Hyundai Elantra

Elantra exemplifies Hyundai’s emotional “Fluidic Sculpture” design principles. “Fluidic Sculpture” considers the interplay of wind with rigid surfaces to create the illusion of constant motion. Hyundai Elantra is an evolution of the design qualities found in Sonata.

The center stack is dominated by a massive seven-inch touch-screen that hosts controls for navigation, audio and iPod integration. Thanks to XM NavTraffic and NavWeather, buyers can check the status of everything from traffic congestion to stock prices, weather advisories and sports scores. A rear-view camera is also available, though the sedan’s visibility hardly warrants the tech. The Limited trim also brings along a 360-watt, six-speaker stereo system with an external amp should you decide to rock your passengers’ socks straight off their body.

Seating surfaces, both front and rear, are swaddled in a perforated hide with a unique wave pattern, and for the first time in this segment, both front and rear passengers get the joy of heated seats. The thrones are double stitched, though Hyundai skipped the typically eye-catching contrasting thread in favor of a color-matched material.

The 2011 Elantra comes with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine producing 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque in ULEV guise. A PZEV variant is also available, but it sacrifices three horsepower and one lb-ft compared to its brethren. The engine is mated to either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission.

The Elantra is Hyundai’s most popular model, with sales of more than six million units worldwide since the car’s launch back in 1990.With the next-generation Honda Civic and 2012 Ford Focus on the horizon, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra will be facing some stout competition in the future, but right now, the little sedan has the bones to be king of the compact roost.