The compact-car segment is one of the most crowded in the marketplace, and for good reason. Most buyers can fit their life, luggage, and 2.4 kids into the confines of a compact sedan. With various models selling everything from refinement to technology to sportiness, can there be room for another all-new model?

Enter Hyundai’s secret weapon: its common-rail diesel engine. Currently playing in all of its best-selling vehicles, the diesel engine adds a measure of frugality and additional range between fill-ups. The latest to receive the diesel treatment is the all-new Elantra.

The Elantra diesel is a four-cylinder, 1.6-liter with dual overhead cams and 16 valves. Variable-geometry turbocharging and common-rail injection help produce 115 hp. The significant figure is the 255 Nm of torque available from as low as 1900 rpm. Typical gasoline engines usually need 2.4 liters of displacement to generate that much torque. This diesel is certified to pass stringent Euro-4 emissions standards.

A diesel engine alone would not make a great car, but other aspects of the Elantra have been refined and reworked. The Elantra itself is ranked as a midsize car by the U.S. EPA, on account of its larger interior volume.

The interior features soft plastics and leather seats, all in Pleasantville beige. There’s a smattering of metallic trim on the dash and doors to help liven it up. Switches for the climate-control and audio systems are clearly marked and well laid-out. The Elantra is equipped with a six-disc changer that can read MP3 files, and there’s an auxiliary jack as well for iPods. For those stuck in the cassette era, the Elantra has a tape deck, too.

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