Korean brands are known for overhauling their cars' designs when new models arrive, and the new Elantra is no exception. Introduced today at the 2026 Busan Auto Show in South Korea, where the compact sedan is sold as the Avante, the eighth-generation model looks completely different from its predecessor. We’re not just talking about the exterior but also the cabin, which has little in common with the outgoing car.
Giving off Iron Man vibes, the new Elantra has surprisingly flared wheel arches and flush door handles. Even without looking at the technical specifications, you can already tell it’s a bigger car thanks to the addition of a quarter window. The triangle-shaped glass behind the rear doors gives the profile an interesting look while emphasizing the car’s growth spurt. At 187.6 inches, it’s 2.16 inches longer than its predecessor, with 1.18 inches of that increase going into the wheelbase for a more spacious cabin. The revamped sedan now measures a generous 108.2 inches between the axles.
Hyundai goes as far as to say the new Elantra is nearly as spacious as a midsize sedan, so like a Sonata. Aside from the increase in length, the next-generation model is also 1.18 inches wider, measuring 73 inches. It’s also slightly taller than before, at 56 inches, although it’s unclear whether that translates into additional headroom. It does appear to have a slightly flatter roofline, which could provide more headroom for rear passengers.
View Price on AmazonWe’re told the next-gen Elantra adopts Hyundai’s "Art of Steel" design language, which translates to lots of edges and sharp lines. The headlights and taillights create an "H" motif, and we can’t help but notice the large ducktail spoiler stretching across the entire width of the rear end. Those two-tone wheels measure 18 inches and feature a five-spoke design that echoes the body’s angular styling.
The interior looks like it belongs to a higher-segment car and comes with Hyundai’s next-gen Android-based Pleos infotainment system. As standard, the touchscreen measures 12.9 inches, but customers can upgrade to a larger 14.6-inch display, which thankfully hasn’t swallowed all the physical controls. There are fewer buttons than before, but we’re glad to see traditional switchgear below the screen.
A small, horizontal digital instrument cluster is perched on the dashboard directly in the driver’s line of sight. Gone is the Hyundai logo on the steering wheel, replaced by the four dots representing the Morse code for the letter H, a design detail we’ve already seen on several other models. The gear selector has migrated behind the steering wheel, freeing up the lower portion of the center console, where there are now two wireless charging pads.
Elsewhere, there’s ambient lighting in the door panels and dashboard, two large cupholders ahead of the center armrest, and conventional buttons on both the steering wheel and the driver’s door. The passenger side of the dashboard features a presumably soft, cushion-like pattern that creates the impression you’re sitting in a much nicer car than an Elantra.
In South Korea, Hyundai plans to sell the Avante with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter gasoline engine producing 147 horsepower, up 25 horsepower from before. There’s also a more efficient 1.6-liter hybrid with a slight power bump to 155 horsepower. The latter gets the company’s latest regenerative braking technology and a new function called Stay Mode. It allows occupants to use the battery’s energy to power the air conditioning and infotainment system, much like in a fully electric vehicle.
The new Avante will go on sale domestically in the third quarter of the year, with the global Elantra likely to follow in 2027.
Source: motor1.com
