2017 Hyundai Elantra Selling Below $18,000, Cheaper Alternative to the Honda Civic [Release, Specs & Price]

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The Elantra is Hyundai's alpha dog among its pack of vehicles in terms of the number of sales worldwide, not to mention the numerous awards the mid-size car has bagged over the years. And for those who are in the hunt for a family car that is more budget-friendly compared to other vehicles in its class, the 2017 Hyundai Elantra is a worthy prey.

The sixth-generation Elantra comes at a base price of $17,985 including destination costs, which not only makes it a hundred bucks cheaper than its predecessor, but also more affordable compared to the 2016 Honda Civic priced at $19,485, according to Daily Sun Knoxville. 

"As Hyundai's best-selling vehicle, it is essential that the all-new Elantra delivers a compelling value in a particularly competitive and important segment," said Scott Margason, director, Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America. "Not only is the 2017 Elantra priced $100 less than the outgoing model, we also enhanced the value on our most popular option package to provide consumers with access to premium features and technology on volume models."

The price list for the Elantra was released for all trims with the SE 6-speed manual transmission priced at $17,150, while the 6-speed automatic version with shiftronic comes at $18,150. The more premium model Limited, on the other hand, will be available for a little over $22,000, wrote Hyundai Motor America in a press release.

The 2017 version of Elantra comes with the all-new 2.0L Nu MPI Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine specs for both the SE and Limited trims. The engine can deliver 147 horsepower and 132 lb.-ft. of torque. The new Elantra also tops the previous model in terms of the EPA fuel economy with a rating of 33 mpg combined.

The Korean automaker also decided to add more value on their Elantra SE Popular Equipment package by including new features, such as a seven-inch Display Audio system with rearview camera and smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at a price $200 less than before.

Hyundai also claims that its new Elantra is expected to get a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a 5-Star Safety Rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It also comes with seven standard airbags.

As for the release date of the 2017 Elantra, Hyundai Motor America said that both the SE and Limited trims will be available in dealerships by the end of January. The Eco trim will follow later in spring, while the Sport model will come at the latter part of 2016.