USED CHEVY CRUZE VS. USED HYUNDAI ELANTRA


There is a lot to consider when buying a vehicle. Most importantly, you want to make sure you are getting the features you want for the price you need. That will take some research and some comparison.

Below we are comparing the Used Chevy Cruze to the Used Hyundai Elantra to see which vehicle is better. Important factors that will be considered are performance and fuel economy, used car ranking comparison, and pricing and trim level options. Check out the specifics below to determine which vehicle is the best option for you.

Performance and Fuel Economy

Let’s first take a look under the hood. The 2014 Chevrolet Cruze gives you three available engine options. The standard engine is the 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine that gives you 138-horsepower. This engine gives you a decent amount of power and an estimated 25 miles per gallon in the city and 35 miles per gallon on the highway. The other engine options for the Cruze are a turbo 1.4-liter gasoline engine and the 2.0-liter diesel engine. The diesel engine gives you 148-horsepower.

However, if you are looking for great fuel economy, you can upgrade to the Chevrolet Cruze Eco which gives you a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine that gives you 28 city miles per gallon and 40 highway miles per gallon.

On the 2014 Hyundai Elantra, the standard engine is a 145-horsepower, 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine. This base engine gives you an estimated 27 highway and 37 city miles per gallon. The other engine option, a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that gives you more speed and power, but less efficiency. The 2.0-liter engine gives you an estimated 24 city miles per gallon and 32 highway miles per gallon.

As far as performance and efficiency go, these two vehicle have some similarities, but there are a few key differences. The Hyundai Elantra gives you better power and fuel efficiency on its most basic engine, but the Cruze Eco beats out any Elantra option in terms of efficiency. The Cruze also offers more engine options than the Elantra. The Elantra offers only two options and the Cruze gives you three and that doesn’t even count the Cruze Eco.

Used Car Ranking Comparison

Let’s take a look at a comparison by another source to see where they rank these two vehicles. U.S. News Best Cars does many different rankings of cars like the best used cars, the best vehicles for families and more. Today we are going to look at the U.S. News Best Used Small Cars from $12K to $14K.

According to this list, the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze comes in at number two, and the 2014 Hyundai Elantra comes in at number twelve. The Cruze beats out the Elantra by ten spots. You can read the full reviews of each car at U.S. News Best Cars, but we have listed some of the main points below.

The 2014 Hyundai Elantra scores below many of its competitors in terms of safety. That is one reason why it is ranked lower on the list. It also starts out a little more expensive than buying a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze. The 2014 Elantra starts at around $11,700 and the Cruze starts around $10,500.

Pricing and Trim Options

If you are looking into buying a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze you will probably pay between $10,000 and $14,500. The 2014 Elantra could cost you between $11,000 and $14,500. This change in cost could depend on the trim level or other added features. Let’s take a closer look at some of the specific trim levels for these vehicles.

For the Cruze, you have several trim options. This vehicle comes in six different trims including the LS, 1LT, 2LT, LTZ, Eco and Turbo Diesel. The Cruze LS is a trim that is your basic compact sedan. This trim gives you safety and reliability. Also, the LS offers you some connective technology with a Bluetooth system. If you want the Chevrolet MyLink Infotainment system, you can get that on the Eco, 2LT, Diesel, and LTZ.

The Cruze Eco is a trim that is focused on fuel efficiency and is perfect for your morning commute. The Eco provides you with efficiency up to 28 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway. The Cruze Diesel is another trim option for you in the 2014 model year. Not only does this trim give you a powerful engine, but it also gives you leather-appointed, heated, power-adjustable seats.

The 2014 Hyundai Elantra also has several trim levels to choose from. The SE is the most basic trim level, and it basically just offers you an audio system. You have to step up to the Limited in order to get features like a touch-screen infotainment system and Bluetooth. The Sport trim gives you a powerful engine, but not as good gas mileage. The Limited and GT trims are going to give you more upscale interiors with higher quality and style, however, those trims are also going to cost you more.

The price of the Cruze seems to be a bit cheaper than the Elantra from the start. The base trim levels of the Cruze also seem to offer more features than the Elantra. This means you won’t have to go up to the more expensive trim levels to get the features that you are looking for. The Cruze is unique in the fact that it offers you a Diesel trim option, and it also offers you an Eco option that beats out the fuel-efficiency of any of the Elantra options.

It looks like from the pricing and trim options offered, the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze is a better value with more options than that of the 2014 Hyundai Elantra.

Which is Right for You?

Both of these vehicles are reliable cars. Both could work for your life, but which works best? That is the question you have to ask yourself. And, ultimately, the answer is up to you. Above we have looked at the performance and efficiency, the used car ranking comparison, and pricing and trim level options.

The Chevrolet Cruze Eco was your most efficient car option, while the basic engine on the Elantra gives you a little more horsepower than the basic engine on the Cruze. In the car ranking, the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze beat out the Hyundai Elantra by a wide margin. On the pricing and trim levels, the Cruze seems to give you more features for less money.

Only you can decide which vehicle is best for you, but for this comparison, the Used Chevrolet Cruze took home the victory.