The July issue of Consumer Reports, which goes on sale Tuesday, ranks the 2008 Hyundai Elantra SE first among a group of 19 compact sedans, according to the Detroit Free Press. That's a big step for the Korean automaker, who has fought hard in recent years to catch Honda and Toytoa—and is also incorporating more advanced safety and interior designs into their vehicles as of late.

Other cars in the top ten included three versions of the Honda Civic, plus the Toyota Corolla and the Toyota Prius. The Civic EX came in second behind the Elantra, with only a one point difference in score separating them. "[Hyundai's] cars are getting better in performance and fuel economy, quietness, ride comfort, and interior fit and finish," Gabriel Shenhar, program manger for Consumer Reports, said in the article. "They are getting a lot more competitive."