2022 Hyundai Elantra vs 2021 Toyota Camry

The 2021 Toyota Camry made a deliberate shift away from its traditionally conservative design, reflecting a more daring and dynamic approach in its styling. Efforts to inject excitement into the Camry's appearance involved various styling elements, including flared wheel arches and slender head and taillights that contributed to a wider visual stance. Meanwhile, the SE, XSE, and TRD trims featured decorative vents that resulted in a somewhat cluttered look. Although the LE and XLE trims boasted a cleaner grille, it remained notably large. The TNGA-K platform, shared with models like the Avalon sedan and the RAV4 SUV, underpinned the Camry. Minor updates to the front-fascia styling for 2021 maintained the overall appearance, with the TRD model standing out thanks to its larger rear spoiler. The Nightshade Edition offered a distinctive blacked-out aesthetic via the SE trim, featuring black exterior trim and wheels. Base LE models came with standard 17-inch alloy wheels, while higher trims offered 18-inch and 19-inch options. Inside, the Camry's chaotic design continued, with the SE Nightshade Edition's dashboard appearing mismatched. The interior materials, including artificial carbon fiber trim, contrast stitching, and piano black plastic, lacked coherence and felt somewhat cheap.

In contrast, the 2022 Hyundai Elantra underwent a significant transformation with its seventh-generation redesign. Moving away from its unremarkable, rental-car appearance, the Elantra adopted a bold new look that drew buyers' attention. This redesign resulted in a longer wheelbase, a wider stance, and a lower roofline, creating a dramatic four-door-coupe silhouette. The Elantra differentiated itself from the midsize Sonata sedan with its own distinctive personality and unique "Z" shape crease lines along the sides. The interior saw vast improvements, offering above-average material quality for the compact car class. While the cabin contained some hard plastics, they were balanced by advanced technology features at an affordable starting price. Available in various trims, our test vehicle, the N Line, showcased sporty elements such as N Line-styled fascias, chrome twin-tip exhaust, 18-inch alloy wheels, sport seats, and aluminum pedals.

In evaluating performance, the 2021 Toyota Camry offered a variety of powertrains. Its base engine, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, generated 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque with FWD, and 202 hp and 182 lb-ft with AWD. The XSE models, equipped with a dual-exhaust system, increased power output slightly to 206 hp and 186 lb-ft with FWD and 205 hp and 185 lb-ft with AWD. All configurations utilized an eight-speed automatic transmission. Additionally, Toyota's 3.5-liter V6 offered a robust 301 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque with FWD. The 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid combined a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with electric assist to produce a combined 208 hp. Our test vehicle with the four-cylinder engine and AWD demonstrated lively performance, good handling, and a balanced ride quality. Although it lacked the sportiness of the Honda Accord or Mazda 6, the Camry still delivered a rewarding driving experience. The AWD system, capable of sending up to 50% of torque to the rear wheels, provided extra traction when necessary without affecting passenger or cargo space.

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra, by contrast, presented several powertrain options. The SE, SEL, and Limited trims came equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and FWD. The Elantra Hybrid, featuring a 1.6-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, electric motor, and 1.32 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, offered a total output of 139 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, and utilized a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The N Line trim exhibited a more performance-oriented package with a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine producing 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, available with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DCT. Our test vehicle, the N Line with DCT, delivered engaging performance with crisp shifts and drive modes to enhance driving dynamics. Sport-tuned suspension, a multi-link independent rear suspension, larger front brake rotors, and grippy tires contributed to the N Line's impressive handling abilities. However, the race-inspired seats, while excellent for spirited driving, could become uncomfortable on longer trips.

Regarding interior space, the 2021 Toyota Camry provided generous rear headroom and legroom, which contrasted with its limited front headroom and legroom. Nevertheless, the front seats offered considerable adjustability, comfort, and support. Outward visibility was excellent. The Camry's cargo capacity was about average for its class at 15.1 cubic feet, though it lagged behind the Honda Accord’s 16.7 cubic feet. In-cabin storage was limited, with small cupholders and door bottle holders, and door storage bins tended to trap items. Notably, Toyota included analog controls for essential features, enhancing usability despite some controls being difficult to reach.

In comparison, the 2022 Hyundai Elantra, although compact, excelled in providing a comfortable and spacious cabin. Front seat occupants enjoyed excellent outward visibility and comfortable seating. However, the N Line's low seating position made ingress and egress a bit challenging. Rear seat space was generally accommodating, with sufficient legroom, although taller passengers might find the sloping roofline restrictive. The Elantra's cargo space measured 14.2 cubic feet—less than some competitors but adequate for its class. The trunk’s design, including the narrow opening and potential item-crushing arms, required careful packing. Despite minor inconveniences such as the droning noise from the moonroof and the lack of rear USB ports and air conditioning vents, the Elantra remained a practical choice for small families.

The 2021 Toyota Camry came equipped with a standard 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, Bluetooth, Siri Eyes Free voice control, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Higher trims featured a 9-inch touchscreen, WiFi support for up to five devices, navigation, and a nine-speaker JBL audio system. The XSE and XLE trims also offered a 10-inch head-up display. However, the Camry’s infotainment system, while functional and easy to navigate, lacked standout graphics and more connectivity ports.

In contrast, the 2022 Hyundai Elantra offered a comprehensive suite of technology even on its base SE model, including an 8-inch touchscreen with HD Radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and dual USB ports. Higher trims added features like satellite radio, Blue Link services, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation on the Limited trims. The Limited also included a Bose premium audio system, dynamic voice recognition, and wireless device charging. The N Line and Limited trims also featured the Hyundai Digital Key for Android users. Users found the wireless Apple CarPlay integration seamless and appreciated the diversity of the infotainment options, even though the six-speaker audio system was only satisfactory.

The 2021 Toyota Camry earned top safety ratings, including the “Top Safety Pick+” from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from NHTSA. Standard safety features under the TSS 2.5+ package included adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and traffic-sign recognition. Enhanced capabilities included lane-change assist and pedestrian detection during left turns. The Camry also introduced a Rear Seat Reminder to prevent leaving children or pets in the back seat. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available as standalone options or standard on higher trims.

Similarly, the 2022 Hyundai Elantra offered substantial safety features with its SmartSense suite, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-centering assistance. Additional standard features included driver-attention warning, automatic high-beams, rear-seat reminder, and Safe Exit Warning. Higher trims offered features such as intersection turn assistance, adaptive cruise control, rear automatic braking, and Highway Drive Assist. The Elantra achieved five-star overall ratings from the NHTSA and high ratings from the IIHS, with only lower trims receiving a "Marginal" rating for halogen headlights.