- The eighth-generation Elantra will include overhauled front and rear fascias.
- Part of the new sedan’s rear-end shares similarities to the Kia EV4 sedan.
- There’s a good chance a high-performance N version will also be offered.
Hyundai is already working on the next-generation Elantra and a heavily-camouflaged prototype recently snapped on the streets of South Korea provides us with our best opportunity yet to see it in the flesh. While the current, seventh-gen has only been around for five years, the brand built the fifth- and sixth-generation models for five years, so an all-new model would be right on schedule.
What will distinguish this new model from its predecessor? Well, for starters, Hyundai will thoroughly update the sedan’s design and we have bad news for those who’ve never really liked the edgy shape of the current model. Based on this prototype, as well as recently-published renderings, it appears the all-new Elantra will have a design equally as polarizing as its predecessor.
Read: Hyundai’s Compact Wagon Defies The Odds With A Rare Third Facelift
The front end will include a full-width LED light bar joined by angular LED daytime running lights. The main headlamps will then be positioned on the lower blanks of the bumper. A large, square shaped grille is also expected, complete with plenty of sharp corners, and largely void of any soft curves or creases.
The side profile of the new Elantra also looks quite different. We can discern a squared-off rear window and a tailgate sitting higher than the current car, making the rear appear somewhat reminiscent of the new electric Kia EV4 sedan. There are also new vertical brake lights, and perhaps a light bar connecting them.
The Korean Car Blog understands that like the current model, the new one will be offered with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and as a hybrid. In select markets, an LPG-powered version is also on the cards. There’s been no confirmation about a new Elantra N, but given the popularity of the current model, we’d be shocked if a second-generation model wasn’t launched.
Hyundai is expected to unveil the new Elantra sometime next year, with sales to commence afterwards depending on each market.
