Yep…I know it's a stretch. A big stretch.
BUT…….
I just tested a 90K performance vehicle…and had a blast. But I've gotta' admit that sliding easily into the Elantra's soft heated and ventilated faux leather buckets didn't require me to assume the high-performance vehicle's somewhat awkward "racing posture"…and once seated, the Elantra was quiet, smooth and comfortable. No drama. Just like slippin' on an old pair of shoes.
Bob Jackson
In short, Hyundai is givin' us a seriously nice little content-filled, 4-door / 5-seater at a very attractive price.
Elantras start in the low $20's…with hybrids starting a few thousand more. Even their base "Blue" edition comes with 16" alloys, heated mirrors, and forward collision assist with pedestrian detection.
Bob Jackson
It's the roughly $30,000 "Limited" that brings on the charm with 17" alloys, sunroof, the heated and ventilated seating with power lumbar that I just mentioned, LED lighting, Bose sound with Sirius, a 10.25 display, wireless charging, hands-free Bluetooth, Hyundai's Digital key, and lane-keeping and parking distance alerts.
Bob Jackson
Mileage is EPA rated at a 50 MPG city / hwy average…and we easily topped that by a couple MPG around town. Acceleration is adequate, but yes, you will hear your 109 HP + battery assist breathin' a little heavy to bring you up to speed.
So…back to that comment about "luxury". Does the Elantra Hybrid give you heated armrests and customizable ambient lighting like you'd find in many of today's true luxury vehicles? No. Not for 30 thousand.
Bob Jackson
But you do get a very liveable, easily parkable 4-5 seater with enough premium features to make you quite happy and probably make your guests think that you paid a little more than you did!
