Here at Hyundai of St. Augustine, we can't help but brag about some of the amazing awards and accolades that have been bestowed upon the 2011 Hyundai Elantra. After all, we are starting to lose count! But, that hasn't stopped us from noticing one in particular that stands out amongst the rest. Recently, the Elantra bested five other vehicles in Cars.com and USA Today's Under 20/Over 35 Shootout.

What exactly is the Under 20/Over 35 Shootout? Well, first, if it doesn't seem possible for a vehicle to be under 20 and over 35, let us put it in some context for you. Specifically, the numbers are referring to the vehicle costing less than $20,000 while also offering more than 35 mpg and comfortably seating a family of five.

From the start, one of the most interesting things about this contest was that there were only five vehicles that qualified. That is a feat by itself for each of the models, which included the Cruze, Civic, Forte, Focus, and, of course, the Elantra. This alone made us more proud than ever to carry the Elantra on our lot at 2898 US Highway 1 St. Augustine, FL 32086

Of course, it isn't enough for a vehicle to simply meet the prerequisites of the Under20/Over 35 Shootout, this is after all a competition. Each vehicle was scored according to their performance, and when all was said and done the Elantra came out the clear winner. In fact, the Elantra went as far as to beat the second place vehicle by 45 points when scoring, and the fifth place vehicle by an impressive 139 points.

Among the biggest talking points of the Elantra were its amazing looks (both exterior and interior) and its superb handling. James Healey, Reporter, USA Today, noted that, "[The 2011 Elantra] has a good blend of attributes with a low stupid factor."¹. Kelsey Mays, Editor, Cars.com, on the other hand, praises the award-winning car's ability to "hold its own on twisting roads".²

In the end though, the Under 20/Over 35 Shootout still managed to produce some minor criticism for the Elantra. According to Mays, "The stereo settings are about as intuitive as a tax form." This... we think is more a matter of personal opinion.³ But, to us, this really seems more like a minor inconvenience than a deal breaker, especially when you consider the overwhelming number of positives that this vehicle features.

If you'd like to learn more about the Elantra or any other new Hyundai model, like the Hyundai Veracruz or Sonata, please contact us today at (888) 292-9681. Or, feel free to stop in and see us in person, where you'll find a great selection of used carts from top automakers as well as an amazing service department. And, remember to stay tuned for more Hyundai news, coming soon!

Source: ^1,2,3http://www.cars.com/go/crp/buyingGuides/Story.jsp?section=Passenger&story=compactResult&subject=stories&referer=&year=New