XD Elantra Series II

Hyundai’s updated XD Elantra saw an unsubtle new grille grafted onto a nose that also featured reshaped headlights, bumpers and bonnet.

New tail-lights, a redesigned boot on the sedan and revised wheel caps, colour range, dashboard appearance and interior trim completed the cosmetic changes, while an upgraded 2.0-litre engine became the only motor on offer.

It produces 105kW of power and 186Nm of torque, and is dubbed 2.0 HVT, for “Hyundai Variablevalve Timing”.

Elantra and Elite replaced GL and GLS, and improved safety and seating were also incorporated.

But dynamic and refinement levels sorely trailed the new guard of small cars like the Mazda3, making the Elantra viable mainly on low-cost grounds, backed by Hyundai’s five-year/130,000km warranty.