2013 Hyundai Elantra: What's New

Vehicle Overview

With seating for up to five, the compact Elantra’s looks and fuel efficiency — it’s rated at 38 mpg on the highway — make it a compelling choice in the segment. The Elantra is available as a four-door sedan, a coupe or a four-door hatchback. Competitors include the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze.

(Skip to details on the GT Hatchback, Coupe)
New for 2013
New coupe and four-door hatchback versions of the Elantra debut for 2013. In addition, the base Elantra GLS sedan now has standard air conditioning, 16-inch wheels, cruise control and a telescoping steering wheel. The Elantra Limited sedan gets a standard power driver’s seat with lumbar support and available dual-zone automatic climate control.
Exterior
Even though it’s a sedan, the Elantra has the look of a coupe. The roofline slopes gracefully down to the trunk lid, and the rising belt line makes a sharp upturn at the rear or the car, giving the rear side windows a triangular shape. This diminishes backseat-passenger visibility, but it gives the car a distinctive and sporty shape. Exterior features include:

• Pronounced fender flares
• 16-inch steel wheels standard; 17-inch alloy wheels optional
• Standard heated side mirrors
• Available automatic headlights
• Available power moonroof
• Available fog lights

Interior
Sweeping dashboard lines and a center console that rises to meet the dash lend a modern appearance to the sedan. A high-resolution touch-screen navigation system that incorporates a backup camera is optional, and the screen is mounted high on the dash. Interior features include:

• Standard cloth seats; heated leather seats optional
• Choice of two-tone interiors
• Remote keyless entry
• CD stereo with USB and auxiliary inputs
• 60/40-split folding backseat
• 14.8-cubic-foot trunk

Under the Hood
The Elantra is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that’s rated at 148 horsepower and gets an EPA-estimated 28/38 mpg city/highway whether you get the standard six-speed manual or the optional six-speed automatic. Mechanical features include:

• Uses regular gas
• Front-wheel drive
• Available push-button start

Safety
Standard safety features include:

• All-disc antilock brakes
• Side-impact airbags for the front seats
• Front and rear side curtain airbags
• Electronic stability system with traction control
• Tire pressure monitoring system

GT Hatchback
Hyundai’s four-door hatchback GT replaces the previous Elantra Touring. The GT now looks more like the sedan than the previous wagon-like Touring model did. The GT competes with other hatchbacks like the Mazda3, Ford Focus and Subaru Impreza.

The GT has rear seats that fold to create 51 cubic feet of cargo room. The cargo space is on the larger side compared with other hatchbacks: The Impreza is 52 cubic feet, Mazda3 is 42.8 cubic feet and the Focus is 45 cubic feet. The same 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine from the Elantra sedan is used with a choice of automatic or manual transmissions.

Hyundai is shooting for a sportier driving experience than the sedan in the GT, so a stiffer suspension has unique shocks for improved body motion control. The optional Style Package gives the suspension sportier tuning for the package’s 17-inch wheels. Drivers can choose from three steering modes: Comfort, Normal and Sport, which adjusts the power-steering assist for varying levels of steering-wheel tightness. Back to top

Coupe
The Elantra coupe hopes to gain youthful buyers looking for a sportier compact car. The coupe uses the same engine and transmissions as the sedan to hit mileage ratings up to 38 mpg with a manual transmission. Other small coupes include the Honda Civic, Kia Forte Koup and Scion tC.

There are two fewer doors, but that doesn’t mean Hyundai has sacrificed space inside. The coupe’s interior dimensions are close to the sedan’s dimensions, plus the coupe’s trunk is just as large as the sedan’s sizable cargo area of 14.8 cubic feet.

To liven up the driving experience, the coupe’s suspension and steering system have been tuned to offer more responsive driving, Hyundai says. On the inside, the front seats have thicker side bolstering to grip the driver. Back to top