New 2016 Hyundai Elantra launch probable by mid 2016

Hyundai’s current design philosophy worked wonders for the brand and cemented the South Korean carmaker’s position as one of the major players in the country. The Elantra was one of the first cars to adopt Hyundai’s fluidic design philosophy and it gained some serious traction not only in the Indian market but other markets like USA and Canada as well. But that was almost three years ago and now it’s high time for a generation change for the Elantra. And help might be at hand.

Recent reports indicate that Hyundai could be gearing up to launch the new generation of the Elantra by the middle of this year. The new Elantra was first showcased by Hyundai at the 2015 Dubai International Motorshow and since then has been subjected to quite a lot of speculation. The new Elantra features an extensive list of changes to the exterior and the interior of the car. It sports a much more rigid structure now. About 53 percent of the car is built from Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS). The car showcased at Dubai was 25mm wider and 20mm longer than the current car which translates to better space in the cabin and this is the car that could be sold in India. 

The car is designed on the Fluidic 2.0 design philosophy and features sleek wrap around projector headlamps with integrated DRLs flanking a prominent hexagonal front grille. The tail lamps are LED and have been redesigned as well and in true Elantra fashion extend on to the tail gate. 

As far as engines go, it could be offered in three engine options; the tried and tested 1.6-litre GDi petrol engine and the 1.6-litre VGT CRDi diesel. However, it could also be offered with a more powerful 2.0-litre MPI petrol engine to rival the VW group’s TSI engines and Toyota’s 1.8-litre VVTi unit. The engines will most likely be mated to 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions. 

The car is most likely to be manufactured in India at the company’s Chennai facility. Local production will help Hyundai keep the price competitive and with rivals like the Toyota Corolla, Skoda Octavia and the VW Jetta present in the market keeping the price competitive is of the essence. Speaking of which expect the Elantra to be priced between Rs 15.0-18.0lakh ex-showroom Delhi.