- 2010
2008 Hyundai Elantra
- Used Hyundai Elantra
Exterior - What the Auto Press Says
Reviewers appreciate the exterior styling of the 2008 Hyundai Elantra. As The Auto Channel says, "The adjective 'boxy' will not be used to describe the new Elantra. Its rounded, flowing lines are almost coupe-like." Kelley Blue Book writes, "The impressive exterior styling, with its clean lines and sculpted body sides, borrows design characteristics from the larger and more expensive Azera."
Compared to the previous generation, the 2008 Elantra is 2.2 inches taller, 2.0 inches wider and 1.6 inches longer in wheelbase. Popular Mechanics thinks it looks "uninspired on the outside." New Car Test Drive, on the other hand, calls it "stylish," saying, "its sculpture is clean, with a high beltline running along at the body-colored door handles. It's got a subtle face, with trapezoidal headlamps having rounded edges, leading down and in to a cup-shaped grille with three simple chrome bars." The base GLS trim includes 15-inch wheels, whereas the top trim sports 16-inch alloy wheels with H-rated tires. Cars.com found the Elantra indistinct, concluding, "Even with fog lights and 16-inch alloy wheels, my test car looked too much like a Toyota Corolla, especially in the back."
About.com summarizes, “in a world where compact cars are becoming more trendy, the Elantra's conservative styling could put it under the radar of many buyers. If there's one place the Elantra comes up short, it's styling. The car actually has some rather nice details, but unless the light hits the car just right you probably won't notice the swoopy character line that runs from nose to tail. At first glance the Elantra looks rental-car anonymous, and the taillights, which bear more than a passing resemblance to those of the old Ford Contour, don't do the rear view any favors."
