Hyundai eyes Elantra

HYUNDAI has used the launch of its redesigned five-door Elantra in Europe, where it will be known as the i30, to reveal its new alpha-numeric naming convention for future models.

Due on sale here by the end of the year as the Elantra hatch, the German-designed i30 will be available in the UK from September 1 in three trim levels (all with stability control as standard), with prices ranging from $24,500 for the 80kW 1.4-litre petrol Comfort to $37,700 for the 105kW 2.0 CRDi Premium. Petrol 1.6 and 2.0-litre variants will also be on offer.

Hyundai Motor UK has also confirmed the i30 name was chosen because it is the numerical equivalent of Europe's C (small-car) segment.

Hence, in Europe, the next generation of Hyundai's A-segment model, the Getz, will become the i10, while the B-segment Accent will become the i20, the D-segment Sonata will become the i40 and the E-segment Grandeur (no loner sold here) will become the i50.

Hyundai said a suffix will be added for further model derivatives, such as i30 CW for the upcoming i30-based C-segment wagon.

At 4245mm long, the new Elantra hatch/i30 is 260mm shorter than the Elantra sedan launched here in October 2006, as well as 10mm narrower and lower. It is Hyundai's direct rival for the Ford Focus, Holden Astra, Mazda3, Peugeot 307, Renault Megane and Citroen C4.

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