I recently purchased a 2000 Hyundai Elantra which makes me a double Hyundai owner (check out my review on the 2000 Hyundai Tiburon). I gotta tell you, so far I really like this vehicle!

My Elantra was purchased slightly used, making it even more of a steal than the price already is. I purchased mine with about 3000 miles on it for 10,500 dollars which is a little below the standard price range of 12-14 thousand. This particular model is a 4 door automatic and is a stately champagne color.

Comfort: This four door is nice and roomy, the front seats provide plenty of leg room in the front, and I can fit comfortably in the back, even though I am 6'1" 225 lbs (which really impressed me). We can comfortably fit 2 large adults or 3 children in the back without a problem. The interior color is a grey/champagne mix which really complements the exterior color very well. The Elantra is relatively easy to get into and out of, which bodes well for those who may have difficulties maneuvering themselves into the seat of a car. My only suggestion here would have been to either make the seat slightly lower, or the roof an inch or two higher so as to provide better headroom without needing to adjust the seats much.

Features: This car comes with automatic doors and windows. The door locks are pretty cool, once you unlock one side the other door automatically unlocks as well. One nice standard feature is with the power windows, you get a button on the driver side that lets you lock the other windows so that your children can't mess with them. Now you don't have to worry about them wearing out the power windows, or worry about them keeping arms and legs in the vehicle as well! The stereo system is a standard AM/FM cassette deck with factory speakers. The sound has a little bit to be desired, but what do you expect from a factory system, oh well. Also a tilt steering mechanism came standard with the car which is also really convenient. This also came with peace of mind anti-lock brakes, but no sunroof :( but oh well.

Drive-ability: The Elantra drives really well and has very easy steering with a decent turning radius. This particular Elantra gets about 24MPG in the city and 29MPG on the highway (which is nice for you commuters out there). The drive is really comfortable with superior suspension and handling, making for a smooth ride. The engine is on the small side but is not lacking in any power (even with the A/C cranked up). What it does lack though is noise. The Elantra is ultra quiet, even at speeds in excess of 65 miles per hour. It just purrs very lightly so make sure you have a passenger or coffee in the morning so you don't fall asleep!

Value: The Elantra is a very affordable car with decent gas mileage. You can get a new one with a nice options package for under 13K making this car a very good buy. With the recent gas prices, getting 30 miles per gallon is an obvious plus that saves you money. The warranty package is second to none in the automotive industry, 5 year 60 thousand mile bumper to bumper, AND 10 year 100 thousand mile drivetrain warranty. That sort of warranty tells me that they stand behind their product plus they don't plan on seeing you very often for maintenance. I have needed to take it in once for a minor problem though, the horn stopped working... but hey if that's the worst thing in almost 6 months, I'll take it!

One other great feature about all new Hyundai's is the free Hyundai Advantage plan which offer service similar to AAA without extra money out of pocket. They offer up to 300 miles free towing per year, lockout service, directions, and fuel delivery. You get all of this by calling their toll free number.

Overall the Elantra gives you a comfortable ride, good options packages, above average style, great handling, and a superb warranty/benefits package, all for an extremely acceptable price.