Hyundai has launched the 2021 Elantra (2021 Avante) in the South Korean market. The surprising thing to note is that it was launched at a price of KRW 15.31 million which converts to just ₹9.52 lakh in INR, a very affordable price for the segment in which it is offered. Hyundai had earlier unveiled the 2021 Elantra at an event in Hollywood. It gets an all-new design inspired by Hyundai’s Le Fil Rouge concept which debuted at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.
The company said that it has received 16,849 pre-orders for the new-gen Elantra within less than two weeks in its home market. Its pre-bookings started on March 25. It also said that 10,058 pre-orders were booked on the first day itself. The company is offering the all-new sedan in four trims – Style, Smart, Modern and Inspiration.
On the outside, the all-new Hyundai Elantra (codename: Hyundai CN7) features parametric-jewel pattern grille with turn indicators placed inside it, full LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels and LED taillights connected via a light strip that creates the brand’s H logo-like shape. Also new is the bonnet-mounted Hyundai insignia, which is a first as until now, all cars featured the badge on the front grille. The side profile gets a coupe-like sloping roofline which, along with the sharp character lines, lends the sedan an aggressive look.
Inside the cabin, the interior highlights include a 10.25-inch virtual instrument cluster, 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system tilted 10 degrees towards the driver, 10-way electric drive seat (including lumbar support), front-seat ventilation, rear seat heating, ambient lighting with a choice of 64 colours and 8-speaker Bose premium sound system. Most importantly, the new Elantra is underpinned by a new architecture that stretches the wheelbase nearly an inch and adds 2 inches in overall length. Courtesy of the new platform, the 2021 Elantra has grown in dimensions. We can compare the dimensions of the two models from the table below:
| Current Elantra | 2021 Elantra | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 4620mm | 4675mm (+55mm) |
| Width | 1800mm | 1825mm (+25mm) |
| Height | 1465mm | 1445mm (-20mm) |
| Wheelbase | 2700mm | 2720mm (+20mm) |
Another big update is in terms of powertrains offered. In terms of mechanicals, there will be two engine options – petrol and LPG. It gets a 1.6L MPi petrol engine which develops 123 PS of power and 153.96 Nm of peak torque. The second option includes a 1.6-litre LPi petrol-LPG unit which develops 120 PS and 152 Nm of torque. Currently, the non-hybrid models rely on a 2.0-litre petrol engine which cranks out 147 hp of power and 179 Nm of torque, mated to a CVT gearbox. With a slew of upcoming launches this year, Hyundai has made it clear that it will launch the new-gen Elantra next year only. Hyundai India launched the facelifted Elantra in October 2019, about a year after its global debut. When launched, the new-gen Elantra will go up against the likes of Honda Civic and Skoda Octavia.