2011 Hyundai Elantra - The Washington Post

Bottom line:Hyundai has a winner here. It also has a message for rivals foreign and domestic, economy and luxury: It is long past time to stop scamming consumers with unnecessarily long lists of options. If Hyundai can deliver a fully loaded car, replete with onboard navigation and backup camera, for a bit more than $22,000, there is no reason why rival companies can't do the same for $30,000, $50,000, or $93,000.

Ride, acceleration and handling: It gets very good marks in all three.

Head-turning quotient: The 2011 Hyundai Elantra is the most attractive compact car currently available in the U.S. market.

Body style/layout: The new Elantra is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive, compact economy car of unitized body construction. It has four side doors and a traditional notchback trunk.

Engine/transmission: It comes standard with a 1.8-liter, double-overhead cam, 16-valve engine with variable valve lift and timing for improved fuel economy (145 horsepower, 130 foot-pounds of torque). The engine is linked to a six-speed transmission that can be operated automatically or manually.

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Capacities: There are seats for five people. Cargo capacity is 14.8 cubic feet. The gasoline tank holds 12.8 gallons of regular fuel.

Mileage: You get 29 miles per gallon in the city and 40 miles per gallon on the highway. Vehicle speed, cargo weight, traffic congestion, poorly maintained roads, and high crosswinds negatively affect that mileage.

Safety: Standard equipment includes four-wheel disc brakes (ventilated front, solid rear);

four-wheel antilock brake protection; emergency braking assistance; electronic brake force distribution; electronic stability and traction control; remote anti-theft alarm system; side-mounted and rear curtain air bags.

Price: The base price on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited PZEV is $19,980. Dealer's price on that model is $19,145. Price as tested is $22,830, including $2,130 in options (onboard navigation, backup camera, premium sound system, iPod and other infotainment connectivity) and a destination fee. Dealer's price as tested is $21,788. Compare with Chevrolet Cruze Eco, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, and Toyota Corolla.

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