Sitting alongside the Elantra Coupe, at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show is Hyundai’s competitor for models like the Ford Focus, Mazda3, and Volkswagen Golf. The Elantra GT is the third vehicle in Hyundai’s 7/11 product initiative (seven new or redesigned models in the next 11 months), next to the the Veloster Turbo and the refreshed Genesis Coupe.
The new Elantra GT features the same 1.8-liter Nu four-cylinder engine with 148 HP and 131 lb-ft of torque as the sedan and the coupe variants. The engine is mated to a standard six-speed manual transmission and delivers a fuel economy of 28 mpg city and 39 mpg highway.
The Elantra GT features the same "Fluidic Sculpture" which includes an aggressive profile and low overall height, as well as sleek side mirrors. The interior offers comfortable seating for five people or can accommodate four passengers with long items such as golf clubs or snowboards.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT.
Last year, Hyundai unveiled the new generation Elantra sedan - a model that featured an impressive exterior design language and a new 1.8-liter inline-four that producing 148 HP and 131 pound-feet of torque. Now, Hyundai has to unveil a new Coupe variant at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, which the company hopes will compete with the Honda Civic Coupe model.
Just like the sedan, the new Elantra Coupe will be powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 148 HP and 131 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, this engine delivers a fuel economy of 29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.
The new model will be distinguished by a unique "Fluidic Sculpture" two-door coupe design language that includes a hexagonal front fascia with jeweled swept-back headlights, a blacked-out rear diffuser, and much more.
UPDATE 02/08/2012: This review has been updated with the official details and images of the Hyundai Elantra Coupe.
Hit the jump to read more about the new Hyundai Elantra Coupe.
There aren’t a lot of cars in this world that probably gets less hype and appreciation than the Hyundai Elantra. Hard to believe, too, considering that the Elantra is a good enough car to win the 2012 North American Car of the Year of the award.
So in its own little way, the Hyundai Elantra is celebrating its award in a rather unique and potentially annoying way: riding a victory lap in the neighborhood with its horn in full blast exclaiming its awesomeness.
Sounds like the kind of thing that gets people to throw rocks at your car, but in this instance, we don’t’ blame Hyundai and the Elantra for pulling off this ad, especially since the Elantra deserves all the recognition it can get for being one of North America’s best automobile purchases.
Say whatever you want about the Elantra, but make no mistake, it’s a car worthy of respect and - in this case - a victory lap around the neighborhood.
The King’s Speech may have won Best Picture at the Academy Awards last night, but the true winner - at least from an automotive perspective - was the 2011 Hyundai Elantra. The best looking small sedan of 2011 didn’t have to share the spotlight with anyone as Hyundai was the exclusive automotive sponsor for the third year in a row.
The 2011 Hyundai Elantra is powered by an all-new 1.8-liter inline-four that produces 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. Throw in the six-speed automatic transmission and the Elantra shines with 28 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. Hyundai says that 40 mpg is attainable on the full range of Elantra trims, not just ECO models. This isn’t your typical small sedan, the Elantra looks brilliant and can offer best in class fuel economy.
Hyundai’s approach to their Academy Awards advertising was much more low key and to-the-point than the Super Bowl ads they produced. In total, Hyundai had nine advertisements airing before and during the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, including two new spots for the Elantra and Genesis called "Drawing Board" (shown above) and "Greatest Luxury," respectively. Other spots include "Good Things Come in Threes" highlighting Hyundai’s powertrains, "Comfy Home" featuring the Equus, "Family" featuring the Sonata, "Anachronistic City" featuring the Sonata Hybrid, "iPad" which highlights the Equus’ application of the iPad owner’s manual, and "Childhood" and "Deprogramming" also featuring the Elantra.
We normally don’t subscribe to these types of marketing campaigns because they’re plainly of the annoying variety, but Hyundai did a pretty darn good job at executing it that we actually liked the whole theme of hypnosis.
Playing the age old visual mind trick, Hyundai worked on the idea that the Elantra is more than just a compact car and tells consumers that they need to rid themselves of their preconceived notions of what a compact car really is.
The whole idea of "snapping out of it" plays exactly into Hyundai’s hands. For the most part, at least as far as the Korean manufacturer is concerned, the Elantra is a car that’s far from boring and actually has better mileage - 40 mpg, according to Hyundai - than most people think.
Even if it means resulting into playing the whole hypnosis mind trick routine, Hyundai is all for it so as long as people begin to realize that the Elantra is a lot better car than most people give it credit for.
As the ad vehemently declares, it’s going to be a mass-deprogramming of an unprecedented scale when the commercials hit the tubes.
