Hyundai Heaves Hefty Hints of a Hotter Hatch

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Hyundai’s plans to diversify the Elantra lineup continues apace, with the automaker dropping teaser images of the next GT hatch and posting a video of a possible N-badged high-performance variant.

Expect more maturity and style from the hatchback Elantra, and, if the automaker is really serious about its N Division, a turbocharged stick-shift funmobile with room for camping equipment.

In Europe, the model goes by another name, so the next-generation i30’s September 7 unveiling will give us a good look at the stateside Elantra GT. Playing catch-up to its sedan sibling, which bowed earlier this year as a 2017 model, the GT’s official debut happens later this month at the Paris Motor Show.

The next-generation model sports more refined styling, with a “cascading” front grille that resembles the sedan’s and (from certain angles) some Infiniti models. Hyundai promises an “efficient and dynamic powertrain line-up,” meaning we’ll likely see Eco and Sport versions of the updated hatch.

The 2017 Elantra Sport features a turbocharged 1.6-liter direct-injection four-cylinder making “more than” 200 horsepower and 190 pounds-feet of torque, according to the automaker. That mill would give Hyundai a player in the hot hatch field. However, a video posted by the company suggests a more sport-tuned offering could be in the works.

The video, posted on Hyundai’s YouTube channel, is titled “N in Progress,” and shows a camo-clad four-door hatch navigating a hairpin-heavy closed course. The vehicle looks like a current generation GT, but a modified one at that.

Will we finally see a production Hyundai GT variant with N Division fingerprints on it? If so, the upcoming Honda Civic Si can expect competition from the Koreans.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Corey Lewis Corey Lewis on Aug 30, 2016

    Well lookie there, the front end is a Q50, and the back is a Golf!

  • Old Man Pants Old Man Pants on Aug 30, 2016

    The more cookie-cutter cars in each segment become because aero, the more elaborate the camouflage. "a player in the hot hatch field" A new purveyor of dress shields!

  • FreedMike Off topic, but folks, this site is not working well for me from a technical standpoint, and it doesn't matter if I'm using my phone, or my computer (on two different browsers). It locks up and makes it impossible to type anything in after a certain point. Anyone else having these issues?
  • Syke Kinda liked the '57, hated the '58. Then again, I hated the entire '58 GM line except for the Chevrolet. Which I liked better than the '57's. Still remember dad's '58 Impala hardtop, in the silver blue that was used as the main advertising color.
  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
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