See Why Hyundai Elantra is the Capable Choice versus the Toyota Competition for Drivers in the Freehold Area

The small sedan segment is packed with plenty of options that have been around for a while, but none stands out quite as prominently as the Hyundai Elantra. Back in Shrewsbury, Freehold, Neptune, and Tinton Falls for a new model year, the result of six generations and nearly three decades of Korean craftsmanship excellence, it's still capturing the hearts and minds of commuters, road-trippers, and devotees to the compact car the world over, even over longer-lived options hearkening back to the mid-1960s, like the Toyota Corolla. Wondering how they compare? Our experts here at Circle Hyundai have made it easy.

Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Corolla

At first glance, both models appear evenly matched. The new Elantra offers trims from base SE and SEL through the tech-savvy Value Edition and high-efficiency Eco, all the way to the energetic Sport and luxurious, fully loaded Limited. The new Corolla appears in its own six-trim gamut, from base L and LE through midrange XLE and distance-going LE Eco, reaching sporty SE and top-tier XSE. However, look more closely, and you'll see where Hyundai pulls ahead.

• For one, it's wider overall and by front and rear track, better evincing the compact sedan stance and suggestive of a better-balanced ride.
• Secondly, you can look forward to more and peppier engine choices. 128-, 147-, and 201-horsepower inline-four variants best Toyota's 132- and 140-horsepower options. Plus, they're turbocharged in select trims, making for a more powerful-feeling drive, unlike those of Toyota.
• More torque in the base, 132 pound-feet to Corolla's 128, rises to 156 and 195 pound-feet in other engines in the Elantra lineup, while Toyota's drops to 126. The result for Hyundai is better turning and pulling power.
• A manual transmission comes standard from the get-go, offering sportier, more hands-on handling for the lower-maintenance, fewer-moving-parts crowd. Corolla offers a less-engaging CVT.
• You can get better gas mileage in models like Elantra Eco -- up to an EPA-estimated 32 mpg in a city like Freehold, 40 mpg down the highway through West Long Branch to Asbury Park, and 35 mpg combined. The comparable Corolla LE Eco makes possible only approximately 30 mpg, 40 mpg, and 34 mpg respectively.
• Elantra even has a larger 14.0-gallon fuel tank compared to Corolla at 13.2 gallons, meaning fewer stops to refuel on your way up through Red Bank to Middletown.
• Our Hyundai sedan's even the roomier bet, with better head, shoulder, and hip room up front than Toyota's, as well as more head, shoulder, and hip space in the second-row.
• Ditto for cargo volume, with a trunk measuring a sizable 14.4 cubic feet to Corolla's 13.
• To keep you connected and entertained on your trip, there's a larger 7-inch display audio touch-screen infotainment system in a step up to the SEL trim. To get a 7-inch Entune system in the comparable Corolla LE requires investing in a package. Plus, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard, letting you extend smartphone functions to the dash. These aren't offered anywhere in the Corolla line, however.
• A new Hyundai Elantra is even more affordable than a new Toyota Corolla, with a base MSRP of about $16,950 reaching approximately $17,835 when similarly equipped. The latter weighs in around $18,600 and $19,520 respectively.
• That includes our automaker's self-styled "America's Best Warranty," one of the top in the industry, with 60 months or 60,000 miles of basic coverage, 120 months or 100,000 miles on the powertrain, and 84 months of corrosion perforation protection. Toyota's is about half of that -- respectively: 36 months or 36,000 miles, 60 months or 60,000 miles, and 60 months.

But a slate of impressive specs is one thing. The firsthand experience is another. Stop by our showroom here at 641 Shrewsbury Avenue in town, and we'll show you more to look forward to that bests the rest!