Hyundai Elantra Comes to the US [Gallery]

Probably the most teased vehicle in the Hyundai line-up, the Elantra, is slowly revealing all of its attributes, traits and markets, as the release date in countries other than South Korea approaches. The latest news regarding the Elantra comes from the manufacturer in the form of the official confirmation that the vehicle will be sold in the US, sometime towards the end of the year.

"The new compact sedan will also make its way to overseas markets including U.S. starting the end of the year," Hyundai said in a statement cited by Carscoop. Aside for this detail, Hyundai also revealed a bit more of the car's interior, which you can see in the gallery attached below.

The Elantra went on sale in South Korea this week, retailing from 19,500,000 Won ($16,100). The car comes packing a 1.6l Gamma GDI four-cylinder engine, developing 140 horsepower and 133 lb-ft of torque (167 Nm). As a premiere for the sedan class in South Korea, the engine is controlled via a six-speed automatic transmission.

Taking some of its design cues from other Hyundai models released in the last year, mostly the Sonata and Accent, the 2011 model year Elantra promises to be a hit, with the manufacturer hoping to sell 400,000 outside the home market.

On the interior, the vehicle presents a not so conventional dashboard, with tunneled speedometer and tachometer. In South Korea, the car comes equipped as standard with heated rear seats, ambient lighting and a color TFT LCD information display. Other highlights include Smart Parking Assist System (SPAS), HID headlamps and LED lamps.