Hyundai has revealed the home-market Avante, which will be the new Elantra in the U.S., and it's very next-generation. The 2027 Elantra is bigger and sharper-looking than ever in its first redesign since 2021. Hyundai unveiled the new model in South Korea just days after it was caught testing in Austria and California.
The Elantra, known as the Avante in South Korea, was revealed at the 2026 Busan auto show in Busan, South Korea, where attendees got a first look at the dramatic new styling. The grille got a major overhaul, with an angular jawline replacing the current model's wide, sweeping mouth. The headlights were pinched down to become thin perpendicular lines that follow the car's bodywork. The new design could easily fit in on a sci-fi movie set.
View Price on AmazonHyundai ditched the Z-shaped creases along the side of the car for straight lines and more defined front and rear fenders, which complement the front end's angular flair. The front and rear windows blend together, with black trim along the B-pillar, while the C-pillar stands out in the car's paint color and separates the two main windows from a small triangular window toward the back. The wheels complete the jagged look with a five-spoke star shape.
The back certainly takes inspiration from the current Elantra, but it's revamped with fewer angles and a boxier design. The taillights mimic the front perpendicular headlights, with a vertical line along both fenders and horizontal beams lining the trunk. The previous-generation Elantra's ducktail spoiler remains, although it's a little sharper along the edges.
Inside, Hyundai shrunk the instrument cluster and pumped up the infotainment screen. The new Elantra gets a larger touchscreen in the center of the dashboard and a much smaller gauge display that sits as a thin bar near the windshield. Hyundai's new Pleos Connect infotainment system is on board, and includes more advanced tech as well as an AI chatbot named Gleo.
The gear selector now sits behind the steering wheel, leaving space for more storage in the center console. There are significantly fewer buttons in the new cabin, but fortunately, climate and media functions are still controlled by physical buttons nestled beneath the screen.
The Elantra will be available with a choice of gasoline-only or hybrid versions. The gas engine will be the same 147-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder as what's currently offered in an Elantra, but the hybrid will feature a new two-motor 1.6-liter engine that'll pump out 155 horsepower. There's no word yet on an N-Line trim or a performance-oriented Elantra N, but we're hoping to see some sportier siblings in the future.
Source: caranddriver.com
