Two of the newest compact cars on the road today are the 2011 Hyundai Elantra and the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze.

Now we've driven both of them, testing each car with a six-speed manual transmission.

In the case of the Chevy, we drove the 2011 Cruze Eco model, which gets the highest EPA gas mileage rating: 28 mpg city, 42 mpg highway, for a combined rating of 33 mpg.

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra is rated 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, for a combined rating of the very same 33 mpg.

2011 Chevy Cruze Eco and 2011 Hyundai Elantra during road tests (video frame capture)

2011 Chevy Cruze Eco and 2011 Hyundai Elantra during road tests (video frame capture)

But what kind of real-world gas mileage did we get, on very similar road tests of 300-plus miles with a bit more highway time than around-town traffic?

And how do the two cars stack up on styling, interior space, and all the other practical issues that matter when you're thinking of dropping $16,000 to $20,000 on a brand-new compact car?

Not only that, but if both cars deliver the same fuel economy rating, which one is the better value?

For those answers, check out our comparison review video above.

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