Looking for a fuel efficient vehicle with a great warranty? Look no further than the all new, totally redesigned 2011 Hyundai Elantra. Motor Trend agrees....the Elantra is the car, getting 40 miles per gallon, out does the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Mazda3. Plus, only Glenbrook Hyundai, your Happy Car Store, in Fort Wayne doubles America's Best Warranty to 20 Years / 200,000 Miles!

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First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Elantra
No Asterisks Necessary: Hyundai's Transformation Continues with New
Compact
December 11, 2010 / By Scott Evans
Hyundai is worried. The company has seen an alarming increase in the use of
asterisks by the auto industry and has embarked on a mission to stamp out the
problem, starting with its new 2011 Hyundai Elantra.
Asterisk abuse often occurs in automotive advertising when fuel economy figures
regularly come with fine print caveats. There will be none of that with the new
Elantra. Hyundai is assuring that every 2011 Elantra gets the same impressive fuel
economy -- 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway -- no asterisks necessary.
Driving the point home at a recent press event, Hyundai picked on the Chevrolet
Cruze, noting that in order to get its touted 42 mpg* highway, you have to pay an
extra $1900 for the Eco model ($2825 if you want it with an automatic transmission).
Shots were fired across Ford's bow, with the smaller Fiesta targeted for requiring a
$2765 premium for a Super Fuel Economy package to match the Elantra's 40 mpg highway number.
Hyundai's marketing spinsters were also more than happy to highlight that the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 also lag behind the new Elantra in fuel
economy as well, and none can beat the Hyundai's starting price of $15,550. Only the Cruze Eco and Civic Hybrid can meet or beat the Elantra's fuel economy,
but they start some $3000 to $9000 higher. The wild card is the 2012 Ford Focus, which also promises 40 mpg highway, although its pricing is expected to start
higher than the Elantra.
More impressive than the Elantra's price and fuel economy are the compromises Hyundai didn't make to get to those numbers. All models -- regardless of trim,
features, or transmission selection -- get the same fuel economy. There's no special weight reduction or feature deletion for miserly models. And the new Elantra
is no penalty box. It's an inch longer and rides on a 2-inch-longer wheelbase than the outgoing model. Despite the car's growth spurt, Hyundai was able to shave
roughly 62 pounds off its curb weight.
The biggest gun in the new Elantra's arsenal is its all-new 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder engine, which produces a class-competitive 148 horsepower and 131
pound-feet of torque (145 horsepower and 130 pound-feet for California PZEV models). The Nu engine features continuously variable valve timing on both the
intake and exhaust cams and a two-stage intake plenum that alters the intake runner length for more torque or more horsepower. An electronic throttle linked to
both the engine and transmission computers helps maximize fuel economy. The new Nu is also 74 pounds lighter than Hyundai's outgoing four-cylinder. Notably
absent are gasoline direct injection, automatic engine start/stop and variable valve lift technology. Hyundai says those technologies are in the offing, but need to
be more cost effective before they can spider through its engine lineup.
As is, the Elantra's new engine proved plenty capable, providing a nice burst of power off the line and linear delivery across the power band. What's really
impressive is just how smooth it is all the way through the rev range. Whether cruising along at 70 or wringing it out to redline, it never exhibited that thrashy
feeling you get with lesser four-bangers. The only time we noticed a significant power deficit was while trying to pass on the freeway during a hill climb. Overall,
there's more than enough oomph for daily driving duties, on highway or off.
A pair of six-speed transmissions -- a manual or Hyundai's in-house automatic -- route the power. Available only on the lower GLS trim, the manual delivers
short throws and is relatively fun to toss around, but the gates are a bit vague and the clutch is very, very light. The new auto, standard on both the GLS and
top-shelf Limited, is mostly smooth but occasionally jerky on downshifts. Manual control is available on the shifter, but it will upshift for you when redline
approaches.
Slick as the new powertrain may be, there are other forces at work here. We recently dinged the diminutive Mitsubishi Outlander Sport for feeling gutless while
offering the same power as this Hyundai. The key difference is in the curb weight. The Mitsubishi crossover rang in at 3362 pounds, some 600 pounds heavier
than the Elantra. For a more apples-to-apples comparison, consider that the Elantra matches the Civic as the lightest car in its class. At just under 2700 pounds,
it is 300 pounds lighter than the Chevrolet Cruze and only 100 pounds heavier than a Ford Fiesta sedan. With that feathery curb weight and slightly more power
than the Civic, Hyundai is claiming a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio.
It's a difference you can feel on the road. With less weight to carry around, the Elantra is quick and nimble in town, on the highway or even your favorite back
road. The MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension aren't anything fancy, but they allow the Elantra to corner confidently while making it
surprisingly difficult to induce under- or oversteer. While late-braking into a turn gets the back end a bit light, it quickly settles in without getting squirrely.
Sportiness is really just a bonus. The Elantra's main mission is to serve as an affordable commuter, and it performs its duties well. The car rides nicely, feeling
planted without being too stiff on rough pavement. Wind and engine noise are well-controlled, though tire noise can be intrusive on rough pavement. As seems
to be a trend among newer Hyundais, the electric power steering feels elastic and artificial, like a high-end video game steering wheel, but it's quick and
accurate with no slop. As a bonus safety feature, in the event of a skid, it will try to force you to turn into the slide by reducing boost in the direction of the slide
and increasing boost when turning against the slide.
From the inside, the Elantra is a comfortable, if familiar affair. Interior styling draws heavily from other recent Hyundais, with the familiar two-binnacle
instrument cluster and swoopy center stack. There's a lot of empty space on that stack, and while the climate control is simple and straightforward, the standard
radio ergonomics aren't the best. Touchscreen navigation is optional on all models and includes an upgraded 360-watt stereo and an optional back-up camera,
all of which are relatively intuitive to use. Keyless entry and XM Satellite Radio are standard on all models, while Bluetooth, cruise control and even air
conditioning are optional. Top-shelf Limited models get standard leather with front and rear heated seats, cruise, Bluetooth, and steering wheel controls on a
telescoping steering wheel. While space is generally good all around, taller passengers won't be happy with the rear seat headroom.
It's a similar story on the outside. Where the old Elantra was anonymous, the new car demands to be noticed. Again, you'll find styling elements from other
Hyundais such as the Tucson-like grille treatment and Sonata-esque side character lines. And while some features, like the headlights that stretch nearly to the
A-pillars, can look odd by themselves, they all work together to create an attractive whole one Hyundai rep characterized as "swoopy and scoopy." As for rims,
15-inch steel wheels are standard, but both steel and alloy 16-inch wheels are available for the GLS and Limiteds come standards with 17-inch alloys.
With class-leading fuel economy (sans asterisks) and pricing, Hyundai's got a very solid contender on its hands. With the Cruze all-new and the Corolla and
Mazda3 already updated, the Elantra needs only worry about the eventual update to the Civic and the upcoming Focus. But for now, it's poised to lead the class.
With prices topping out at $22,700 before options and with leasing available at $169 per month for 36 months with $1699 down, Ford and Honda have their
work cut out. Hyundai's conservatively estimating sales on par with the current model, but like the new Sonata, we have a feeling the new Elantra will perform
considerably better.
2011 Hyundai Elantra
Base price $15,550-$22,700
Vehicle layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
Engine 1.8L/148-hp/131-lb-ft DOHC 16-valve I-4
Transmissions 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic
Curb weight 2700 - 2850 lb (mfr)
Wheelbase 106.3 in
Length x width x height 178.3 x 69.9 x 56.5 in
0-60 mph 8.5 sec (MT est)
EPA city/hwy fuel econ 29/40 mpg
CO2 emissions 0.59 lb/mile
On sale in U.S. Currently