Ten Reasons To Buy The Hyundai Elantra GT

The Hyundai Elantra GT didn't have the best slot in the test drive roster when I took it out last weekend-the car I drove immediately before it was a Porsche 911 S.  Porsche's 400-horsepower 3.8-litre boxer engine is not an easy act to follow. Thing is, the Hyundai didn't seem like a compromise-just a very different style of car, and well-suited to its purpose.

I took the Elantra GT for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, carting clothing bags and shoe boxes throughout the city. It's no accident the Elantra was named 2012 North American Car of the Year, and the GT version proved practical and reliable as well-a good value at $25,365 including style and technology upgrades.

The car has a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. It's not fast (0-60mph in, um, we'll call it over 9 seconds) but it is plucky enough for daily driving. And it's efficient. Expect to get 28mpg in the city and 39mpg on the highway.

It also feels light to drive-2,784 pounds to the Subaru Impreza wagon's 3,055-and nimble enough for fun, but the most noticeable thing is the interior space considering its petite dimensions. It has 42 cubic inches of leg room in the front, 40 cubic inches of head room, and 51 cubic feet of storage in the back with the seats down. The back floor is flat.

Hyundai has based the Elantra GT on its Euro i30, and we can thank that in part for influencing another notable thing in this upgraded version: a driver-selectable steering mode that offers choices between Comfort, Normal and Sport. Each option changes the tension and feel of the wheel when you turn.

Also of note are touches that have trickled down from luxury car atmospheres like Bluetooth, heated front seats, solar glass, foglights, keyless entry and satellite radio, all included as standard.

Hyundai has clearly meant the GT as a shot toward dominating the five-door hatch segment. It will have a tight competition with excellent offerings from Subaru and (more expensive) Audi, but it certainly hits close to the mark.

Suffice it to say that this is a basic, efficient four-door I would happily drive around town.

1. It's affordable. Base versions start under $20,000. Add a style package (17-inch alloy wheels, sport suspension, leather seating, aluminum trim) for only $2,750 and a tech package (navigation, auto headlights, dual temperature control) for $2,350 more. That is significantly cheaper than the Toyota Prius and Lexus CT 200h, but competitive with the Subaru Impreza Premium.
2. It'll fit all your friends. Even the big ones. The five-passenger wagon has ample leg room and more than 40 cubic inches of headroom in front.
3. It is from a brand that lacks image problems. Hyundai is a young marque on the rise. It is not enmeshed in government funding. It is not trying to figure out how to keep momentum. And it does not demand the price premium of luxury brand names. A refreshing change.
4. The interior dash and console are sleek. Buttons for the telematics, temperature and radio controls are presented in a straightforward, uncluttered way. Hyundai is not interested in being too clever or cute with its inside display, which is a great advantage as others seem to push technology just for bragging rights.
5. It looks better than other wagon competitors. Arguably cooler than the Ford Matrix, Toyota Venza or the Mazda Sport. The Lexus CT looks pretty sleek, but it costs almost $10,000 more. And for looks it blows the Kia Soul and Nissan Cube out of the water.
6. You can whip it. Sure, the car is a bit sluggish off the line, but the driver-specific steering modes and its trim physique made it easily navigable and nimble, even through Manhattan's cluttered thoroughfares.
7. It has a large sunroof. Never underestimate the power of a Very Big sunroof. It floods the car with sunlight, making the whole thing seem large, light and airy. And it adds an almost luxurious cache to the whole enterprise.
8. You could run a bodega out of the back. Storage space in this baby abounds: With the seats down, it has 51-cubic-feet of cargo volume, one foot less than the spacious Subaru Impreza Sport Premium. In fact, now that I am on my soapbox, more Americans should try a hatchback. They are as big as some vans and small SUVs in the back, and more fuel-efficient. They also lack the emotional baggage (embarrassment?) that comes from driving a minivan.
9. It has four doors. Consider that fact another notch in the practicality post.
10. It is efficient. The Hyundai Elantra GT gets 28mpg in the city and 39mpg on the highway. That beats competitors like the Kia Soul, Toyota Venza and Ford Focus SEL.