2nd Place: Hyundai Elantra

Overview:

The second-place Elantra is very similar overall to the third-place Nissan Sentra in providing all-around competence and a roomy interior for a low price. But the Elantra gets the formula much better, equaling or exceeding its Nissan competitor in pretty much every way to come out a clear notch ahead. It nearly matches the benchmark Toyota Corolla in comfort and refinement (while beating its interior quality) while undercutting its price by more than $1,500. The Elantra isn't a fun-to-drive sporty car, but if that's not a problem, it's hard to find any fault with the Elantra.

Driving the Elantra:

The Elantra has a soft, comfortable, and well-controlled ride, the most comfortable of any current economy car. As with the Toyota Corolla, this suspension tuning hurts its handling, but the Elantra behaves than that car, feeling more nimble and imparting more steering feel. However, no one will call it particularly fun to drive. The Elantra is reasonably quick for an economy car, and despite some excess engine noise under hard acceleration, it stays quiet. Gas mileage is very good, though a notch below the Corolla or Honda Civic.

Inside the Elantra:

Inside, the Elantra has roomy, supportive, and very comfortable front seats. The rear is also quite roomy, mounted high, and well-shaped and padded. The interior is pleasant, with high-quality materials that fit together well. More of the plastics are soft to the touch than in most of the others in this group, including the big-name Civic and Corolla. The gauges are large and clear, and the high-mounted instruments are well-placed and easy to use. Drivers sit high and comfortably, and have excellent visibility. Entry/exit is easy to the front and rear, though the rear door openings could be larger. The trunk is roomy, but the opening could be larger.

Elantra pricing:

The Elantra is relatively inexpensive at $15,386, and includes a satellite radio receiver and active head restraints at that price.

Conclusion:

Anyone shopping for an economy sedan who doesn't place a large focus on sporty handling should be considering the Elantra. It's a strong competitor even without considering its price advantage, falling below par in no areas and getting near the top of the class in most. Then consider that this spacious, pleasant to drive, and economical sedan costs just over $15,000, and it's clearly a strong choice in this class. Little separates it from the car that finishes ahead of it here; both are economy sedan winners.

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