Used 2012 Hyundai Elantra for sale 

The Hyundai Elantra is available in only two trims, with an option for a manual and an automatic transmission. It gets loads of standard fitment, which makes it an exciting option in the segment. The higher Limited trim gets additional convenience and some premium touches that make the car feel even more premium.

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The base GLS trim is the more sensible option as it offers most of the creature comforts, and unless you live in the northern parts of the country, the available feature should suffice you for most parts. Also, the powertrain remains the same in both the trims, which makes it much more sensible to go ahead with the base trim.

The Hyundai Elantra is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that is mated to either a 6-speed manual or an automatic transmission. The power is sent to the front wheels only, with no option available for an AWD setup.

The engine produces 148 horsepower and 131 lb-ft of torque which provides a decent acceleration performance, as it takes 8.2 seconds for the 0-60 mph sprint while the quarter-mile takes 16.5 seconds. 

The Kia Forte has the highest engine output and is also the most affordable one in the segment, undercutting all the other sedans. The Toyota Corolla is exactly on the other end of the spectrum, being the priciest and also generating the least amount of power and torque figures, and naturally is the slowest of the lot. The Hyundai Elantra is the fastest with its corporate sibling, the Forte, right at its tail.

One of the biggest highlights of the 2012 Hyundai Elantra is the highly efficient engine that powers it. The EPA rates the Hyundai Elantra for 28 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway, with the overall combined city and highway fuel economy rated at 32 mpg. The 12.8-gallon gas tank is a tad smaller than what competitors have to offer, but over 400 miles of a combined driving range is decent for a car this size. 

The Honda Civic has marginally lower fuel economy ratings and a slightly larger fuel tank than the Elantra and hence both offer a similar driving range. The Kia Forte has the highest fuel consumption, and despite having a larger fuel tank, does not match up with the driving range of its sibling. Toyota Corolla stands behind Civic with a combined mileage of 30 mpg.

The 2012 Hyundai Elantra features a stylish interior design, which although looks appealing to the eyes, does not have the material or build quality to match it. In terms of space, the front seats are one of the best in the segment, with loads of headroom and legroom to fit in even the taller passengers in reasonable comfort.

At the back though, the seats are a bit cramped in terms of legroom and are best suited for average-sized adults as tall passengers would have issues of their head scrapping the roofline. The 14.8 cu-ft trunk capacity inside is one of the greatest in the segment. 

The Kia Forte and the Elantra offer similar space at the front seat, but the Kia has marginally better legroom at the back. The Japanese giants, Honda and Toyota, also offer similar space for both the passengers and their cargo, which is far more balanced than the Korean siblings. The trunk though is on the smaller side in the Civic and the Corolla, and overall it is the Civic that has the best balance of front and rear seat space. Major interior features include-

• 6-way power-adjustable driver seat
• Leather heated front bucket seats
• 60/40 split fold-down heated rear seat
• Leather-wrapped tilt/telescopic steering wheel
• Leather-wrapped shift knob
• Remote keyless entry system w/alarm
• Interior lighting 

How is the 2012 Hyundai Elantra Sedan’s infotainment system?

With the recent redesign, the Elantra features a curved center console and a stylish climate control module that adds flair to the cabin. It comes loaded with most of the features from the base trim itself, and the navigation system on offer is one of the best in the segment. There’s also satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and a 6-speaker audio system, that although really great does the job pretty well. Few key infotainment features include- 

• Infotainment system
• 6-speaker audio system
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• Bluetooth hands-free phone system
• Voice recognition
• Built-in navigation system

The Elantra was redesigned in the previous year, and the new age fluidic design language does its job well of distinguishing it from the crowd.

The curves seen on the inside are carried forward from the exterior curves that the Elantra flaunts very proudly and even the headlamps and the taillights have a curvature to them to compliment the overall design of the car. The small grille and the additional air intake in the bumper provide a rather pleasant look to the car. 

In terms of dimensions, Toyota Corolla is the longest, and yet it is the Elantra that offers the longest wheelbase. The Honda Civic is the shortest car and yet has a longer wheelbase to offer than the Corolla. There is nothing else to differentiate between all the other cars as everything is pretty much similar. When it comes to curb weight, Toyota Corolla is the heaviest and Honda Civic is the lightest at 2,734 and 2,608 lbs, respectively. Major exterior highlights of the sedan are-

• Halogen Headlamps and fog lamps
• Body-color power heated exterior mirrors w/turn signal indicator lights
• Black and chrome grille
• Power tilt and slide sunroof
• Solar and Tinted glass
• 17-inch alloy wheels

Alongside loading it with ample amounts of features, the Hyundai Elantra does well in the safety section of the tests as well. The NHTSA has rated the 2012 Hyundai Elantra with an overall rating of 4-stars out of a possible 5-stars, whereas it did receive the ‘Top Safety Pick’ accolade from the IIHS to prove its excellence in this aspect. There are various safety features available that help it achieves this feat, and some of them are listed below.

• Vehicle stability management (VSM)
• Electronic stability control (ESC) w/traction control system (TCS)
• Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist
• Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
• Advanced dual front airbags w/occupant classification system
• Front seat-mounted side airbags
• Front and rear roof-mounted side curtain airbags

The Hyundai Verna offers a well-rounded package, both in terms of its practicality and the design language. The exterior design grabs eyeballs, the interior is pretty stylish too, and the performance is amongst the best in the segment. Add to that the high efficiency and lower price tag, it makes for a tough task for buyers to overlook it or opt for any other car in its segment.