. Talk about infrastructure on life support. So many projects remain undone year after year.
In between, I spent a great deal of time wondering where in the heck Blonde Bride had got off to with test drive.
"It just fit my body beautifully," she explained. "Plus, I could see out well, and visibility is important the way people drive in Texarkana.
"And it's pretty."
Case closed.
To tell the truth, that is an accurate summary of this car. The cabin is nicely assembled with pleasant materials and features a glossy black digital instrument cluster and infotainment system. Though these are two screens, they look like one.
The car is comfortable to drive, inspires confidence when asked to make quick maneuvers, has plenty of power for the interstate, and has a long list of standard safety technology.
How it drives
Pushed hard through turns, the Elantra handles almost like a sports car, a testament to the all-new architecture that blends aluminum and high-strength steel. The results in a car that is lighter but far more crashworthy.
The 2021 Elantra has not yet been crash-tested by American authorities. The previous iteration earned four of five stars, average for the class.
Steering is light and quick and accurate. As with all-electric, drive-by-wire steering systems, feedback is minimal. The suspension is tight and tire grip is good. Body roll is well controlled, especially in our model, which came with upgraded, double-wishbone suspension.
Braking is strong and resists fade.
The cabin is quiet for the class, but not quite as hushed as the Sentra or Mazda3. Pushed hard, like when entering Interstate traffic, the naturally aspirated 2.0-L, four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmission can get loud.
Fortunately, those occasions are rare. Most of the time, the well-sorted CVT does a nice job of keeping the revs down. It also does a nice job emulating a geared transmission, with natural-sounding and feeling shift points.
The ride is good for a compact car. The suspension is firm and transmits some road unevenness into the cabin. Combined with the quick steering, the car occasionally feels nervous. The Corolla and Impreza have markedly better ride characteristics.
Safety nearly first
The Elantra comes standard with more than a dozen vital safety features, including traction and stability control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, lane departure warning, and lane-keep assist.
Hyundai's lane-keep assist is one of the better ones around. Some companies' systems result in the vehicle lurching from side to side like a pong game. Hyundai's does a nice job of balancing the car between the edges, even around curves.
The Elantra earns a pair of big demerits. Dynamic cruise control and LED headlamps are standard only on Limited models.
Indeed, LED headlights are not an option on lower models. The good news there is that, while the standard halogen headlamps are insufficient on any car, the bright lights on Elantra are electronically controlled.
Variety of models
The Elantra comes in seven models, ranging up to the 50-mpg Hybrid Limited($28,100) which feels like it should cost $10,000 more.
My choice would be the base hybrid version ($23,550) plus a $900 convenience package that includes heated front seats, the digital instrument panel, and adaptive cruise control.
Younger folks for whom this car is targeted might choose a sporty N Line ($25,200) which comes with a turbocharged engine, a 6-speed manual transmission, and a host of desirable goodies, like heated seats and mirrors, a wireless charging pad, sunroof, multilink rear suspension.
Despite today's super-heated auto market, Elantra buyers can expect to pay around 10 percent below window-sticker for a new Elantra. Hyundai is offering $1,500 cash. A fair point to begin negotiations is to ask the dealer to match it.
Hold that position until they ask you to leave. Whatever is in front of you at that point is the best deal you or anyone else is getting on that car.
Bottom line: Hyundai and its subsidiary, Kia, have experienced a series of substantial recalls related to faulty engine parts the past few years, so one hesitates to give an unqualified recommendation. On the other hand, the companies have made good and offer the best warranties in the business, five years on the whole car, 10 years powertrain.
In a time of spiraling prices and transformational technology, the Hyundai Elantra is a smart buy.