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Available in other colors besides blue, the Hyundai Elantra Blue offers just the right blend of value and fuel economy in a compact sedan.
Compact cars are usually the model of choice for first time car buyers, vehicles which seat four or five people, come equipped with a fair number of standard features, are priced around $15K and get very good gas mileage. For any automaker who has a winning entry level car available, that could spell the difference between losing a customer or gaining one for life.
Base Elantra
Hyundai’s entry in the compact car segment is the Elantra, a car that goes head to head with the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Chevy Cobalt, Ford Focus and numerous other vehicles. Hyundai’s presence in this all-important segment has been growing over the years thanks to newly revamped models which are priced hundreds of dollars less than what competitors are offering. Moreover, the typical Hyundai model is better equipped than what competitors offer, perhaps offering the best bang for the buck of any manufacturer out there. And, add in its 10 year/100,000 mile warranty and the Hyundai buying advantage certainly becomes quite apparent.
Not one to rest on its laurels, Hyundai has rolled out the Elantra Blue for 2010, its most fuel efficient Elantra yet. Delivering 35 mpg highway, the Elantra Blue matches up well against all competitors delivering the best dollar per mile cost of any car on the market, edging the Chevy Cobalt XFE for best value. Though the Cobalt gets 37 mpg on the highway, the Blue is priced $845 less resulting in an overall pricing edge for the Hyundai.
Higher MPG
To squeeze out an additional eight percent improvement in fuel economy, which raised highway mpg by two, Hyundai engineers added lower friction engine components, revised transmission gearing ratios, included a “smart” alternator management system, and placed a shift indicator with the manual gearbox. Even GLS and SE models equipped with a manual transmission benefited from these improvements, seeing their highway mileage figures increase from 33 mpg to 34 mpg from 2009 to 2010.
When it comes to standard equipment, the Hyundai Elantra Blue offers much including six airbags, anti-lock brake system, four wheel disc brakes, active head restraints (front) and power door locks/windows, keyless entry and power heated windows among other features. A/C is extra, part of a $1700 comfort package which also includes a high end audio system and iPod/USB auxiliary inputs.
What Buyers Want
Will the Hyundai Elantra Blue be exactly what cost conscious buyers want? Perhaps. Likely, some will still opt for the higher end GLS and and SE models which add several thousand dollars to the price, but deliver excellent fuel economy around town as well as on the highway.
Source: Hyundai Motors
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Tags: Chevy Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Elantra Blue, Toyota Corolla
feature MyKey, an innovative offering that will allow parents to control some of the features on the car.
lowest priced car on the market that is made in America. My previous review of the Chevrolet Aveo should have made it clear that the Chevy is an import from South Korea.
Best of all, the Focus gets 35 mpg on the highway (24 city), comparing favorably with other vehicles in its class. Other than the hybrid Honda Civic, the Focus’ fuel economy matches or exceeds the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Hyundai Accent, even the MINI Cooper. With gas prices above $3 per gallon, good fuel economy is a must. Only one engine choice is available: a 2.0L I4 which can be paired with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.
You may have seen the commercials for the Ford Focus which focuses more on its SYNC technology and fuel mileage above all else. SYNC is a popular hands-free communication system developed by Microsoft. Allowing the driver to call out the name of a song, SYNC quickly finds and plays it. With Bluetooth accessibility, SYNC wirelessly accesses your cell phone allowing you to make hands-free calls with simple voice commands in English, Spanish, or French. Although an extra-cost option, SYNC is proving to be popular with young drivers who crave its functionality. A standard CD/MP3 player with six-month complimentary SIRIUS satellite radio comes with every model.
