Hyundai Elantra vs Hyundai Veloster

For nearly 20 years over six generations, the Elantra established Hyundai as a provider of bottom-rung transportation. Not until the current seventh-generation model debuted in 2020 did the Elantra shed its cheap image and stand competitively with other compact sedans from Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Hyundai always sold on low prices and long warranties. Now the Elantra is a genuinely sporty, well-constructed car that competes on actual substance—namely, how it drives and feels—and offers a wider range of trim levels. For 2024, a mild refresh brings more style and standard equipment.

Verdict: Get past the strange bodywork and plasticky interior, and you’ll find a well-mannered sedan that is equally adept at being comfortable and economical as it is sporty and truly entertaining.

Consider Hyundai and its growth in popularity over the last decade. The brand built its relevance with practical, sensible vehicles, like the Sonata, and SUVs like the Santa Fe and Tucson. But “fortune favors the bold,” or so the saying goes. There is something to be said for taking an unlikely risk.

In the 2011 model year, Hyundai released the Veloster, going in a completely different direction than the rest of its typically safe product lineup. Hyundai already had a hatchback, the Accent (and later the Elantra GT). But the Veloster was something completely different. It featured a unique hatchback-meets-coupe shape and an even more unique 3-door layout. The result was a sporty daily driver that’s both fun and functional, and it has been completely redesigned for the 2019 model year.