According to Hyundai, the all-new Elantra is “a bold arrival” in the compact sedan segment. Borrowing many details from the all-new Sonata, the Elantra also promises to wow buyers with something called the “Parametric Dynamics” design language as well as the “Immersive Cocoon” cockpit.
As a Hyundai enthusiast and owner myself, that’s too much marketing mumbo-jumbo for a mass-market car that won’t sell as good as the Tucson and Santa Fe. When an automaker goes to such lengths to drive up the hype, it’s relatively easy to understand the reasoning behind this wishful thinking.
But wait, there’s more! Hyundai wants to bring the point home by revealing the seventh-generation Elantra at The Lot Studios in West Hollywood, a location that’s too fancy for a competitor to the Toyota Corolla. The event will be livestreamed on a couple of Hyundai websites as well as social media.
Other than the layout and trim of the steering wheel, there’s no denying the interior is a huge step forward in this segment and at the price point of the Elantra. The exterior may not be to everyone’s taste, yet Hyundai deserves a round of applause for trying something different, something not boring.
The interior photo further reveals two screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system as well as the gear lever of an automatic transmission. It was May 2019 for the 2020 model year when the Elantra dropped the six-speed manual for the Intelligent Variable Transmission of the Kia Forte. High-output options such as the 1.6-liter turbo with 201 horsepower of the Elantra Sport are treated to a seven-speed DCT with smooth yet quick gear shifts.
May 17th is when we’ll get to lay eyes upon the seventh-generation Elantra in all of its glory, and chances are that Hyundai will confirm U.S. powertrain options then as well. Hybridization is rumored too, and if we’re lucky, a plug-in hybrid with Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid know-how could also make the cut.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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