More on the car

Volvo's build quality declined before just before I bought my 1998 V70, though I wouldn't know that until a few years into my ownership. Reliability improved enough lately for Consumer Reports to recommend 4 of their 9 models, but I didn't think a V50 was worth the extra $10G, esp since CR didn't give that one the nod. At the same time Hyundai reliability had arisen from the dust heap to the sky, which put me into one recently. This Elantra is a BEAUTIFUL car, much more so than the Sonata. I feel strange going from a stodgy boxy Volvo to the sculpted wind splitting Elantra. I hope the car doesn't become so popular that thieves like them for chop shops.

The Elantra is much lighter than the Volvo & lets in more road noise, especially on rough roads. The ride is compliant, without jarring from bumps. EPA fuel economy ratings (29/40mpg) are close if I don't drive aggressively. With gas >$3/gallon this car feels right. The car wants to surge from idle so I have to baby the gas pedal a bit, but the auto tranny is so smooth, I love it. Acceleration is good. Nice to have the interior lights on when you press "unlock" on the key fob and after you lock up. Premium cars sported these features a decade ago.

The stock sound system is superb, but the iPod link sadly is very basic, I can't browse playlists, etc. The system read a USB drive with MP3's without trouble.

The safety features are very reassuring. They are a must have for a car this light @2700 lb.

I didn't find the seat anywhere near as comfortable as in my Volvo--the side supports were too close together, requiring that I sit on a pad to keep them from pressing against my legs and butt. Were they made for a 10 year old child? I liked that I could raise and lower the seat and the spaciousness in the back seat was almost on par with the next larger model.

Why they left out the spare tire, I don't know, but I prefer not to have a compact spare. My Volvo's 15" snow wheels/tires fit just right, so one of the Elantra's 16" wheels went into the spare tire cubby. About $200 gets you a spare from a discount tire dealer. I just have to buy a jack & lug wrench now. I think I could change a tire faster than using the sealant and inflator that Hyundai supplied.