First look: New Hyundai Elantra aims at Corolla!

HYUNDAI’S all-new Elantra has made its global debut at the New York motor show, following the release of a teaser shot in early April.

Unveiled in sedan guise at the Big Apple show last week, the redesigned Hyundai small car goes on sale here in the third quarter of this year - following next month’s all-new Accent light hatch and Santa Fe SUV – as the seventh all-new Hyundai model in two years.

The new Elantra is claimed to bring a new level of refinement to South Korean small cars. As well as having a 49 per cent stiffer body than the current model (interestingly, Hyundai also claims it’s nine per cent more rigid than Toyota’s aged Corolla), the new Elantra sets new standards for small car safety.

All Elantras will come with front, front side and side curtain airbags, plus five adjustable head restraints, active front head restraints and larger four-wheel disc brakes with four-channel ABS and EBD.

The all-new chassis features independent suspension at both ends, plus electric rack-and-pinion steering.

At more than 50mm higher than before, Hyundai says the new Elantra is closer to being a mid-sizer than small cars like Corolla and Civic, which it beats for interior and boot space.

Hyundai claims quality and equipment levels are also up, the latter including a centre armrest/console, map lights, driver’s seat height adjust, a 60/40-split rear seat and tinted glass.

The next Elantra’s 103kW 2.0-litre DOHC four (with variable valve timing) will be mated to either five-speed manual or four-speed auto transmissions, the latter with a new gated shifter.