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LA JOLLA, CA – And the hits just keep on coming.
Following up the critically acclaimed Genesis luxury sedan and Sonata midsize sedan, Hyundai Motor America recently launched the new-for-’11 Elantra – a tremendously satisfying re-interpretation of the standard U.S. compact car.
Like the Genesis and Sonata, expect the Elantra to push Hyundai farther up the consideration ladder of consumers and carve deeper into the share of traditional segment leaders Toyota and Honda.
The folks at General Motors and Ford also should take notice. The all-new Chevy Cruze and redesigned Ford Focus now arriving at dealers are touted as redefining the segment, which Ward’s defines as Upper Small, but the Elantra will do its share of changing consumer expectations of compact cars.
Inside and out, the Elantra imparts an upscale feel by using quality materials and contemporary, if not at times flashy, styling.
For example, inside door panels of models recently tested here feature cloth inserts to match the seats. The inserts nicely break up an area of a compact car door that typically receives a piece of hard plastic, an enemy to elbows everywhere.
Not only do the inserts offer a degree of added comfort, they appear as if they will hide wear well, and their funky, wavy design is an excellent example of Hyundai’s “fluidic design sculpture” mantra, where shapes and character lines convey a sense of constant motion.
Hyundai smartly sees their value, too, charging $550 for the inserts as part of a preferred package on all but the highest-trim-level model.
