Incredible car for the money!

When shopping for an automobile most people overlook a brand like Hyundai due to the reputation of earlier models as being poorly designed, prone to mechanical problems, and having poor resale value. However, there is much information available which suggests the current models have improved greatly. I cast aside my bias and took an objective look at what Hyundai had to offer. After a month of research I purchased one and am now convinced. This is quite possibly the best car I have ever owned, and I purchased it at an incredibly low price.

For comparison basis, I should mention my previous two cars were a 2006 Scion XA and a 2004 Honda Civic. I have also driven a Toyota Corolla as a rental for a week. One characteristic common to all three cars is they all felt like a compromise in some way. For example,

All of the cars felt cramped inside
The ride on the Scion was jarring
The seat position ergonomics of the Scion was poor
Customer service for the Scion was fair at best and I tried
three different dealers.
The body of the Honda was thin and more prone to dings then any car I have ever owned.
The Toyota Corolla was bland and boring.

Which brings me to the Hyundai Elantra. The model I purchased was the GLS with the preferred package. With the $2,000 manufacturer rebate, and dealer discount I paid $11,990 which is thousands less then a Corolla or Civic.

Anyway, to the review. The car itself looks like a bland rental car from the outside. However, the lines do look very handsome and stylish. The inside is another story. It is obvious a great deal of thought went into the design which I understood was handled by a California group. My car has a two tone cocoa and tan color scheme with textured aluminum accents. Very nice looking. It also features cool
looking blue backlit gauges for the clock, radio, and odometer. It looks similar to what I remember from driving a VW bug rental. The seats are thick and cushy. Not the thin flimsy
ones you find on the Japanese made competitors, but substantial ones like you would expect on a midside like the
Accord or Camry. The interior room is also quite a surprise. It feels very much more spacious then your typical economy car, similar to a midsize. You also get such nice touches as 5 overhead lights (2 vanity mirror, 2 map lights, and one dome light). Also, there is a nice felt lined sunglass holder above the rear view mirror. The sun visors have extenders concealed within for extra windshield blocking coverage. Also, there are four cupholders in the front and two in the rear. You also get 6 airbags. XM radio is standard and you get 3 free months to start. All in all, I am left with the feeling that the designers at Hyundai really succeeded at handling the little things that go towards impressing a customer.

I have the manual shifter and it is exceptionally smooth.
Gearing is spaced very long so you don't need to do as much shifting. The power seems very adequate and there is no hint of the engine struggling at high speeds. The ride seems very firm and controlled. You feel the bumps, but it is not bothersome. Gas mileage seems very similar to what I got with my Scion XA. Average around town is near 30MPG.

Insurance wise, this car is 20% cheaper to insure. I guess this is due to the 5 star crash test rating.

The car also comes with free roadside assistance, so you can save on AAA.

Finally, you get the great Hyundai warranty, which is one of the best in the business. 5 year, 60,000 new vehicle warranty. and 10 years, 100,000 powertrain.

So with all this, why would anyone not buy this car? The answer is bias. That is what is killing sales for this car.
I can't imagine anyone taking an objective look at what this car offers for the money and not come away impressed. When assessing value, this car is usually compared to the Civic, Corolla, and Sentra. However, due to the size and features offered, one could argue the Accord and Camry would be more appropriate choices. In that case, this car seems like a much more substantial bargain.