Hyundai’s much awaited new Elantra executive sedan is scheduled for launch in early September in India. Reportedly, some dealerships have started accepting bookings for new Elantra for a deposit of Rs. 25,000. However there is no official confirmation available from Hyundai itself. The new GEN Elantra made its global in Korea last year but misses out on Asia’s greatest auto show, Delhi Auto Expo. Since it has been spied quite a few times recently hinting its launch is just around the corner.
The new version will be come with evolutionary design based on Hyundai’s latest 2.0 design philosophy. It wears new sweptback projector headlamps with LED DRLs, multi slate hexagonal grille dipped in chrome, flanked by boomerang LED fog lamps making front fascia quite aggressive.
The side profile sports a coupe evocative roofline and has character lines, chrome underlining the large windows, and new allow wheels setting it apart from the current gen model. At rear, new Elantra has new set of wide LED tail lamps with unique graphics and stubby boot.
Get inside and you may not find things as flamboyant as exteriors instead they are practical and long in numbers. New Elantra will get a 7 inch touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation, Apple car play, Android Auto and multimedia support, start/stop, automatic climate control, rain sensing vipers, new multi function steering wheel, 4.2 inch LCD MID, destination search feature, hands free smart trunk opening etc.
It offers electronic stability control (ESC), seven airbags, traction control, anti-lock braking system, cornering brake control (CBC), Electronic brake force distribution (EBD), vehicle stability control (VSC), reverse parking camera with rear parking sensors and tyre pressure monitoring etc.
The new Gen Elantra is made up of more than 50 percent of advanced high strength steel and it is 20mm longer and 25mm wider than current model. It measures 4610mm in length, 1800mm in width 1450mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2700mm.
As far as powertrains are concerned, the India Gen Elantra will get a new 2.0l MPI petrol engine that develops 146bhp@6200rpm of power and 196Nm@4500rpm of power alongside a 1.6l CRDi diesel engine churning out 134bhp and 306Nm of torque. Transmission options include 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic gearboxes.
We expect 2016 Elantra to price in the range of Rs. 15-18 lakhs and will take on Chevrolet Cruze, Toyota Corolla Altis, Volkswagen Jetta and upcoming Honda Civic.
