Standard features on the sharp new 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring GLS include air conditioning, power windows/locks, remote keyless entry, electronic stability control, heated mirrors, a four-way adjustable driver’s seat and a 172-watt, six-speaker sound system complete with USB jacks—and it all comes at a price that’s $1,300 lower than the starting price of the 2009 entry-level model. How cool is that?
Well, according to the team at Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com, it was chilly enough to get the Elantra Touring on the website’s list of “Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000.” KKB.com editors made their picks for the list by analyzing vehicles in terms of such characteristics as safety, fuel economy, interior size and technology.
The word on the Elantra Touring: “This athletic little hauler turns heads on the road. Inside, the Hyundai hatchback combines clean interior styling, unexpected passenger and cargo room, and standard features like eight airbags.”
And don’t let a starting MSRP of just $15,995 fool you; the Elantra Touring is no transportation appliance. It’s a driver-oriented sport-hatch that boasts a performance-tuned suspension for agile handling, speed-sensitive steering and available 17-inch tires that were custom-tailored for the Elantra Touring. To power that setup, the Hyundai holsters a responsive 2.0 liter I4 that’s capable of making a very effective 138 hp and 136 lb.-ft. of torque.
Effective is the right word for the Elantra’s interior, too. It may be compact on the outside, but Hyundai’s hatchback offers more maximum cargo space (with its rear seats folded down) than a Volkswagen Golf. Or a Mazda3. Or a HUMMER H3, for that matter. There’s also a full complement of nifty storage spaces, including a cooled glovebox, an under-floor storage bin in the back and the much-in-demand rear-armrest cupholders.
“It’s great to see the Elantra Touring getting the recognition it deserves,” said Scott Margason, director of product planning, Hyundai Motor America. “It is one of the hidden gems in the Hyundai lineup and definitely boasts ‘cool’ credentials with its sporty design and fun-to-drive character.”
Of course, if it keeps helping increase monthly sales of the Elantra family by more than 100 percent, like it did in April, the Elantra Touring isn’t likely to stay hidden for very much longer.
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