When we here at Hyundai of St. Augustine say that we love the 2012 Hyundai Elantra, we mean it. But while we make no effort to hide our affection for the compact from our favorite South Korean automaker, we know that it's a given that we'd share such feelings. What isn't a given, though, is what the panel of 50 independent judges at the North American International Auto Show thinks.

Every year, they give out the "North American Car of the Year" award. The award is highly sought after because the competition to win it is so fierce. Essentially, there are no real categories. Vehicles are either recognized as a car (sedans and hatchbacks) or a truck (pickups, SUVs, and crossovers). That means there are two awards, the car of the year and truck of the year award. No specific categories for size, class, or other distinguishing features.

Of course, we're guessing by now that you can likely see where we're going with this. If you guessed that the 2012 Hyundai Elantra won the "2012 North American Car of the Year" award, then you would be correct! The Elantra faced over 200 competitors in winning this award, and they ranged from luxury cars to performance-driven beasts. In the end, however, they couldn't match up to the style, fuel economy, and overall value found in the compact Hyundai.

"Elantra speaks to the success of our recipe of bold design and great fuel economy," said John Krafcik, president and chief executive officer, Hyundai Motor America. "In a year with some truly breakthrough competitors, we are honored that the jury recognizes Elantra's far-reaching impact on the industry."¹

Ready to give the 2012 Elantra a try? Simply contact us online or by phone at (888) 292-9681. We have a wide range of new Hyundai models to test drive here at 2898 US Highway 1 St. Augustine, FL 32086, and we're always happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Our dedicated financing team is more than happy to go over the features and benefits of any Hyundai that you may be interested in. Whether it's the Hyundia Equus, Genesis, or Santa Fe, we know it like the back of our hand. And, we can even outline why it's a great idea to bring your next Hyundai to our Hyundai parts and service departments when the time comes to maintain them.

Source: ¹http://hyundainews.com/us/en-us/Media/PressRelease.aspx?mediaid=34993&title=hyundai-elantra-named-2012-north-american-car-of-the-year