Mike Hagerty
Dec 21, 20222 min
Regular readers know that the Hyundai Elantra, for more than a decade, has been one of our favorite, if not perhaps our favorite, compact sedan. I certainly made it clear in my first review of the current-gen Elantra when it debuted two years ago, including the story of how I put my money where my mouth is on the purchase of a used 2011 model seven years after it rolled off the assembly line.
More recently, I've given enthusiastic reviews to enthusiast-focused Elantras---the 201-horsepower Elantra N-Line and the 276-horsepower Elantra N.
But it's worth remembering that some people---a lot of people---most people---buy compact sedans for economical reasons. Both purchase price and fuel economy.
And so we have the 2023 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. A 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor working together for a total of 139 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. No, that's not a lot, and yes, 0-60 times are leisurely---8.7 seconds (though that's three-tenths of a second quicker than the standard gasoline Elantra).
There are two ways to get your Elantra Hybrid---Limited, like our tester, which has an EPA fuel economy estimate of 49 miles per gallon city/52 highway, or Blue, which wrings every last mile out of a drop of gasoline for 53 miles per gallon city, 56 highway.
The Elantra Hybrid Blue starts at $25,495 (including destination) and you get a pretty well-equipped car at that price (heated front cloth seats, an eight-inch touchscreen audio system with SiriusXM and HD Radio, Bluetooth, automatic temperature control, power windows and locks and illuminated vanity mirrors).
But if you can swing $30,095, the amenities get piled on---LED headlights and taillights, turn signal indicators built into the side mirrors, a power sunroof, leather-trimmed seating surfaces, a power driver's seat, ventilated front seats, a memory system, a bump up to a 10.25-inch touchscreen Bose premium audio system that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Bluelink Guidance Package (3 years) a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, and customizable ambient interior lighting.
And Hyundai's one-price policy means that the only extra-cost option on our tester was carpeted floor mats ($210), bringing the as-tested price of the 2023 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited to $30,305.
Delivering that kind of content, along with 50-ish miles per gallon and a legendary 10 year/100,000-mile warranty is exactly the sort of thing that put Hyundai on the map. If you're among the millions of people who want economy from an economy car, the Elantra Hybrid is well worth your consideration.