Autoblog

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring

Our friends abroad know it as the Hyundai i30, but here in the States it shall be known as the Elantra Touring. It originally debuted in Geneva wearing i30 badges and last month it got its unceremonious North American unveiling at the Montreal International Auto Show.

The Elantra Touring marks Hyundai's return to the compact five-door segment after it nixed the Elantra GT a few years back, and it comes equipped with all the kit you'd expect in a budget runabout. Power is provided by a 2.0-liter four equipped with either a four-speed automatic with SHIFTRONIC or a five-speed manual with a B&M Racing sport shifter. A sports suspension and quicker steering rack supposedly make it an entertaining steer, and Electronic Stability Control, ABS and Electronic Brake-Force Distribution ensure things don't get out of hand. Inside, you can option things up with heated front seats and a power sunroof, but the Elantra Touring already comes packing powered windows, remote keyless entry, eight-way adjustable driver's seat and a stereo equipped with an auxiliary jack and standard XM radio. All the details about the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring are available after the jump.

Click image for gallery of the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring

The eye-searing Hyundai Elantra Touring "Beach Cruiser" Concept that appeared at last year's SEMA was the first real look we had at Hyundai's new US-bound station wagon. Since then, we've been interested in seeing what it looks like in non-Phoenix Suns colors augmented with a tribal tattoo pattern. Today, we get our wish.

Hyundai has officially unveiled the 2009 Elantra Touring at the Montreal International Auto Show, giving us a proper look at the car we can expect to see in showrooms a little later this year. Sold in Europe as the i30 CW, the Elantra Touring is a handsome small wagon with a nicely-detailed interior. The instrumentation and switchgear look like quality stuff, leather's optional, and it has both USB and AUX ports for iPod compatibility. Power comes from a 2.0L four-banger making 141 horses mated to a five-speed manual or an optional 4-speed automatic. Exterior accents include subtle brightwork on the front and rear bumpers, available 17" wheels, and wraparound headlamps. In all, the Elantra Touring looks like a practical, appealing package. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but we expect it to be very competitive, in keeping with Hyundai's value-oriented approach.

[Source: TheCarBlogger]

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]