Oh, those Hyundai guys, they can be clever buggers. During the official launch of the 2007 Elantra at the 2006 New York International Auto Show, Hyundai’s vice president of product development, John Krafcik, boasted that his company’s updated sedan outclassed benchmarks like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. In terms of quality and features, that may or may not prove to be the case, but more literally, the 2007 Elantra has grown to become an EPA-rated midsize car, technically out-classing the compact Honda and Toyota. Nice play on words, Mr. Krafcik.

Besides being bigger, the redesigned Elantra greets the 2007 model year with an all-new look, from the sleek new body to the revised interior, a more efficient four-cylinder engine, a bevy of safety features like standard side and side-curtain airbags, and a base GLS model that is said to sticker at less than $14,000. Couple all of that with Hyundai’s excellent warranty, and it’s easy to see why this little ride needed to stretch a bit.

Unfortunately, the issue of gas prices and fuel economy continues to be relevant, leading more buyers to look at smaller cars to do more of everything – they’ve got to offer comfort, acceptable performance, utility, lots of desirable features, and good looks. Hyundai aims to please on all fronts with the 2007 Elantra, a ride accented by a stylish new design, a cabin that qualifies it as a midsize sedan, a long list of standard items included in the GLS’s sub $14,000 base price, and a competent powertrain that promises improved fuel economy over the outgoing model. The Elantra is Hyundai’s best-selling model, recently surpassing one million sales since being introduced in the U.S., and the changes for 2007 will help it charge on to the two-million mark.

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