New Delhi, April 1: South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai will be launching the latest version of their premium sedan, the Elantra, in India next month. The 2016 Hyundai Tucson will also go on sale here during the 2nd half of this year.
In some international markets, this sedan is sold under the name of Avante but, in India, it will continue to wear the Elantra badge. The new Elantra will most likely be powered either by a 1.6 litre, 4 cylinder petrol engine; a 2.0 litre, 4 cylinder petrol engine or a 1.6 litre, 4 cylinder diesel motor. The 1.6L diesel is the same engine that drives the Hyundai Creta as well. Buyers can choose between 6 speed manual and 6 speed automatic transmissions.
The vehicle still retains the basic design of the previous generation Elantra but, it now looks more mature. The entire front end of the car looks new thanks to the signature Hyundai hexagonal front grille, stylish automatic projector headlights and the LED daytime running lamps embedded in the bumper next to the fog lights. On the inside, the 2016 Elantra gets an 8 inch touchscreen infotainment system, support for Android Auto, a navigation module, voice recognition, traction control, ABS with EBD, vehicle stability management (VSM), 7 airbags and much more.
The market share of vehicles such as the Elantra has gone down a bit in recent times, especially with people an increasing number of potential buyers gravitating towards SUVs. However, with cars like the Elantra, this segment could definitely make a comeback. Competition for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra will come from cars such as the Skoda Octavia, Toyota Corolla Altis, Renault Fluence, Chevrolet Cruze and the VW Jetta.
