The 2021 Hyundai Elantra is here with sharp new looks and a hybrid option for the first time ever

Tim Levin

Mar 20, 2020, 17:43 IST

Hyundai

2021 Hyundai Elantra.

Hyundai unveiled the latest iteration of the Elantra on Tuesday, and just like the new Sonata sedan, it comes with a bold new set of looks.
As proven by both, the Korean company continues to innovate its sedans at a time when most carmakers are prioritizing big-selling crossovers and SUVs.
For the first time, the Elantra now offers a hybrid option, which Hyundai promises will get more than 50 mpg.
The 2021 Elantra also boasts loads of standard tech features, including forward-collision avoidance, lane-keep assist, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an optional digital-key system.
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As an increasing number of carmakers cut sedan offerings in favor of market-dominating trucks and SUVs, some, like Hyundai, aren't just keeping sedans around - they're fully making them over.

Hyundai debuted the 2021 Elantra on Tuesday, along with a first-ever hybrid option and new looks that are far edgier than its price point. They're in line with those of the new Sonata, which debuted last year with styling so unlike most of the cars in its class, it almost looked strange sporting a Hyundai badge.

The abundance of tech features is similar, too: Just like in the new Sonata, forward-collision avoidance, lane-keep assist, high-beam assist, and driver-attention warnings all come standard.

Hyundai, thus, is banking on the hope that small cars can stay in fashion even as the big ones take over - so long as they offer flashy styling, solid fuel economy, and loads of tech.

Take a look at the striking 2021 Elantra below:

Hyundai took the wraps off the 2021 Elantra at an event in Hollywood on Tuesday.

For the Elantra's seventh generation, Hyundai gave the sedan a bold, angular look, oodles of tech, and a fuel-sipping hybrid sibling.

Much like other new vehicles in the Hyundai lineup, the new Elantra sports an intricate grille and bold creases running over its hood and down its side.

Hyundai calls it a "jewel-pattern" grille ...

... which frames a duo of sleek headlights.

The Elantra is just as pointy out back, where an H-shaped tail light stretches the width of the car.

Matching polygonal wheels are available in 15-, 16-, and 17-inch versions.

Not to mention, the 2021 Elantra is slightly wider, lower, and longer than the previous generation, adding to its slick new look.

The 2021 Elantra is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that's worth 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque.

In terms of power, that places it somewhere between the Toyota Corolla, which claims 139 horses in its XLE trim, and the Honda Civic, which puts out a rated 158.

That four-pot engine is mated to a continuously variable transmission that mimics normal gear shifts.

The all-new Elantra hybrid gets a slightly smaller 1.6-liter unit, plus an electric motor that brings roughly 43 horsepower to the table.

Altogether, the hybrid claims 139 horsepower, which is less than the gas-powered version. But it comes with a whole lot more torque, at a rating of 195 pound-feet.

The hybrid gets a six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission, which likely makes it the more fun-to-drive version of the two.

Hyundai expects the hybrid option to get an EPA-estimated fuel economy exceeding 50 mpg, putting it in line with the Toyota Corolla Hybrid and Honda Insight.

In terms of tech, the 2021 Elantra offers wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard.

Buyers can also opt for a pair of 10.25-inch infotainment screens under a single sheet of glass, rather than of the standard eight-inch display.

A host of safety tech comes standard, including forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keep assist, and driver-fatigue sensing.

Plus, drivers can opt for a digital-key system that works through a smartphone app.

The new Elantra is set to go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year. The base 2020 Elantra retails for $19,150, so expect the new model's starting MSRP to fall just north of that.

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