Photo: KKS Studio
The Hyundai Elantra is a nice, simple sedan always struggling to find an identity. It feels like they do something new with its styling almost every year, and we're now already talking about an all-new generation, potentially coming out for the 2020 model year.
The current Elantra looked new in 2016 and it certainly looks new in 2019 as well, thanks to those super-sharp triangular headlights. The design hasn't really sunk in yet, but a next-gen prototype has been spotted in America recently, suggesting the Koreans have been at it for a while now.
No two Hyundai models are the same, and this is partly due to how rapidly the company changes its direction. In 2019, we got the chunky-looking Palisade and the crazy Sonata with its snaking LEDs. The current Elantra, which is a facelift, will be replaced by this all-new design that we struggle to call an improvement.
The rendering is made by the Korean website KKS Studio, which is usually very accurate when it comes to Hyundais and Kias. That's because they have access to prototypes that haven't yet begun testing elsewhere, even captured up close in parking lots. Without that kind of footage, you probably couldn't imagine a front end like that.
This kind of crazy grille mesh is something we're also seeing on the 2021 Tucson CUV, coming out just before the Elantra. It's big, 3D and probably gets different finishes depending on the trim level. But it's the headlights that will take some getting used to. They're pulled upwards and reverse the boomerang line at the bottom of the grille, resulting in a very alien-like appearance.
The overall shape of the body is also tweaked, with a long curve for the roof that ends nearer to the taillights, similar to the Elantra. This new sedan could be a little longer than before, maybe as a response to the Jetta.
Inside, we should see parts being shared with other Hyundai models. We honestly have no complaints with the Elantra in the infotainment department or the amount of standard kit on offer.
As for powertrains, don't expect any big changes. The 2-liter will remain its core, matched to its surprisingly good new IVT gearbox. The Eco model, with its turbo 1.4, doesn't feel crucial to the range, while the Elantra Sport could be re-named N Line while retaining its 1.6-liter engine.
No two Hyundai models are the same, and this is partly due to how rapidly the company changes its direction. In 2019, we got the chunky-looking Palisade and the crazy Sonata with its snaking LEDs. The current Elantra, which is a facelift, will be replaced by this all-new design that we struggle to call an improvement.
The rendering is made by the Korean website KKS Studio, which is usually very accurate when it comes to Hyundais and Kias. That's because they have access to prototypes that haven't yet begun testing elsewhere, even captured up close in parking lots. Without that kind of footage, you probably couldn't imagine a front end like that.
This kind of crazy grille mesh is something we're also seeing on the 2021 Tucson CUV, coming out just before the Elantra. It's big, 3D and probably gets different finishes depending on the trim level. But it's the headlights that will take some getting used to. They're pulled upwards and reverse the boomerang line at the bottom of the grille, resulting in a very alien-like appearance.
The overall shape of the body is also tweaked, with a long curve for the roof that ends nearer to the taillights, similar to the Elantra. This new sedan could be a little longer than before, maybe as a response to the Jetta.
Inside, we should see parts being shared with other Hyundai models. We honestly have no complaints with the Elantra in the infotainment department or the amount of standard kit on offer.
As for powertrains, don't expect any big changes. The 2-liter will remain its core, matched to its surprisingly good new IVT gearbox. The Eco model, with its turbo 1.4, doesn't feel crucial to the range, while the Elantra Sport could be re-named N Line while retaining its 1.6-liter engine.
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