The compact segment has been led by the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla for decades and it would be tough to dethrone either of them as their respective sales numbers climb year after year. However, worthy competitors like the Hyundai Elantra, have advanced leaps and bounds over the past few years and while the best might still be yet to come, the current Elantra could prove to be a better buy than a Corolla. Here are a few reasons why.

The Elantra has the same features at a lower price

Truth be told, it’s been a while since we have seen mind-blowing features be offered on any compact car. A few years ago, it felt like some kind of voodoo magic when automakers actually offered heated rear seats on a car priced in the mid-$20,000 range, however, it’s not just about the features. It’s also about the value. And to many consumers, value equates to how much “stuff” you can get for the price.

In the case of the Hyundai Elantra, you can currently option one up with the same type of features, like leather, driver-assist technologies, and a more premium audio system just like a Toyota Corolla, but at a lower price range. For starters, the Elantra starts at a lower price point than the Corolla and when you go with the highest “Limited” trim level, you will spend about $2,000 less than you would on the Corolla’s highest XSE trim, which comes with the similar features.

It also comes with a better warranty

It’s really tough to compete with Hyundai’s warranty, no matter which brand you go with. And this definitely rings true when you’re shopping in the compact car segment as the Elantra comes with the tried-and-true 10-year/100,000-mile warranty as well as a 5-year/60,000-mile standard warranty. The Toyota Corolla, on the other hand, comes with a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Sure, some people might argue, or joke, that the reason Hyundai has such a good warranty is that you’ll likely need it, alluding to the thought that Hyundai products are sub-par. However, we would argue that products are products no matter what brand they are under, so technically, that reliable Corolla could have its issues past the warranty expiration date as well.

Many luxurious features

In addition to a lengthy warranty and an excellent value proposition, the Hyundai Elantra also offers a list of luxurious features that were normally only found on cars from a car class above. Some of the features include heated rear seats, driver seat memory, a power-operated trunk, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, an 8-inch infotainment screen, leather seats, and an Infinity premium audio system. And while you can get some of the features on a Toyota Corolla, they would still cost more.

The Elantra is more than just the badge that it carries

Ultimately, what makes the current Hyundai Elantra a great choice is the overall value that it provides. There are six different trim levels to choose from in order to cater to almost anyone’s budget and needs and it also provides handsome interior and exterior styling that can hold a candle to its Japanese competition like the Toyota Corolla. So if you’re in the market for a compact sedan, be sure to check out the Hyundai Elantra, but also remember that an all-new Elantra is due out for the 2021 model year.