The Hyundai Elantra is the flagship sedan offering from the Korean carmaker in India. While Hyundai revealed the facelifted in August, the new sedan is yet to be launched in India. Now, Indian Autos Blog (IAB) has posted the first images of the facelifted Elantra undergoing testing in India ahead of its launch in 2019.
The spy images show the rear three quarter and side profiles of the 2019 Elantra which looks a lot more upmarket than the current car while looking even more aggressive. The spy images of the heavily camouflaged Elantra test mule shows a sharply sloping roof that flows into the boot, giving the sedan an almost coupe-ish design. The slightly raised section on the boot lid indicates is most probably the lip spoiler that Hyundai added to the rear end.
Also seen are portions of the new tail lights, which look sharper than the ones on the current model and feature a new LED signature lighting pattern. The test mule is running using 16-inch alloy wheels, which could be the default offering for the Indian market, though both smaller and larger wheel sizes are also on offer in other markets.
The front end of the Elantra is where the most aggressive changes to the design can be seen. The new Elantra, which is already on sale in the United States, features new triangular headlamps, which give the sedan a much more aggressive look up front. The headlights actually jut into the new version of Hyundai’s signature cascade grille design. The front bumper too is sculpted and features sharp angles adding to the aggression of the design.
The facelifted Hyundai Elantra is expected to retain the engine options offered with the current car. The Elantra for India draws power from either a 2.0-litre petrol or a 1.6-litre diesel engine. The 2.0-litre petrol engine produces 150 Bhp and 192 Nm of torque. The 1.6-litre diesel, on the other hand, is good for 126 Bhp and 260 Nm of torque. Both the engines are offered with 6-speed manual and automatic gearbox options.
The facelifted Hyundai Elantra is expected to arrive in India in the first half of 2019 and will go up against the likes of the Toyota Corolla, Skoda Octavia and Maruti’s upcoming rebadged version of the Corolla.
