Maybe Hyundai said this for good reason. This Elantra marks the 5th generation of the Hyundai Elantra is a Korean offering bound to make you forget about any other compact sedan. Commercials for the Elantra aired during the Super Bowl talking about how compact sedans don't have to be boring. I guess for Hyundai, they got sick of seeing the Mazda 3, Honda Civic Sedan, and Chevrolet Cruze get face time for being hot compact sedans. So on comes Hyundai and their radically-styled Elantra that's made in Montgomery, Alabama, USA for the American market. I saw this first at the Houston Auto Show both on a turntable and on the show floors. My thoughts on the Elantra's looks will be expressed in this blog post.
(sources for my information: Hyundai USA and Wikipedia)
--- Car Style: The Hyundai Elantra (5th Generation) ---
This is the 5th Generation Hyundai Elantra:
^ from (my Houston Auto Show 2011 gallery on Facebook) - Hyundai created perhaps the most beautiful Korean work of art when this car was unveiled.
And this is a video preview of the 5th Generation Hyundai Elantra:
In the eyes of Hyundai, they wanted to create a compact sedan to rival cars like the Mazda 3, Honda Civic Sedan, and the all-new Chevrolet Cruze. Their answer to these cars is the Elantra. The Elantra starts out at an MSRP of $14,830 USD for the GLS model and $19,980 USD for the Elantra Limited. The Elantra is a front-wheel drive car that pushes 148 horsepower and 131 lb-ft of torque from its 1797cc engine. The car weighs anywhere between 2,660 lbs. to 2,877 lbs. Its other 2011 opposition includes the Toyota Corolla LE, Nissan Sentra, Honda Civic sedan, Mazda 3 i SV 4-door, and the Ford Focus SE. Those whom have critiqued the Elantra praised the copious amount of room inside the Elantra. Best bang for the buck is mostly what Hyundai is known for. A nice thing about Hyundai's website (as I was preparing this blog post) is that you could put this car to the test against other similar cars. I'll provide a link to Hyundai USA's website so you can learn more about this car and do your own comparisons. Also, did you know the Elantra is also called the Avante in its native Korea Republic?
Exterior.
I thought the front was a bit unusual at first. After taking more looks at it, the front is absolutely gorgeous! Its curves are sculpted beautifully and don't look too much out of whack. Take note of its headlights, for example. While a bit unusual in design with its curvy lines, it still has gracious style. Both the front grill and front air dam have horizontal bars to compliment its image. The front grill bearing the Hyundai badge is even stylish along with the front air dam and the two fog lights. The front hood/bonnet is styled nicely and smoothly as well.When you look at the side profile of this car, you see a car which boasts elegant curvy lines. Maybe not the curves of your favorite supermodel, but a car with aerodynamic and graceful charm. The elongated headlights and tail lights only compliment the flowy charm of the Elantra. The car features some bold fender flares, but they are not too bold to where its elegance is violated or tainted. This car just looks like it is best friends with the wind. This car also comes with a sunroof that nicely adds to its character up top.
Hyundai spared no expense in adding elegance to the rear with a nice set of tail lights. More curvy lines add some extra style to its rear. That even includes a rather curvy rear bumper. The rear is charming and smooth. Its swoopy profile is just accentuated and completed at the rear. It is a great looking car that is very luxurious.
Interior.
The exterior is a gorgeous masterpiece, but what about when ready to drive? The dashboard is not as gorgeous as its exterior, but it is very far from ugly. It has a pretty nice looking steering wheel and a nice instrument panel complete with lovely analog gauges. The center console is the nicest-looking element of the interior with a lovely high-definition navigation system (you read right!). The seats are stylish and comfortable. Only the Limited-trim Elantra has heated seats for both the front and rear passengers- the first compact to offer this for both front and rear passengers.The 5th Generation Hyundai Elantra is one of the most gorgeous cars ever from a Korean automaker. It is a car designed to be both stylish, practical, and safe. I was so amazed seeing this car in print and in person that I couldn't help but fall in love. I'll say it right now- it is one of my new favorite Hyundais in terms of looks. It surpasses the Genesis sedan. Only Hyundai lovelier than the Elantra all-time (to me) is the 2007-2008 Hyundai Tiburon. The 5th Generation Elantra is absolutely one of the most beautiful non-sporty Hyundais of all time. I have never been so much in love with a Hyundai's looks since the 2007 Tiburon. I think this car looks best either in white (rare ANY car looks great in white), silver, or blue. Also, it takes some courage to call your car as a car other's don't want you to see or know about, and be able to back up their claim with a good comparison of itself against rival cars. Hyundai has created perhaps the most beautiful Korean car of all time when the 5th Generation Elantra was unveiled. The likes of Chevrolet and Honda (among others) will have you shy away from Hyundai and their Elantra/Avante, but Hyundai built themselves a potent challenger to woo away anyone who wants to get a compact sedan from any other company other than Hyundai.
Learn more about the 2011 Elantra (or build/order your own) by visiting Hyundai Elantra on Hyundai USA's website. I recommend you visit that site especially if you want to compare the Elantra to other cars in its category.
Thank you for reading!
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