The much awaited 2021 facelift of the Elantra has finally been revealed and this feels like a whole new car. The 2019 update of the Elantra had not been welcomed by the general public with glowing reviews, as most people had a certain issue with respect to its sharp snout like
front.
This is a rather subjective issue, but apart from this the 2019 update was more or less a
scale up from its previous version. However, the 2021 facelift is a game-changer as this new
update has introduced a new interior, exterior and now, for the first time, Hyundai has offered a
new hybrid option with the Elantra.
The Sonata and Elantra are the best selling models of Hyundai, and they earned this laurel due
to the way both these cars have been built. The 2020 Sonata received a change from it’s 2019
version, and this change had been accepted quite positively, and working along those lines, the
Elantra has taken a few tricks from it’s elder sibling, and incorporated them to itself.
Looks department
As mentioned before, the 2019 Elantra’s looks had been a problem, and Hyundai got back to
the drawing board and came out with a new design. They removed the sharp snout like front
from the 2019 Elantra, and replaced it with a more accentuated, yet smooth design which in my
opinion feels quite sophisticated.
The headlights of the Elantra look quite sharp with it’s eyebrow like daytime running lights, moreover, the turn indicators grow into the grill, which is something we have seen Hyundai do with it’s recently updated cars. The rear has been redesigned as well and gone are the 2 separate tail lights. Instead the taillights now appear to look like an ‘H’ as the taillights have been joined by a thin straight line which look absolutely smashing.
Furthermore, the Elantra has also received a revision with respect to its dimensions, as the
2020 Elantra is now wider, lower, and has grown longer by 2 inches, which has increased the
wheelbase by an inch.
Technology department
The technology used in the Elantra is a massive step up from the 2019 version, and offers a few
segment first features as well. On entering the car, you will be greeted by two 10.25 inch digital
screens, one being the new digital speedometer,and the other being the infotainment system.
These 2 screens are integrated together, which looks quite neat, and helps with functionality as
well. The infotainment system has numerous features, and it offers Android Auto and Apple
Carplay, which makes it the only car in its segment to offer this as a standard feature.
Furthermore, the cabin also has ambient lighting with an option of choosing upto 64 colours, an
eight speaker Bose system, and digital key, which uses NFC to open, close and start the engine
of the car via a smartphone.
Talking about safety, the Elantra has offered standard features such as Lane Keeping Assist,
Lane Following Assist, Highbeam Assist, and Driver Attention Warning, which helps detect any
Driver Fatigue. Furthermore, Hyundai has also added optional features such as Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist, Safe Exit Warning, and Smart Cruise Control. Such features would
make driving this car a blissful and at the same time, a safe experience.
The Mechanicals
For the first time, the Elantra will be offered as a hybrid, which is representative of Hyundai’s
mission of providing environment friendly vehicles. This hybrid powertrain is powered by a 1.6
litre petrol engine, which is mated with an electric motor, producing a total of 139 bhp.
On the other hand, the Elantra is also offered with the non-hybrid variant which comes alive with
a 2.0 litre MPI, which has been seen in other Hyundai models as well. This engine produces
147 horsepower, however, what is new about this engine is that it is more fuel efficient, which
was possible due to the new IVT transmission used in the 2021 Elantra. Not only does this new
transmission make the Elantra more fuel-efficient, but this IVT transmission is also able to
simulate gear changes as seen in automatic transmissions.
Release and pricing
The release of the 2021 Elantra is expected by fall of this year. As for the pricing of the car, it could range in between Rs.19-24 lakhs ex-showroom and if they price this car competitively, well then they have another winner at their hands. When launched in India, the Elantra will take on Toyota’s Corolla Altis and the Skoda Octavia. The Altis has been in the run for quite a long time and is in dire need of an upgrade. The U.S. models have already been refreshed but, the dying sales of the D-segment sedans in India seems to be a hurdle for Toyota to consider refreshing the model. On the other hand, Skoda recently launched the limited edition Octavia RS 245 which will take it’s sales reach better figures. Hyundai has always been pro-active for the Indian market and it may very well prove to be fruitful for them even in the D-segment because this Elantra looks very promising.
