Hyundai and for that matter, most Korean manufacturers have really stepped up their game in the past couple of years as they have been pumping out vehicles that are put together more solidly than ever before and surprisingly they are giving the Germans a tough time which is no small feat. Hyundai, in particular, has been really consistent these formative years by not keeping their product lineup stale as they have constantly either introduced new products or revised the ones that are already on their portfolio. It is also interesting to note that Hyundai tends to switch out their design approach for all of its cars every couple of model cycles so that they look revolutionarily different and not just evolutionarily different. After Hyundai had first pitched the Fluidic 1.0 design language they have certainly produced vehicles that are rather handsome looking and actually desirable to the general public.
In recent times, it has become pretty apparent that Hyundai wants to diversify it’s designed as it plans to ditch the “family look” tradition that is followed by many manufacturers, especially the holy trinity of German big shots. In a recent preview of the 2021 Elantra, Hyundai has made it pretty evident that they are departing from the flowy fluidic design and going for an edgier and dare I say it sportier approach for the newer design. Currently, everything ranging from the Sonata to the EV Kid-Kona all feature their signature flowy design, it doesn’t spare designs of their small crossover-Venue as well as the full-size Palisade, a similar grille design might help you identify them from the same family but Hyundai hasn’t ever done what Mercedes has done with the C Class, E Class, and S Class which is essentially the same outlook in different body sizes and that in our books is very well appreciated. If we probe a little too closely, we realize that the teaser features razor-sharp creases along with the side profile of the vehicle. The main character line in a fashion similar to the Sonata cuts over the rear wheel arch of the 2021 Elantra. The big goodbye to smooth and flowy was indicated when Hyundai updated the Elantra to feature bold triangular headlights that are currently on the outgoing model.
The quick video that was released by Hyundai helps one have a quick glance at the grille of the 2021 Elantra which is spread far and wide between the headlights on the front. If we were to make some assumptions, the design that has been teased looks to be quite similar to the Vision T Concept that was unveiled by Hyundai at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show. When viewing the hind side of the 2021 Elantra, the connected taillights via a light bar make themselves pretty apparent as it is a familiar sight since a similar treatment can be observed in the current Sonata. It is also pertinent to note that the design featured in the hindquarters has mostly been reserved for vehicles that retail for a lot more moolah than the Elantra which could either indicate a price hike or a bang for your buck deal, we can’t really make out which at least right now.
Moving inside the cabin of the Elantra, the cabin can be seen to follow suit of the exterior as even the interior features sharp crisp lines all throughout and an impressive looking gauge cluster setup that is complemented by an even better-looking infotainment screen. The steering wheel on offer also looks to be one of the newer setups which have been introduced in the newer Creta and seems to be the design of choice going forward with other model refreshes. The steering design is one of the few features which I wasn’t particularly fond of when I saw the new Creta as it does look out of place in a vehicle of its segment but in all fairness, I find no fault in such a design being featured in the Elantra, which frankly could do with this new better looking steering. The cabin also looks quite driver-focused since there is quite a prominent divide between the driver and passenger as the central console which looks like it has an integrated handle for the passenger does cutoff the person sitting shotgun from comfortably accessing the buttons towards the left of the console. It also appears that the Elantra has taken a page out of Audi’s and Lexus’s playbook as the 2021 Elantra seems to be offering an HVAC setup system similar to these guys as a singular long vent setup seems to be the case in the newer Elantra.
It would be difficult for us to try and decipher any more from the given images as it is tough for even us to presume anything more than what can be deduced from the little that is visible in this teaser. The 2021 Elantra could bring in quite a lot of segment firsts as Hyundai has made quite a reputation for itself for cramming in as much as practically possible in their vehicles and I don’t see anybody complaining. I wouldn’t really be surprised if Hyundai did feature a new hybrid unit for the Elantra which although would be a first for the Elantra itself but would make quite a lot of sense for the brand as the industry does seem to conform to the trend to phase out isolate internal combustion engines.
The Elantra has been a successful product for Hyundai not only in the States but the world over so Hyundai would have a lot riding on the newer model of the Elantra as it is one the quintessential Hyundai vehicles that have helped Hyundai really overcome the image barrier which has engulfed a lot of non-domestic manufacturers. Hyundai has been constantly rolling out products that have been nothing short of impressive for quite a long time now and considering how much they charge their vehicles from generation to generation, the Elantra for its 2021 model year should be a treat for most of the buyers.