2011 Elantra (aka the Avante) Review

New styling and new powertrains should improve Elantra's standing against the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and other compact cars.

This latest-generation Elantra looks sleek and sculpted. Given the dramatic appearance improvement of the Hyundai Sonata for 2011 and the crisp new Tucson and Genesis coupe, the Elantra may well become a segment styling leader. A 160-170 hp 2-liter may be used in sporty or five-door hatchback models. Hyundai already has a gas/electric hybrid Elantra that runs on liquid petroleum for the Korean market.

The 2011 Elantra (aka the Avante) has unveiled by Hyundai at the Busan Motor Show in South Korea. World-premier of new Avante compact, Hyundai's global best-seller Featuring 1.6L Gamma GDI engine, 6-speed automatic Hyundaihad its world-premier of the all-new Avante compact sedan, the company's best-selling model worldwide, at the Busan International Motor Show 2010 today.

badged as Elantra in markets outside Korea - continues Hyundai's ?luidic sculpture' design philosophy.

Hyundai has applied its latest 1.6L Gamma Gasoline Direct Injection engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission to the front-wheel drive compact, the first time GDI and six-speed automatic have been featured on a compact sedan in Korea.

At a separate commercial vehicle booth, Hyundai displayed a hydrogen fuel-cell electric bus and a Universe Limousine luxury coach, among other displays.

Hyundai's New 1.6L Gamma GDI Engine
GDI technology doesnt only boost power output: It also improves fuel economy while lowering emissions. End of Hyundai Elantra / Avante review.

After the Genesis, Genesis Coupe, Sonata and the new Accent – Hyundai today unveiled the new Elantra at the 2010 Busan Motor Show in Korea.
“The new Avante encompasses Hyundai’s latest ambitions, featuring the best styling and performance in its class,” Steve S. Yang, President & CEO of Hyundai’s Global Business Division, said at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) today.

The new Elantra has a fluid, curvaceous style similar to the 2011 Sonata that has just begun to appear on American roads, but some critics say the new lines look even better on the Elantra. If it can match the practicality of the 2010 Elantra it replaces, the new car should make a serious push for the top of the Affordable Small Car class.

It wasn’t, however, formally unveiled as the next Elantra. It appeared at the obscure Butan auto show in Korea, where it was called the Hyundai Avante. Hyundai sells the current Elantra overseas as the Avante, so it seems reasonable to assume that this car will reach U.S. shores as the Elantra, but Hyundai spokespeople have yet to confirm that.

Part of the appeal of the current 2010 Elantra is its size – it has the exterior dimensions of a small car but is so spacious inside that the EPA classifies it as a midsize car.