This is an impressive package, especially for those who like to not frequent gas stations

By Gary S. Vasilash

The current-generation Hyundai Elantra, the seventh, is not what one might think of when pondering the sedan.

That is, you might think “Compact car,” with the bigger Sonata being “midsize car.”

But it turns out the Elantra, which measures:

• Length:                            185.4
• Width:                              71.9
• Height:                            55.7
• Wheelbase:                  107.1

is actually in the EPA “Midsize” segment. (And, yes, Sonata “Full-size.”)

The Elantra is a sizeable sedan (comparatively speaking, of course) and there’s plenty of interior room—as in 99.4 cubic feet in the passenger compartment—as well as adequate cargo-carrying capacity—14.2 cubic feet.

The exterior sheet metal has an array of creases and facets that make the car continue to have a distinctive appearance, even though model year 2021 is when the body styling first appeared on the car. Making something look fresh for that many years is no mean feat.

The interior has a clean look. Meaning that it is not overwrought. There are a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment screen. It is hard to imagine anyone needing any more digital real estate than that in a car. There are actual buttons to control the HVAC. There is a Drive Mode button that allows the selection of Eco, Smart or Sport; when making a selection the colors on the gauge cluster change (e.g., go Sport and there’s, of course, red).

The seats, covered with a simulated leather (H-Tex), are comfortable. The rear seats can accommodate adults, but odds are if you’re taking some colleagues, say, out to lunch, they’re going to be calling “Shotgun.”

One of my quibbles is the drive mode defaults to Eco. I would have liked it to stay in Smart because that adjusts the throttle and the transmission based on driving conditions.

“Sport?” you wonder.

Yes, there is a discernable difference in performance when making that selection.

But we’re talking about a hybrid here. It has a 1.6-liter Atkinson Cycle engine that produces 104 hp and 109 lb-ft of torque; with the 32-kW electric motor supplement the output is increased to 139 hp and 195 lb-ft. The Elantra Hybrid has a six-speed dual-clutch transmission (a transmission type that is becoming increasingly rare).

The point is, this is about fuel efficiency, not leaving the other vehicles behind when the light turns green.

And on the subject of fuel economy, the sticker says 49 mpg city, 52 mpg highway, and 50 mpg combined. I found my driving experience to be closer to the 49 mpg overall than the 50, though I did switch drive modes every now and then—yes, including Sport, which was handy in freeway driving.

The MSRP for the this top-trim hybrid is $29,450, It is quite an impressive package for the price for at least a couple of reasons.

First, there is the fuel efficiency that the hybrid provides. Consider that with its 11-gallon fuel tank it is good for about 500 miles before having to go to the local Shell station.

Second there’s the MSRP. For a not-very-large car payment, with the Elentra Hybrid you can get a lot of car. What’s not to like about that?