2010 Hyundai Elantra - Review

By Tim Healey

Tim Healey

Contributing Writer BIO

Tim Healey was formerly an associate editor at Consumer Guide Automotive in Chicago. Before that he worked in the automotive industry as a service... More

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2010 Hyundai Elantra

There's also a little too much play at times, though generally speaking, the shift action is precise. I say generally, because twice after backing out a parking spot, I found third instead of first and stalled out. At least the clutch engagement isn't bad; it's a bit light at times, but it offers enough take-up feel to be useful at parking-lot speeds.

Ride and handling are about par for the course. The steering is weighted well enough for around-town driving, though its accuracy and feedback could be improved a bit. Despite that, the Blue's light weight and small footprint do give it some pizzazz while cornering.

On smooth pavement, the 2010 Elantra Blue comports itself well, and it even handles pot-holed asphalt without too much drama, although there is a little case of the jitters on the worst roads.

The cabin is spacious enough for my 6-foot-1 frame to fit without any complaints or cramped feelings. Everything from the shifter to the HVAC control panel  is reachable, and all the switchgear works competently.

Cargo space is plentiful. The center console is fairly deep, there are closable sunglasses and change compartments on the center stack, and there's even a hidden storage area on top of the dash. Trunk space is good for the class as well.

The interior is let down a bit by its materials--they feel cheaper than they look--and by the relatively bland dashboard design. Neither is unusual at this price point, but the look says "appliance." A dash of design effort on the next Elantra--due for 2011--won't hurt.

The exterior styling is also on the vanilla side, but it's by no means unattractive. It simply echoes the car's mission, which appears to be: Blend in and do the job well.

Of course, the main job for the Elantra Blue involves passing as many gas stations as possible, as the EPA ratings suggest.

Here, I fared far worse than the EPA, averaging 21.8 mpg over 84.5 miles of mostly city driving. One caveat: I got stuck in three nasty traffic tie-ups that kept me in first gear. That can't have helped. I suspect drivers who engage fifth gear often will do much better. Still, since the Elantra Blue has a 14-gallon tank, even 21.8 mpg is good for 305 miles of range. I'd expect better on the highway.

The Elantra Blue represents a strong value. Sure, it's a bit on the bland side (although the next-generation moel may fix that), but it offers a fair amount of content for less than $20K, it has fun-to-drive appeal, it fulfills its intended mission well, and it has a strong fuel-economy rating.

Think of it as a sleeper for greenies.