2019 Hyundai Elantra vs 2020 MINI Cooper

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra had undergone a significant redesign, featuring new styling elements forward of the windshield and front doors, redesigned wheels, and a new trunk lid, taillights, and rear bumper. The design was described as kaleidoscopic, with a focus on geometric patterns, which some found less appealing than the previous year's model. Inside, subtle changes improved the interior, adding design flair to the air vents, a carbon-texture finish to some plastic housings, new gauges, and revised dashboard controls. The interior quality was high, with a robust and solid shifter, although some materials felt inexpensive, which was expected in a compact car.

In contrast, the 2020 MINI Cooper stood out with its unique styling, featuring wide-eyed LED headlights, a grinning front grille, vibrant color options, and Union Jack taillights. The MINI Cooper evolved from a two-door hardtop to include a convertible variant, a four-door body style, and an all-electric SE trim. The SE trim mimicked the design of the Cooper S but sat slightly higher to accommodate the battery cells. Inside, the design was dominated by circles, with circular speakers, air vents, door handles, and a massive circular housing for the touchscreen infotainment system. The interior delivered a premium feel, unmatched in cars of its size.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra was equipped with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission powering the front wheels. It offered Normal, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Sport mode adding liveliness but also unwelcome weight to the steering. The EPA estimated the Elantra's fuel economy at 32 mpg in combined driving, and during testing, it returned 29.3 mpg on a modified loop and 32.4 mpg after a week of driving. Handling was decent, with no significant praise or criticism for the steering and brakes, and the ride quality was busy due to the inexpensive torsion-beam rear-axle suspension.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE excelled in performance with its 181-horsepower electric motor and 199 pound-feet of torque, fed by a 32.6-kilowatt-hour battery pack. It felt quick due to the immediacy of the electric motor's torque delivery, nearly matching the Cooper S's 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, which generated 189 hp and 207 lb-ft. The SE used regenerative braking to help keep its battery charged, with an aggressive default setting that could be adjusted. Despite a 300-pound weight penalty, the SE's low center of gravity helped it feel planted in corners, with direct steering and limited body roll. Gas-powered Coopers used either a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or an eight-speed automatic, while the SE used a single-speed gearbox.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra offered good front-seat comfort with height-adjustable seats in all trims, making it easier for people with mobility challenges to get in and out. Most trims included heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Backseat comfort was less impressive, with hard plastic front seatbacks and no air conditioning vents or USB ports. Interior storage was decent, with a good-size center-console storage bin, a sizable glove box, and a tray for smartphones. The trunk offered 14.4 cubic feet of space, with a hands-free Smart Trunk feature in most trims.

The 2020 MINI Cooper hatchback was not ideal for carpooling or long trips, with good front-seat space but a tiny backseat best suited for children. The two-door Cooper offered 8.7 cubic feet of cargo space, while the four-door variant provided 13.1 cubic feet. The Convertible had only 5.7 cubic feet. Dropping the rear seats in the SE tester provided a maximum of 25.8 cubic feet. Despite limited space, the MINI Cooper was thoughtfully designed, with two-zone automatic air conditioning, chrome toggle switches, an ergonomic steering wheel, and high-quality materials.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra, except for the base SE, came with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. The Limited trim included an Infinity premium sound system, and the Ultimate Package added an 8-inch display, navigation, and SiriusXM Data Services. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with a good balance of knobs and buttons. The Limited trim also offered a free 3-year trial subscription to Blue Link services, compatible with smartwatches and smart home devices.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE featured an "eDrive" driver-information display connected to the steering wheel, displaying vehicle speed, time, mileage, remaining charge, and drive mode. The SE had a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Bluetooth, navigation, and Apple CarPlay. The SE Iconic trim included an 8.8-inch screen, a wireless charging pad, and a head-up display. The infotainment system was housed within a circular design, which was eye-catching but not the most efficient use of space.

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra included important driver-assistance and collision-avoidance systems starting with the SEL trim, such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver-monitoring system. The Limited trim added adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, automatic high-beam headlights, and a Safe Exit system. The Elantra received top marks from the IIHS, except for an Acceptable rating for LATCH child-seat anchors. The NHTSA gave it a 4-star overall rating.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE lacked advanced safety features, with only front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera included in the Iconic package. Forward-collision warning was standard, but automatic emergency braking was unavailable. The NHTSA had not rated the MINI Cooper, but the IIHS gave it top marks with "Good" scores in all crash tests.