Launch of the Hyundai Elantra

On a cool Friday evening, the Hyundai showroom was buzzing with excitement as people gathered for the launch of the Korean marque's latest offering, the 2012 Elantra. Housed in a large marquee just outside the main doors of the building, guests were treated to a delicious buffet dinner and were entertained by two young performers who belted out acoustic arrangements of the latest hits.

Right on cue at the emcee's announcement, the Elantras rolled out from around the corner, much to the delight of the crowd. Camera flashes and a loud applause marked the entry of the new car into the Singaporean market. Test drives were available for everyone and various models were presented in the showroom, each drabbed in a different colour. In the showroom, sales personnel were tending to inquiries and people were visibly excited. Things look optimistic for Hyundai indeed.

The Elantra was launched to replace the outgoing Avante. With this new model, Hyundai dropped the Avante name and badged it as the Elantra, standardising it worldwide except in Korea and Malaysia. An entirely new platform, the Elantra is a good example of Hyundai's revamped design language and their attempts to remain competitive.

With the strong Yen spelling poor sales for Japanese manufacturers, more local car buyers are flocking to continental and Korean marques. Within the last few years, Korean cars have seen an exponential leap in build quality and performance and the Elantra continues to support this trend.

From the outside, the car looks bigger than your standard compact sedan. With an overall length of 4530 mm, it shares similar dimensions to the Avante though it looks as big as a Camry. What grabs your attention is the sleek profile of the car, with flowing lines emanating from the headlights all the way to the tail. Sporting an aggressive stance, the well-chiseled appearance hints at dynamic performance.

The interior is also of high-quality build, with the seats clad in leather. Standard features include a push-button engine start function, clear and easy-to-read instrumentation, ergonomically-placed controls and dual-zone climate air-condition. Seating space is ample, with a feel of luxury greeting the occupants

The Elantra is available in two variants, the basic and Elite levels. The Elite is further offered with a sunroof, available upon special request. Both variants come with an inline-4 1.6-litre dual CVVT engine which produces 130 bhp and 156 N m of torque. Mated with a six-speed automatic transmission, the drivetrain suggests good acceleration and fuel consumption figures. It is also equipped with front and rear disc brakes. For more details, check out the Elantra's listing on Oneshift's New Car section.

Check out the road test of the Elantra, found on both Oneshift's Road Test section as well as the upcoming July issue of the Oneshift Monthly!

Credits: Story by Nigel Ngern, Photos by Nigel Ngern and Hyundai