The New Hyundai Elantra Coupe is for Sale!

Hyundai’s sporty, popular Elantra has been lagging behind the new Honda Civic.  Why?  Because the Civic has a sporty coupe version.  So, Hyundai decided to give the Civic and the VW Golf a run for their money.

To compete against the Civic, the all-new Hyundai Elantra Coupe has the same engine and transmission that the Elantra sedan has.  This means that the slightly lighter Elantra Coupe is a bit faster (data is unavailable at press time), but it is about 1/2 an inch longer. The sporty-looking Elantra Coupe SE trim level is the trim to get.  Why?  Sporty-looking seventeen-inch wheels with five spokes accentuate the graceful, sporty, flowing lines of the Elantra Coupe.  It also has chrome-lined foglamps, and optional side mirror turn signal repeaters.  The dual chrome exhaust tips that give a turbocharged sound to the Elantra Coupe stick out of a blacked-out rear diffuser.  But, the untrained eye might mistake it for a Civic coupe.  Why?  The Elantra Coupe does look a bit like a skinnier, taller Honda Civic coupe.

The driver’s car is the Elantra GT hatchback.  It is a replacement for the ancient Elantra Touring hatchback/station wagon.  It also happens to be based on the European-market- only Hyundai i30 hatchback.  It has a two-inch shorter wheelbase than the Elantra coupe and sedan, and is nine inches shorter than the Elantra sedan, 0.2 inches wider, and is 1.4 inches taller.  It comes with a cooled glovebox and also has a 12-volt electrical outlet in the back.  To keep driving enjoyment up on the Elantra GT, Hyundai has added a three-stage Driver Selectable Steering Mode and includes a chassis that is tuned for “added feel, responsiveness, and control.”

The Elantra Coupe went on sale in late May, and the Elantra GT will be for sale by late August.  I can’t wait to buy the Elantra GT!

Sources:  http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2012/1204_hyundai_latest_sales_coupe/ and hyundaiusa.com