First Look Review: 2016 Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai may have earned its name with its range of small hatchbacks and sedans here in India, but here’s a little-known fact: globally, the Korean brand is also responsible for making the BMW-rivalling luxury sedan in the form of the Genesis. Hyundai India’s most luxurious sedan offering, though, is the relatively smaller Elantra – a car that we all seem to like a lot, here at CarWale. And now that Hyundai has brought out a completely new 2016 model globally, we are looking forward to gauging all the changes and upgrades in the new Elantra.

Currently, the 2016 Elantra is available only in South Korea where it’s being sold as the Avante. It will eventually be launched in other markets including India by mid-2016.

Looking vividly different from the existing model, the 2016 Elantra is a result of Hyundai adopting a new design language instead of the brand’s traditional Fluidic design theme. As a result, the 2016 Elantra mimics the bigger Genesis with its large hexagonal grille, sweptback LED headlights and C-shaped fog lamp housing. In profile, however, the only new additions are the different alloy wheels, wing mirrors and a new side crease that now runs above the door handles. At the rear, the tail lamps appear new and are noticeably slimmer than before while the boot lid is new as well.

Dimension wise, the 2016 Elantra is longer, wider and taller than before. That being said, the wheelbase remains the same although Hyundai is promising more interior space for the new model, thanks to cleverer packaging. And as for the design, the interior is clearly inspired by the one in the Sonata if we look at the driver-centric dashboard and the centre binnacle. The all-black cabin’s highlighting feature is the 8-inch JBL infotainment system and a suite of safety features including seven airbags.

The 2016 Elantra is being offered with either the 130bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol, a bigger 147bhp 2-litre unit or a 1.6-litre diesel engine. While it’s unlikely for us to get both these petrol motors, Hyundai India will bring in the 1.6-litre diesel option for India-spec cars. The brand could also introduce the new 7-speed dual-clutch automatic unit for the new diesel Elantra.

The 2016 Elantra is already on sale in South Korea as the Avante and is doing rather well. It’s now headed to the LA Auto Show this month for its American debut and will arrive here in India possibly by the end of 2016. Despite its age and rising competition in the D-segment, the current-gen Elantra has been racking up decent sales numbers, largely thanks to its big car looks and a lengthy equipment list. The 2016 model, then, is expected to carry more of the same merits wrapped in a comparatively superior package. Until then, take a brief look at the merits and demerits of the current-gen Elantra through our Car Buying Guide.