Oh, those Hyundai guys, they can be clever buggers. During the official launch of the 2007 Elantra at the 2006 New York International Auto Show, Hyundai’s vice president of product development, John Krafcik, boasted that his company’s updated sedan outclassed benchmarks like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. In terms of quality and features, that may or may not prove to be the case, but more literally, the 2007 Elantra has grown to become an EPA-rated midsize car, technically out-classing the compact Honda and Toyota. Nice play on words, Mr. Krafcik.

Besides being bigger, the redesigned Elantra greets the 2007 model year with an all-new look, from the sleek new body to the revised interior, a more efficient four-cylinder engine, a bevy of safety features like standard side and side-curtain airbags, and a base GLS model that is said to sticker at less than $14,000. Couple all of that with Hyundai’s excellent warranty, and it’s easy to see why this little ride needed to stretch a bit.