A couple of years ago, I wrote an editorial saying Korea is the new Japan, meaning that their cars are now cool with the younger generations. We haven't managed to pick up the language because a simple "hi" is spelled "An-yOng-ha-se-yo", but we're getting there. In the meantime, we're going to show you a couple of videos of the all-new 2017 Hyundai Elantra.
Actually, this is the 2016 Hyundai Avante, recently unveiled for the domestic car market. It will arrive in America half a year from now as a 2017 model year.
Because not a single word has officially been spoken in English about this car, the Elantra sparks our curiosity in a big way. Purely from a design point of view, it puts the VW Jetta and even the Mazda3 to shame. A long, flowing roofline draws your eyes from the bonnet to the LED taillights.
Hyundai put together a gigantic test fleet of Avante sedans, and from the myriad of videos currently on Youtube, we've chosen a couple of revealing ones. The first is a detailed walkaround that shows how build quality and cabin space have improved significantly. It also seems to have the same LCD infotainment system as the bigger Sonata, which is nice.
The second clip shows an acceleration test carried out with the least powerful model, equipped with a 1.6-liter GDi producing 132 PS and 161 Nm (119 lb-ft) of torque. It takes around 11 seconds to reach 100 km/h (62 mph)... If that somewhat pedestrian pace bothers you, know that a Nu 2.0 MPi Atkinson engine rated at 149 PS is also available with a 6-speed automatic.
For the Korean penny pinchers, Hyundai developed a new type of diesel engine called 1.6 e-VGT. It produces decent numbers like 136 PS and 300 Nm (221lb-ft) of torque, but its true calling card is the optional a seven-speed DCT.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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