Performance
The 2026 Hyundai Elantra comes standard with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. To aid fuel economy, this engine is attached to an intelligent variable transmission that allows it to drive 31 mpg in the city and an impressive 40 mpg on the highway. Leadfooted buyers can opt for the Elantra N-Line, which features a slightly smaller 1.6 liter engine that's attached to a turbocharger which pumps up the output to 201 horsepower and 195 pound feet of torque.
On the performance side of things, the 2026 Toyota Corolla is rather limited with only one non-hybrid engine available. It's also a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine, however the horsepower rating is between that of the base Elantra and N-Line. It produces 169 horsepower and 151 pound feet of torque and like the Elantra, it uses a CVT transmission.