Hyundai unveils Elantra replacement in Korea

Hyundai used its home-market Busan Motor Show to unveil the replacement for its world-market Elantra. Known domestically as the Hyundai Avante, the new sedan follows closely in the automaker’s more shapely style that was introduced in the Sonata.

Introduced just days after Hyundai took the wraps off of its sub-Avante Verna (known in North America as the Accent), the Avante was by far the biggest premier at the Busan show.

Expected to go on sale in early Fall in South Korea, we’ll likely have to wait a few months before Hyundai unveils the North American-specification Elantra. We are expecting to see both of these cars in showroom in late winter of 2010 and early winter 2011. Both of these cars will be game changers in their classes.

Powered by Hyundai’s latest 1.6-liter direct-injected Gamma-series four-cylinder, the Avante also features a new six-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai says the motor is good for about 138 horsepower and will help the sedan be about 10 percent more efficient than its rivals, which include the Mazda Mazda3, Honda Civic and Ford Focus.

Look for the production world-market Elantra’s formal debut to likely occur in late September at the Paris Motor Show, with a North American on sale date of late 2010 or early 2011 as either a 2011 or 2012 model. We don’t expect many styling changes between the North American variant and the Korean domestic market Avante, although North America is slated to receive a 200-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder as the top powertrain offering.

Toyota, Honda and Ford are being put on notice by Hyundai at each and every “segment turn”. Hyundai is here to stay and now ready to play!