When the 2008 Hyundai Elantra hit showrooms around the country this year, Hyundai proved that words like quality and polished aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, when the vehicle is compared to other models in its class it tends to stand head and shoulders above the competition. Suddenly, the bar was raised and the term ìgreat valueî stopped being synonymous with the word cheap.

First and foremost, while on the subject of comparison, it’s worth noting that the ‘08 Elantra has the most interior room out of all of the sedans in its class. Also, it has more standard safety features than the Toyota Corolla. Some of these standard features include active front head restraints, six airbags and adjustable head restraints for every seating position.

The 2008 Elantra comes in two models this year: the GLS (which starts at $13,525) and the SE (that has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $16,225). No matter which design car shoppers decide on, they’ll enjoy the security of four wheel disc brakes with Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Anti-lock braking system (ABS). Again, the engineers that designed this vehicle didn’t trade off saving a few dollars for a reduction in safety. Somehow, the company managed not to pass on this expense to the consumer, which is not something seen everywhere.

The 2008 Hyundai Elantra is also extremely fuel efficient, getting up to 25 miles to the gallon in the city and up to 33 miles per gallon on the highway. Still, that doesn’t mean that the car lacks power. In fact, under the hood lies a 2.0 liter DOHC engine with 16 valves and Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) that has more horsepower than the Corolla and more torque than both the Corolla and the Honda Civic.