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With the announcement of the Elantra
GT, hatchback fans will have another reason to
celebrate. What was long considered to be an unambitious
category, the hatchback segment is slowly becoming one
of the more interesting areas in car news. There has
always been the Volkswagen Golf, and more recently the
Mazda 3, to keep those entertained looking for the
versatility of a five-door hatchback with somewhat
sporty driving dynamics. But neither really was able to
provide the style to win over customers cross-shopping
other segments.
The upcoming Elantra GT and new Ford Focus are easily
what I consider the two front runners in the hatchback
styling department. Both bring a bit of European flair
to America which all I can say is, it's about time.
Europe has long coveted hatchbacks as one of their first
choices in automotive transportation and have been
rewarded with a wide range of hot hatches. Whereas here
in America, hatchbacks have been relegated to third or
fourth place. Some could even be considered a "did not
finish" such as the outgoing Elantra Touring.
The Elantra GT changes all that and replaces the
aforementioned car which wasn't necessarily bad, but
definitely nothing to get excited about. Hyundai
continues to delight and surprise us with its fresh new
vehicles based on the fluidic design that debuted a few
years ago. The new GT is one of the best iterations yet
of Hyundai's current design philosophy. Although based
on the current Elantra sedan, Hyundai gave
the GT its own unique character. The GT wears a slightly
different face with a new grille design unseen before on
a Hyundai. The GT's profile however, is what gets me
more excited. The shape ties together the front and rear
in a cohesive manner but more importantly looks
fantastic. The sloping roofline finishes into a tailored
rear-end like a suit cut by Giorgio Armani himself.
Hyundai also likes to point out that cargo room remains
larger the Mazda 3, Focus, and Golf despite the trim
dimensions.
After a year, the Ford Focus's design is still a
standout on the road and manages to catch my eye
whenever one drives by. While I still consider the
grille to be a bit over-magnified on the otherwise slick body, the overall design is quite eye-catching with unique
features like the arrowhead tail lamps. The Focus is
slightly larger than the Elantra and with the added size
comes added weight. Despite this, the Focus is still
dimensionally slim and fit enough to be easily maneuverable
through traffic and cities. And with more horsepower and torque
than the now familiar Hyundai 1.8-liter inline-four
available in the GT, overtaking becomes an easier
exercise. Once the long-awaited Focus ST model
arrives, the Elantra will be completely outmuscled.
(Hyundai, that's your cue to drop a turbo in the GT).
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ELANTRA GT MAKES NORTH
AMERICAN DEBUT AT CHICAGO AUTO SHOW
Fun-to-Drive, Unsurpassed Fuel Economy and Five-Door
Versatility
Lightest Five-door Hatchback in the Compact Segment
CHICAGO, Feb. 8, 2012 – Hyundai Motor America today
introduced the all-new 2013 Elantra GT in a North
American debut at the Chicago Auto Show. Elantra GT
brings five-door functionality and European driving
dynamics to the expanding Elantra lineup and is slated
to hit dealerships this summer. The lineup now includes
Elantra Coupe - also making its world debut today and
the popular Elantra sedan, the 2012 North American Car
of the Year. Elantra GT is based on the new-generation
i30 model designed for the European market.
"Elantra GT is a fun-to-drive, functional, five-door
compact hatchback," said Mike O'Brien, vice president,
Product and Corporate Planning, Hyundai Motor America.
"Elantra GT is the latest example of how Hyundai is
redefining the compact car and setting new standards in
automotive design, efficiency and functionality."
The 2013 Elantra GT will compete with the Ford Focus,
Mazda3 and Volkswagen Golf, featuring more interior
volume than these models, unsurpassed fuel economy and
Hyundai's Driver Selectable Steering Mode.
HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2013 ELANTRA GT
• 'Fluidic Sculpture' design
• Powered by an advanced 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine
and in-house six-speed automatic or manual transmission
o Horsepower: 148 at 6,500 rpm (ULEV)
o Best-in-class standard fuel economy estimated at 28
mpg city, 39 mpg highway (M/T)
o Best-in-class specific output at 82.2 horsepower per
liter
• Lightest five-door hatchback in the compact segment
• Sport-tuned suspension
• More passenger and cargo volume than Focus, Mazda3,
Golf and Matrix
• Driver knee airbag- an Elantra first
• Hidden rear camera
• More aerodynamic than Impreza, Matrix or Golf
Elantra GT is the third vehicle in Hyundai's 7/11
product initiative (seven new or redesigned models in
the next 11 months). The first two vehicles in the
initiative were the Veloster Turbo and refreshed Genesis
Coupe. The fourth vehicle is the Elantra Coupe.
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