Faults:

Nothing so far.

I do notice that the engine takes a few RPMS for around a second to shift gears and others have noticed this as well. To me its not that bad and its not noticeable unless I look carefully. But it might bother others. My Honda civic did this as well, but it was old when I purchased it.

General Comments:

The car is a wonderful value and its the first new automobile I have ever owned.

The car looks and feels more like a car worth at least $20k. For $14600 the hatchback model came with power windows and mirrors, dual airbags, remote alarm and door lock, mirror defogger, side and back moldings, 6 speaker CD system, and an automatic transmission. A civic with the same features starts at 20k.

The car handles great and is a little loud over 70mph with its 2.0 liter engine. But otherwise its great to drive.

I love the storage and roomy feel of the hatchback model. Hyundai advertises that the Elantra has more cabin space than a civic or Corolla. It feels very roomy and it's a perfect car for those with a family who live on a tight budget.

Besides room for 4 people, the car has child protection controls and restraint hooks for children's seats which make it family friendly.

Consumer reports rated this year's Elantra quite well and the selling point for me was safety and reliablity. It rates high on both and the hatchback model has a rollover bar in addition to impact bars in side doors and dual airbags.