Had a Hyundai Elantra 2012 which was involved in a roll-over and although the car was totaled, the driver walked away without a scratch. When our Civic finally died we immediately opted to buy a 2013 Elantra. This car is very classy. It offers a smooth ride, and it is so much quieter that we can actually hold conversations with those in the back at highway speeds, as well as hear the radio properly. The fuel efficiency is much better than many other cars and for $17K, including the extras package - integrated Bluetooth, Sirius/XM radio and heated seats, it was a really good deal. From the outside the car looks sleek and the blue color we purchased seems to shimmer and change hue with the ambient light. When you get in it feels spacious and roomy - even the trunk seems spacious, with everything laid out well. Driving is comfortable and noticeably smoother and the engine feels much more powerful. Over shorter distances the fuel efficiency isn't as good as reported. The car reports the fuel average and we average about 24/25mpg in local driving, but once you get out on the highway this climbs upwards. My only issues with it are that the position of the seats/wind shield sometimes makes it feel like there is a blind spot to the left where the edge of the wind shield is. I've also noticed that the rear window seems to mist up easily on cold nights even when other windows do not.

The 2013 Elantra is a great car, and is one of the cheaper on the market. The ride is generally quiet, and the interior is very nice. Also, the heated seats in even the entry-level model are an added plus, and the trunk is sizable for a sedan. However, I was originally concerned about the gas mileage. The Elantra claims to get 38 highway and 28 city, but I'd be hard pressed to stay above 30 even when most of my driving is done on the highway.