The first generation Elantras were sold from 1991 until 1995. It competed with the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. The engine is made by Mitsubishi and is an inline 4 cylinder with DOHC making 113 horsepower. With a quarter mile time of 17.3 seconds, this car is not known for its performance numbers.

The second generation Elantras were made from 1996 until 2000. They were sold as sedans or station wagons. The exterior design was changed in 1998, but the platform remained the same and the 1999 and 2000 models are still considered part of the second generation.

The third generation Elantras were sold from 2001 until 2006. The station wagon was dropped from the lineup and replaced with a 5 door hatchback. The GT trim was first sold in 2003 and dropped in 2005. A 2.0L turbodiesel engine was also sold during this generation.

The fourth and newest generation first went on sale in 2007. One of the new features is four wheel antilock brakes standard. There is also a diesel engine for the new Elantras for those consumers who want to avoid buying gasoline.

You can find plenty of these on the used car market. My sister has owned one for a couple years now with no problems. I would suggest looking on eBay, where Hyundais tend to be heavily discounted from Kelly Blue Book value.