Car makers are finally taking the compact sedan segment very seriously. After years of domination by the likes of the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, they’re now facing serious competition from both east and west. And one that’s made the most impact is the Hyundai Elantra. Far and wide, it has stolen the show locally with a long wait list and an even longer list of satisfied owners. But is the Elantra just all flash and no substance? After spending two weeks back-to-back with the 1.6 GL MTand 1.8 GLS AT, all I could say is: the competition should be very afraid.

The long wait is finally over. After spending a total of eight test days under the sun, several weeks tallying score sheets, and countless sleepless nights in anticipation, it all boiled down to one special awards night as the Car Awards Group Inc. (CAGI) hailed a new a successor to the Car of the Year title last March 29, 2012 at the 8th Manila International Auto Show (MIAS). Selecting through a total of 36 nominees and 11 finalists, the Hyundai Elantra is now the 2011 - 2012 Car of the Year Philippines (COTY-P).

The Hyundai Elantra stood out not only amongst the vehicles in its class, but also above the rest of the entries for this year's COTY-P. It ranked high in the Qualitative tests, where it was scored based on criteria such as aesthetics, comfort, and drivability, and was one of the top performers in the Technical test that evaluated the acceleration, braking, and handling characteristics of each vehicle, while offering great value for money. Presenting the award to the Hyundai Elantra once again proves that the title of Car of the Year Philippines is not for the fastest, cheapest, or most popular car in the market. Rather, it is an award for the car that offers best value to the consumers.

You can't start a year brighter than this: winning the North American Car and Truck of the Year. And for 2011, the honor has been bestowed on the Hyundai Elantra and the Range Rover Evoque (coincidentally, will be launched in Manila this Wednesday).

The Hyundai Elantra bested over 30 rivals including the Ford Focus. On the other hand, the Range Rover Evoque had to beat out the likes of the BMW X3 and even the all-new Honda CR-V.

For Hyundai, this is their second North American Car of the Year award. In 2009, the Genesis (the sedan and not the Coupe) trumped the competition. Last year, the Sonata was one of the three finalists. As for Range Rover (and its parent company, Land Rover), this is their first North American Truck of the Year Award.