Filed under: Wagons/Estates, Hatchbacks, Hyundai
First official details on the Hyundai Elantra Touring
by Alex Nunez on Aug 8th 2007 at 11:55AM 
Click image to enlarge
Hyundai has announced that the 5-door you see above is set to arrive next year as a 2009 model and will be named the Elantra Touring. It will use the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder currently found in the Elantra sedan. Based on Europe's i30 wagon, the sketch provided by Hyundai suggests that the US-spec car will be more aggressively styled, which makes sense since the Elantra Touring's marketing will focus on its sporting character. The usual list of standard and comfort equipment will be offered, of course, and you can read Hyundai's full release after the jump.
[Source: Hyundai]
Gallery: Hyundai i30
HYUNDAI ANNOUNCES NAME OF FUTURE FIVE-DOOR
All-New 2009 Elantra Touring Moves a Popular Nameplate in a Sportier,
More Functional Direction
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. Aug. 8, 2007 – Hyundai Motor America Vice President of Product Development and Strategic Planning John Krafcik, speaking at the Center of Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars, announced Hyundai's all-new five-door compact will be named "Elantra Touring." Elantra Touring will reach dealers in the spring of 2008 as a 2009 model year vehicle. The "Touring" name captures this all-new model's combination of high-function and fun-to-drive character.
Elantra Touring will once again extend Elantra's product line into the compact five-door segment. (The previous generation also featured a sporty five-door model). Elantra Touring will come with class-leading standard safety technologies, including Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Traction Control, ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, and six standard airbags, including side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. The vehicle will be the first compact five-door with standard Electronic Stability Control.1
Elantra Touring will have the most interior volume (passenger volume plus cargo space) of any five-door in its class and will be powered by the same fuel-efficient 2.0-liter, in-line four-cylinder found in the Elantra sedan. This newest Hyundai will also feature unique sport suspension and steering tuned for greater response and handling, while offering Hyundai's first USB port, along with a standard auxiliary jack and standard XM Satellite Radio®. Elantra Touring's competition will include the Toyota Matrix, Dodge Caliber and Mazda3.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 750 dealerships nationwide.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
geo.stewart 12:06PM (8/08/2007)
looks better than the soap bar they sell now in the US. alas, it will arrive too late for me.
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Jay 12:08PM (8/08/2007)
Looks suspiciously like that Kia C'eed, which is a good thing.
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Mark 8:47PM (8/08/2007)
That's because it is a Kia Cee'd. The Hyundai Elantra Touring is simple a rebadged Kia Cee'd Sporty Wagon. And yes, that is "Sporty Wagon", not "Sport Wagon".
ThaBergMan 12:10PM (8/08/2007)
I just traded in my 2002 Elantra GT hatchback last weekend for one reason: It's too damn slow. Car was a great value and served me very well, but I can't help but shake my head at Hyundai's refusal to upgrade the engine in the Elantra. It's not even terribly fuel-efficient around town, partially because it has to work so hard to get off the line.
The sketch of this 5 door looks promising. I'm curious to see what it's like in real sheet metal. Still a shame about the engine.
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dave 12:28PM (8/08/2007)
Yeah, I used to have the GT hatch as well. Was an excellent car for several years and never gave me any problems. But youre right, the engine was a bit weak. Great car overall though.
RL 12:14PM (8/08/2007)
other than that giant rear tailight, it looks great! A lil bangle here and there but otherwise a nice design.
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colddraft 12:24PM (8/08/2007)
Hyundai is getting more attention these days. I guess they are making better cars then ever before. It seems like they are doing their homework right. The New Tiburon seems really promising..V6 300hp. 0-60 in 5 sec.. RWD coupe around 25K..with coverage upto 100k miles..Who can say 'no' to that? Look forward to buying one for my toy car...
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matthew maiorino 11:10AM (8/13/2007)
I think they need to offer more HP I have a 2006 Tiburon I like to have V8 with 350 tarbo.
Joey 12:41PM (8/08/2007)
It is better then the 126 hp the corolla comes with or the 116 the old civic used to ride on. I have a 2007 elantra and I get 550 km per 55 litre tank. Canada figures sorry.
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Alisha Karabinus 12:41PM (8/08/2007)
I wish it would come just a little bit sooner....
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ronald.raygun 1:14PM (8/08/2007)
agreed, although i just got a matrix
cheongyei 4:17PM (8/11/2007)
If you can't wait 8 months for this, the Kia Spectra 5 is a great little hatch. Aim it where you want to go, and it goes.
Realisticism 1:11PM (8/08/2007)
The Elantra engine in the hatch is not the same engine as the current Elantra engine. The new car gets an upgraded version, as far as fuel economy goes and some other improvements. It's just not any more powerful.
A recent rental of an Elantra gave me 33 mpg of mixed driving. I'd say that is fuel efficient.
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John Metcalf 1:32PM (8/08/2007)
Hurry, hurry!
Hope it get's at least 30mpg.
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psarhjinian 1:37PM (8/08/2007)
I guess the oddity here is why isn't this being badged as a Kia. I'm not sure what Hyundai is trying to do, as there's an awful lot of duplication between the two.
I thought Kia was the "youth" brand (the Sportage, Rio, Rondo and Spectra5 support this), but Hyundai gives Kia the Sedona and Amanti, but gives itself this and the new Tiburon. Huh..
Not that they aren't making money, but this kind of behaviour leads to GM's current Chevy/Pontiac/Buick/Olds/Saturn/GMC train-wreck of sales cannibalization.
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wren 2:11PM (8/08/2007)
Agreed.
This was my question too. In addition to the examples you named, what about the three-door Hyundai Accent GT. Shouldn't that be the Kia Rio3?
Bp 1:40PM (8/08/2007)
A 138hp engine that gets 36 mpg is not bad. They keep rifining the current engine in each new model.
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Kowell 1:50PM (8/08/2007)
Good car but please put in the 2.4L insted.
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db25 3:18PM (8/08/2007)
Hyundai please stop using the iron block beta already in all your new applications. Make available the 4 cylinder theta engine from the current sonata in the elantra as well.
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tbirdkatz 3:42PM (8/08/2007)
It looks pretty good. Hope I can get one loaded for under $18000. Also, please give it more hp like 150-160 to compete with the Mazda3.
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