Hyundai Adds Coupe and GT Hatchback to Elantra Range

The Chicago auto show is here, and one of the first reveals is the new Hyundai Elantra Coupe, as well as the GT hatchback.  While the GT Hatchback isn't exactly new (more on that in a minute), the Elantra Coupe is.

Designed to compete with the Civic Coupe and the Kia Forte Koup, the Elantra 2-door takes Hyundai's "fluidic sculpture" into a sportier package.  It's a good looking car in my eyes, with a traditional coupe roofline and an abbreviated, swoopy tail.

With how well US sales of the new Elantra have gone (have you noticed they're everywhere?) it makes sense that Hyundai would expand the lineup with some additional models - and a coupe and hatchback are probably a good place to start, considering corporate sister Kia's Forte has all three as well.

The interior is largely the same as the normal Elantra too.  Power comes from the 1.8L I4 shared with the sedan, with 148 horsepower mated to a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission.  With the 6-speed manual it will deliver 29 city and 40 highway MPG (a Civic with a 5-speed does 28/36, for reference) and 28/39 with the automatic.

The Coupe uses the same MacStrut/Torsion beam setup as the sedan, but tuned for better handling, with the SE model receiving 215/45/17 tires and an even stiffer setup.  The Coupe will be in dealers this spring.

The Elantra GT is basically an Americanized version of the European i30 hatchback.  Again, a somewhat conventional car - you don't become profitable by selling rotary powered pickup trucks - but the key point with the GT is it's weight.  At 2,784lbs for an automatic, it's 175lbs lighter than a Focus, 151 lighter than a Mazda3, and 222 lighter than a Golf, thanks to the use of 57% high tensile strength steel in the chassis.  The GT uses Macpherson struts up front and a torsion beam in the rear; it's tuned for better handling in the GT than the sedan, with stiffer springs and dampers, lower ride height, and a thicker rear anti-roll bar.  It also has a three-position driver selectable steering setup.

It too comes with the 1.8L DOHC I4, rated at 148bhp and 131 torque with a 6-speed manual or automatic.  The GT should deliver 28 city and 39 highway regardless of transmission choice, noticeably better than most competitors except the Focus and the new Mazda3 SkyActiv. Being a hatchback it's got a pretty useful 23 and 51 ft³ of cargo room with the seats up and down, respectively.

Both of the new Elantras will be available with the kind of goodies buyers have come to expect in this segment now.  That means things like a 7" touchscreen navigation system and rearview camera, dual zone climate, panoramic sunroof- and of course a stereo with all the modern hookups (Sirius Satellite, USB/Aux, Bluetooth etc.)  You can also get heated seats and cupholders, automatic headlights, and steering wheel hand controls.  The Elantra GT will be available this summer.

These two Elantra models follow the Veloster Turbo and updated Genesis Coupe as part of Hyundai's plan to introduce 7 new models in 11 months.