India bound 2016 Hyundai Elantra (Avante) unveiled

The sixth generation Hyundai Elantra was unveiled today at company’s Global R&D Center in Namyang, South Korea where the car has been engineered and designed. Unveiled ahead of its global première at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the new mid-size sedan will be India bound, probably sometime in 2016.

Design & Engineering 

The new model is 20 millimeters longer and 25 millimeters wider than the previous-generation Elantra, resulting in increased interior space, which, Hyundai says is comparable with that of the segment above. The redesigned body structure incorporates 32% more advanced high-strength steel compared to the original Elantra. The new Elantra doesn’t only look slippery, but with 0.27Cd of drag co-efficient, the highest in the segment, is slick through the air too.

The design team, led by Hyundai design boss Peter Schreyer, who has iconic designs like the Audi TT to his name, has done a great job with the new Elantra, to be called Avante in South Korea. Imbibing Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture design philosophy, the new Elantra maintains its predecessor’s familiar silhouette, but this time around, the lines are defined better, while the surfaces get tauter.

The front is characterised by a new, low-set, trapezoidal grille, a feature that appeared on the stunning Vison G concept, as well as the ix35 compact SUV. Five slats highlighted with chrome fill the grill’s void, while the grille itself receives a thick chrome border. An optional gloss black package is also available for the entire grille.

The svelte headlamps bear an uncanny resemblance to the new Jaguar XE, and are jewelled up with L-shaped LED strips. Boomerang shaped elements on either side of the front bumper nestle the diminutive fog lamps.

In profile, the new Elantra will have continue to have a swooping roofline that culminates into a coupe-like rear section, while the well contoured wheel arch flares integrate seamlessly with the bodywork.

The rear end is particularly eye-catching, and will feature horizontal, LED tail lamps with graphics that look like an evolution of the Elite i20’s, along with a subtle boot lip spoiler. Hyundai offers 10 different body colour options – ranging from subtle base colours to vibrant, stand-out shades.

Interiors & Features

Compared to the exteriors, the interiors are rather conservatively styled, and get an all-black colour scheme with dull silver accents. That said, markets like India could benefit from a dual-tone color scheme. The new dashboard, draped with soft-touch materials, can be defined by flowing lines that possesses an understated elegance. The centre console is angled by 6.9 degrees towards the driver towards the driver, and features a large touch-screen equipped infotainment system. In addition, the central console has a sliding-type tray cover and a central armrest.

Clear, legible dials fill up the instrument cluster, while the nicely contoured steering wheel is littered with controls. Entertainment in the all-new Elantra’s comes from a premium Harman audio system with eight speakers accompanying an amplifier, located in the front-center rear package tray and in the front doors, accompanied by a pair of front door-mounted tweeters joins each speaker located in every door.

Engines & Transmission

The all-new Elantra is available with a choice of two diesel engines –  1.6 VGT, 1.6 GDi, and one petrol engine – 2.0 MPi Atkinson for the Korean market. Transmission options include a six-speed automatic, a six-speed manual, and a seven-speed DCT (Double Clutch Transmission), with the latter available only for the diesel 1.6 VGT. (For respective power and torque outputs, refer to the technical specifications below). Hyundai will add new variants in the future, like the 1.6 T-GDi, which will come with a sporty body kit, dual exhaust pipes between others.

Suspension & Safety

The new Hyundai Elantra rides MacPherson strut front suspension, along with a coupled torsion beam axle set-up (CTBA) at the back. According to Hyundai, the suspension geometry has been redesigned to provide greater control and improve ride quality, compared to the previous model. Changes to the layout of the suspension components, including the rear shock absorber and spring positioning, are complemented by structural enhancements to strengthen the chassis.

Hyundai claims an improved steering feel, courtesy an evolved version of the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS). To make sure that this Hyundai isn’t a handful around the corners, the new Elantra’s handling has been honed at the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam, venue for the Formula 1 World Championship.

The new Elantra comes with a plethora of new safety equipment like Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), High Beam Assist (HBA), Blind Spot Detection (BSD) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) plus convenience features like the Smart Trunk, a system that automatically opens the trunk when the Smart Key is within the rear bumper sensing zone over 3 seconds, saving time and effort for the driver.

Hyundai Motor is expecting sales of around 50,000 units this year in Korea, with ambitions to deliver 700,000 units globally (Korea: 110,000 / Overseas: 590,000) to customers next year.

Technical Specifications 

Engines:

	Capacity (cc)	Power (PS)	Torque (kg.m)
1.6 GDi	1,591	132	16.4
Diesel 1.6 VGT	1,582	136	30.6
2.0 MPi Atkinson	1,999	149	18.3

Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive

Transmissions: Six-speed automatic, six-speed manual, seven-speed DCT (Double Clutch Transmission)*
*seven-speed DCT is available only for Diesel 1.6 VGT

Suspension and damping:

Front	MacPherson strut front suspension
Rear	CTBA

Steering:

Type	EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Overall steering gear ratio	13.9
Steering wheel turn (lock to lock)	2.66
Minimum turning radius	5.3 (m)

Wheels and tires:

Wheel type	Tires
6.0Jx 15-inch steel / alloy wheels	195/65R15
6.5Jx 16-inch alloy wheels	205/55R16
7.0Jx 17-inch alloy wheels	225/45R17

Exterior dimensions (mm):

Overall length	4,570
Overall width	1,800
Overall height	1,440
Wheelbase	2,700
Front overhang	880
Rear overhang	990
Front tread	1,563-15” / 1,555-16” / 1,549-17”
Rear tread	1,572-15” / 1,564-16” / 1,558-17”

Interior dimensions (mm):

	Front	Rear
Head room	985	947
Leg room	1,073	906
Shoulder room	1,427	1,405

Capacities (liters):

Fuel tank (liters)	50
Luggage (liters)	SAE: 407 / VDA: 458