I am sorry to hear that most of your colleagues are so old school and so chinaman in thinking. In fact I feel that they are rather pariah. Let me guess, most of them are driving locally made cars or at most Honda/Toyota? I know its, hard, but you got the money, follow your heart. Why should you buy a car to please them. If they say you not scared no second value meh, you just say I got money to lose. Do add that when you got money to lose, you also dont mind practicality. Rich people dont buy things in a practical way right? They like a Ferrari, they just buy even if they drive only once or twice a year. This will ought to keep your backward colleague mouths shut. Seriously, you should not be working at that 80s of a company. 

I am having a 2012 1.8:

- FS (I can get a 450 to 490km if I keep on driving within the Eco limit within the city. Of course want to compare to my old dugong Vios can consider consume more petrol as the Vios can give me 500+km city driving. But the Elantra can make up in terms of other things  )

- I dont have anything wrong with the engine at all. Comfort levels are great and noise insulation is great too. However, I did have a minor defect like my headlights always kena dew, but it has long been solved after I took it to the SC and they changed a pair for me)

- One more thing, the Elantra does have some fish tail problem, however, SC can so call upgrade your absorbers and it can elevate the problem. I installed an anti roll bar and tower bar too.. now handling at rather high speed around corners have greatly improved