Whether you want a traditional gas engine, a 54mpg hybrid or a turbo with a 6-speed, the new Elantra has got it covered.  With spacious passenger volume and a trunk that’s bigger than that of a Mercedes S-Class, this is an affordable, frugal, do it all kind of sedan that Hyundai decided needed edgier styling.  And boy did they deliver on that front.  Now, I’m not sure it’s going to age very gracefully because the body is so overly styled with crazy creases and a very prominent grille, but if you’re allergic to boring in the inexpensive, not-so compact car segment this is your cure.  Much like Hyundai did with the new Sonata, they’ve reversed course on reigning in the design and instead opted to make a visual splash and that it most certainly does. For $26,000, you are not going to beat what this Elantra Limited is offering.  It’s highly stylized, pleasing to drive and packed with high-end features and top notch infotainment.  And because this system is fed information from the cloud you’re navigation is always up to date and the Blue Link system can answer common questions through speech much like you would ask Siri.  When is Mother’s Day?  But for times when you’re using the Smart Card you have to place in down here on the wireless charger in order for it to start the car.  And this area down here is kind of congested already because you still have to use your Lightning Cable on this particular model so the ergonomics get a little muddy.
At night, the ambient light choices add a dash of Mercedes to your sub-$30,000 car – another reason you might want the Limited.  Loaded with advanced safety features and creature comforts – though no heated steering wheel, this is the kind of car that would have cost $40,000 not long ago.  Now, you can lease this exact car for $212 per month.  Pretty impressive but it has 2 things working against it: 1) it’s not an SUV and 2) it’s not electric so the Elantra’s relevance is waning.  

2020 Mazda CX30 Quick Takes. Mazda has always adopted a human-centric approach to building cars. With the U.S. debut of the all-new Mazda CX-30, the brand has taken this approach to another level. The CX-30 has a feeling of oneness that extends beyond the drive. It is a five-seat crossover made for a wide range of fans, especially young people who are approaching significant life transitions. Mazda wants the CX-30 to be able to help these fans enjoy those milestones to the fullest and become an essential partner in their daily lives.

CX-30 is the second model to adopt the latest evolution of Kodo design, a more mature interpretation of the striking design ethos. Based on sleek and bold styling, CX-30 is meant to evoke creativity in one’s life. Realizing two contrasting expressions, the compact crossover has the flowing beauty of a coupe and the bold proportions of an SUV. Mazda’s signature wing takes on a sharper and deeper form to achieve a strong, refined front end that is suggestive of forward motion. The diagonal angle of the rear window gives the vehicle a coupe-like silhouette while the narrowed arch shape of the liftgate makes the body look shorter and wider for a powerful stance. This allows for purposeful design of the trunk that maintains its usefulness without giving the CX-30 a box-like appearance. Offered in seven body colors, including Polymetal Gray, which was recently introduced for the 2019 Mazda3. Going beyond beauty, CX-30 is meant to look compact on the outside, but spacious on the inside.
The CX-30 is a new compact crossover that combines the bold proportions of an SUV with elegant styling that embodies Mazda‘s Kodo design language. The development team hoped to create a car that would enrich customers’ lives by helping them and their loved ones make new and stimulating discoveries within their daily lives.

The all-new, third generation 2020 Nissan Versa takes the popular subcompact sedan to a new level of refinement with a fresh, exciting design and technology and safety features not usually found in the segment.

The third of four popular Nissan cars to be recently redesigned, the all-new Versa – with a clear design expression of the Nissan brand – serves the more than five million customers who buy sedans each year in the U.S. Sedans remain a popular choice for Gen X, Millennials and multicultural customers.

Technology is a top priority in the all-new Nissan Versa, featuring available Nissan Safety Shield 360, a prime example of Nissan Intelligent Mobility that helps provide front, side and rear safety monitoring and intervention technologies. Safety Shield 360 features include Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist, Blind Spot Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Other available technology includes Intelligent Driver Alertness and Intelligent Cruise Control.

Design is also a key strategic advantage for the 2020 Versa, combining an all-new dramatic and expressive exterior with a fresh new interior with class-above features and quality.

The 2019 Nissan Kicks, the sixth member of the Nissan crossover and SUV line-up, is designed to fit the needs of singles or couples looking for expressive styling, personal technology, smart functionality – and advanced safety features – at an affordable price.
As the gateway to Nissan’s adventure-ready sport utility portfolio – joining Rogue Sport, Rogue, Murano, Pathfinder and Armada – Kicks is designed to fit the needs of singles or couples looking for unique styling, roominess, personal technology, smart functionality and advanced safety features at an affordable price. https://testdrivenow.com/2019-nissan-kicks-quick-takes/

The words Hybrid and Toyota are practically synonymous, with the groundbreaking Prius as the foundation. Even though gas prices are relatively cheap 52mpg sounds pretty good to just about anyone and the all-new Corolla Hybrid delivers just that in a more mainstream wrapper at a less expensive price.

MSRP as-tested: $24,055