Hyundai teases seventh-gen Elantra

HYUNDAI has teased the next-generation of its Elantra small sedan ahead of its global debut in Los Angeles on March 17.

Very few details of the car have been revealed yet but Hyundai is promising the seventh-gen model will return to “its sport sedan roots” and is “longer, lower and wider than ever”.

Just two teaser images have been released so far; one looking side on at the car showing off its refreshed silhouette and the other giving us a glimpse as to the heavily reworked interior.

Starting with the exterior, the roofline of the new model lower and far more swooping than the current model with a higher window line.

To the naked eye, the new model does indeed look noticeably longer, both in overall body length and wheelbase with far more prominent and aggressive body sculpting carved into its flanks.

Still looking from the side, the front end seems to have been given a more angular, angry frown while the rear end (from behind the back wheels) reminds us of the current Ford Mustang GT with the sloping roofline flowing into a subtle integrated lip spoiler above the vertical tail-lights.

Inside, the interior has been transformed from a cabin into an “Immersive Cocoon” cockpit with a digital dash and large adjoining infotainment screen.

The rest of the dash is decidedly button and clutter free, indicating most functions have been moved to the infotainment system.

“Low and wide structures go from the door and connect all the way to the centre console, while the large interface consisting of two harmoniously integrated displays elevates the racing-inspired feel of the car,” Hyundai said in its teaser.

Being an all-new platform, the powertrain tiller could go in either direction regarding new versus carried-over units, with the current model offered with a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder good for 112kW and 192Nm or a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder producing 150kW and 265Nm.

The 2.0-litre can be had with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission while the 1.6 turbo scores a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic or the same six-speed manual.

Hyundai says it has sold more than 13.8 million Elantras globally since its launch in 1990, making it the brand’s most successful model to date.

So far this year ending February, the Korean giant has managed to shift 353 examples, accounting for just 1.6 per cent of the crowded sub-$40,000 small car segment.