Hyundai has been moving their products steadily upmarket, but they’re getting back to their roots with the 2010 Elantra Blue, the new super-frugal version of Hyundai’s compact sedan. The 2010 Hyundai Elantra Blue is designed to save you money when you buy it (with lower equipment levels than previous Elantras) and when you drive it (with a host of small tweaks designed to improve fuel economy). Does it work? Read on. $14,865 base, $16,565 as tested, EPA fuel economy estimates 26 MPG city, 25 MPG highway.
- Roomy interior
- Good to drive
- Fuel economy isn’t stellar
- Cheap-car feel
- Competitors offer better value-for-money
- “Blue” is the high-value, high-fuel-economy version of Hyundai’s compact Elantra
- Price range (including options): $14,865 – $16,565
- Powertrain: 2.0 liter inline 4, 138 hp/136 lb-ft, 5-speed manual, front-wheel-drive
- EPA MPG estimates: 26 MPG city, 35 MPG highway
- Observed fuel economy: 31.5 MPG
- Best rivals: Kia Forte, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla
Let me get one thing out of the way: I really do like the Hyundai Elantra. I’m saying that up front because by the end of this review, you might not believe it.
The Elantra is a solid little car. It’s got a roomy back seat (link goes to photo) and trunk, a powerful engine, and it’s enjoyable to drive. And with Hyundai’s long history of providing high-value cars, you’d think their effort to build a low-buck Elantra would be successful.
It isn’t.
Let’s start with fuel economy. The Blue is powered by the same 138 horsepower 2-liter engine as other Elantras, but with taller gearing (which trades acceleration for fuel economy, though not much in either case) and a series of subtle tweaks which, as it turns out, may have been just a bit too subtle.
From the way the Elantra accelerates, you’d never guess this is the high-MPG version. Unfortunately, you’d never guess that from reading the EPA fuel economy estimates, either: 26 MPG city, which is identical to other Elantras, and 35 MPG highway, which is just 1 MPG better. Those figures are identical to the automatic Honda Civic, and the Elantra Blue only comes with a 5-speed stick. I averaged 31.5 MPG, which is good, but not outstanding.
But I had no problem believing this is the cheapest Elantra, because it looks and feels the part. The dashboard materials and switchgear are a mix of very nice and very chintzy, and the suspension clunks worryingly over big bumps.
Problem is, the Elantra Blue really isn’t all that cheap. At $14,865 (including the mandatory destination charge), it’s undercut by the Kia Forte ($14,390) and Kia Soul ($13,995) — both of which get standard electronic stability control (ESC), which the Elantra Blue lacks — as well as the Nissan Cube ($14,740) and Toyota Yaris ($13,365), which get ESC and air conditioning. The Elantra Blue offers A/C, although it only comes bundled with cruise control and a nicer stereo, so the price tag is a hefty $1,700. The Elantra Blue does come standard with power windows, mirrors and locks, but if you want ESC, an automatic transmission, or a color other than white, black, silver or blue, you have to step up to the $17,615 Elantra GLS — and for that kind of money, you might as well buy a Toyota Corolla, a Honda Civic, or a Nissan Sentra.
Let me reiterate: The Hyundai Elantra is a decent little car, but the Blue version is a disappointment. Hyundai is pushing the Elantra Blue as a high-mileage, high-value car, and the mileage and the value simply aren’t there.
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