Trim as it may look from the outside, the Hyundai Elantra offers the most interior space (cargo & passenger) among the core competitive set and the most interior volume in its class - 112 .1 cubic feet. It’s so spacious, in fact, that the government classifies it as a midsize car, though it measures (and is priced) like a compact.
Yet numbers, as they usually do, only tell part of the story. What truly sets the versatile Elantra apart is the utter versatility of its space, and the thoughtful little conveniences that help make the interior less like a car cabin and more like a living room.
There is, for instance, an unbelievably handy foldaway hook beside the front passenger seat that is perfect for misbehaving purses, backpacks, or attachés.
For storage, no less than ten easy-to-reach compartments have been placed throughout the interior. These include an in-dash storage box, a center console, front door map pockets, and dual seatback pockets, which we’ve seen used for snacks, laptops, and an outfield’s worth of baseball gloves.
When it comes to features, the Hyundai Elantra SE is hardly stingy.
Sport-tuned steering and suspension, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Traction Control System (TCS), and remote keyless entry (standard for all trim) all come standard. So do a leather-wrapped tilt-and- telescopic steering wheel, 16-in alloy wheels, Trip computer, air conditioning, and a crisp six-speaker 172-watt AM/FM/CD/MP3/XM® audio system, iPod®/USB and MP3 auxiliary input jack.
There’s also cruise control, dual power heated side mirrors, and handy steering wheel-mounted audio controls. Whew.
Should you get the urge to upgrade, the available Premium Package adds a power sunroof, and heated front seats.
Value has rarely looked or felt so good.
A CAR THAT FITS.
Drive a Hyundai Elantra for a few minutes and you become aware of something that isn’t listed on the window sticker: a sense of ease.
Look around the quiet cabin and you’ll notice that the dials are clear, well-placed, and easy to read. The numerous storage areas are likewise intuitively placed, and the radio is situated high so you needn’t take your eyes off the road while switching radio stations.
What you’re experiencing, of course, is the power of well-implemented ergonomics.
As the Elantra was being developed, its essential usability was studied over the course of demanding 100,000-mile test-drives. Numerous focus groups weighed in on minutiae like the placement of buttons, the positioning of vents, and the angling of seats.
The result? A car that needs to be felt as much as it is seen.
Of course, our engineers are hardly ones to rest on their laurels. They’re constantly looking for ways to refine and improve the driver experience, which is why Hyundai has partnered with some of the finest universities in the world to help us study ergonomics further. That continuing research is leading to ever better ways to design control panels, seats, trunk spaces, and, well, who knows what else. After all, engines and transmissions are hardly the only things that can push a car forward.
