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While the mechanicals are unchanged, the Hyundai Elantra GT gets a new, Sonata-inspired face and 17″ wheels.
Also added is a new infotainment system featuring HD radio, Siri integration and a new version of Hyundai’s Blue Link system that offers remote start and configurable climate controls that can be activated remotely.
27 Comments on “Chicago 2015: Hyundai Elantra Gets A New Mug...”
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Hey…so how is this look not getting the hate Mazda did for its smiley look? This along with the huge gaping fishy Audi.
And in a way, all of the new looks are becoming the same look.
The Ford Taurus is the new Toyota is the new Hyundai look.
Lordy how I long for the days when design wasn’t so controlled by the regs of the government.
And yet the smaller specialty mftrs like Austin Martin get away without the regs due to their inability to pay.
They will get away with the changes afforded while under Ford’s umbrella.
It’s not quite as dramatic as the Mazda fascia was. Since then, styling has gotten a bit more dramatic too, so this will blend in a bit more.
not as dramatic!?
Wow…I think it is .
PLUS…just look at the Veloster introduced in Chicago today along with the newest Avalon! These are really getting to the point the Mazda look was brilliantly subdued.
Looks like they are late to the big-grill party, a “me too” effort. Maybe an 18″ tall ‘H’ badge on that fish mouth would add some drama?
Hyundai has been doing the oversized hexagonal grill shape for years and this is basically the same opening but with a diff. grill treatment (horizontal grill slats).
The diff. btwn this (along with Audi, etc.) and Mazda’s previous “smiling guppy” face is the SHAPE of the grill (people still beef about the size) where the hexagonal shape is more pleasing that that atrocity Mazda used (which they got from Peugeot).
The size of Mazda’s current grills isn’t really any smaller. It just has a more pleasing shape and grill treatment.
Really needs that powertrain upgrade with the DCT, but I guess Hyundai decided that the Veloster should have it by itself for a bit, altho the European i30 is getting it.
again…this is where car discussions take a hard left on me. there is simply no way, to me, the smiling face of the Mazda’s were anywhere near as offensive as those here. Especially the newest Toyotas.
And when you think about it, the original Miata had a tiny little cartoonish mouth and everybody adored the car.
I do as well…I just want to point out how flaky all this design stuff gets.
What do I know…I love the original MKS design!!!
A last note…I recently read a story by an auto tech that explained how the grills on the modern auto was unnecessary. In fact they have become more of an image and design function than an actual need for cooling as in our older cars.
Just seems a very strange thing to me…that along with the 4 exhaust pipes (looking at you Corvette). Bragging how much poop your car puts out seems silly.
I like Honda (Acura) hiding these pipes today.
To my untrained eye the Mazda goofy happy face had an anime inspired semi-aquatic cartoon look while some of the Toyota faces are more predatory (but still anime in a more Miyazaki way) and this benefits from some less cartoonish design, a more subtle face, and all of our eyes being acclimated to this phase of face like car noses over the years.
I don’t know where you got your info from but Austin and other niche manufacturers are not exempt from meeting regulations. They can if need be ask for a bit of leeway due to their smaller financial base but they still must bring their cars into compliance. All that leeway dose is allow them to continue selling cars that are entirely compliant with strict regulations that were superseded mere months ago and only for the duration of the current models run. The next significantly updated model will still have to comply fully. This is no different from ferraris recent exemption from new safety regulations, some commenters assumed they were clear to sell their cars as death traps when they are only allowed to sell cars that up to just a short time ago met every standard in the book. A car meeting 2014 safety refs is in no way a dangerous car.
Owning an existing Elantra GT, this does nothing for me. Its different, arguably more boring, and that’s the end of it. Nothing here will sell more of them. Where is the turbo as an option, its still MIA which is inexcusable after all this time. It will be interesting to see what happens to Hyundai’s market share in the next year, considering also the reduced power Sonata turbo, more boring style etc. I’m thinking it will drop.
+1 from another existing Elantra GT owner. Much ado was made of the 2.0L engine which from the descriptions sound exactly identical to the standard engine in both the 2015 and 2014 Elantra GT. Only the 1.6T or better yet the 2.0T would be worth talking about.
They haven’t ruined the car to the point where I wouldn’t pick one, but they haven’t enhanced it much beyond my 2014 model. I do think I like the 16″ alloys on my 14 better with a little more sidewall, but other than that only an owner could tell the difference. The picture at top looks exactly like my car; only the grille opening is a bit off.
Does anyone else miss real bumpers? What do people in New York buy now?
It looks pretty good to me, but I agree that it should have a bumper.
Judging by the FoMoCo lease returns I buy out of Newburgh and Bordentown, they all park by touch anyway.
They buy those rubber bumper savers/mats and drape them off of their rear bumper when they park.
Hmmm… Another Fusion squeezed in a vise.
The fluidic sculpture style is still ugly.
It’s good to see that now all new sedans look exactly the same. Comparisons are now much simpler – which is cheapest?
yep, a lot of copping style here .. I wonder how Nissan will imitate Hyundai with their next Altima. I’m convinced that the odd ‘melted’ style of the past (’14 and back a couple, I think) was a response to Hyundai’s riff on Mercedes/Audi/Lexus Sonata (changed for ’15)
Where are the 30 or so instantaneous f^#*king comments about the “Gillette” grille, huh? I mean, yesterday everyone seemed to be using talking points for the new Honda Pilot saying that it had nothing but Ford’s Gillette Razor grille (which of course it does not). But now here is a MEGA copy of Ford’s “Aston” grille and “Gillette” grille morphed into one, and nary a peep.
As usual, Honda, Acura, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, and Infiniti continue to be bashed incessantly for every design detail on this site, and Hyundai, Mazda, Kia, BMW, Merc, and select others get a complete pass on their… ahem… “styling”.
Typical…
Yeah exactly! F..**** people who hate Hondas!!!!!
On the other hand could be people just aren’t as interested in a Hyundai as they are in a Hinda.
But yeah! MF..rs! Honda rules!!!
Or whatever
Hating Honda/Acura would require me to have ever thought about them in the first place.
Marcelo for class president!
I showed the picture to my wife, and she declined to have an opinion. That means it’s boring and doomed.
It’s just a little car for people with no money who drive very poorly, and bang their doors into other cars. No style opinions needed!
I don’t know about your area, but when I see Elantras around the Chi, they all seem to be well cared for. Haven’t seen a rolling wreck yet. And they don’t seem to be bad drivers either … and while they may cost less than some other cars in their class, they ain’t being given away by NObody, dude. As far as style goes, I’ll give it the nod over the Sentra and the Corolla.
Talking of parties imagine if Citroen had re-arrived with Cactus…
Kind of makes me wish that they brought back the Elantra Touring, though this “Golf”-like Elantra is cool. Not much more than the current model.