Hyundai's Handsome New Elantra Is Getting Wider and Wilder

Hyundai only revealed its new eighth-generation 2027 Avante/Elantra this past week, and its boxy, handsome looks are already being upgraded behind closed doors for a version with even more presence. CarSceneKorea spoke with Hyundai's design boss, Sangyup Lee, at the debut of the new Elantra at the Busan Auto Show in South Korea, and he revealed that work has begun on the most exciting Elantra yet.

He said, "Even at this very moment, we're preparing the sportiest Elantra yet. Making the wide fenders even wider. Making the sporty feel even sportier. I've been counting down the days just as eagerly as all of you." So although the phrase 'Elantra N' was not specifically uttered, it's clear that Elantra N was what he was talking about.

What to Expect from the New Elantra in N Form

It's believed that the new Elantra N will get a 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine paired with an electric motor, but it's unclear if a manual transmission will still be offered. Hyundai's existing 2.5-liter turbo-four, which is likely less powerful than the next-generation mill the next Elantra N is expected to use, makes up to 300 hp and 311 lb-ft in the Genesis G70, so we can certainly expect an improvement on the dyno. At present, the Elantra N has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine delivering a respectable and deployable 276 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels through a limited-slip differential and a choice of either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Hopefully, the new one won't change to an automatic (the GR Corolla could be so much more exciting in two-pedal form if its auto was sharper).

Aggression Will Be Turned Up to 10 for the Elantra N

For our renders, we've unrealistically extended the lighting signature but realistically made the face of the Elantra/Avante even more aggressive, extending the lower side intakes lower into the front bumper, where they meet the ends of an aggressive spoiler. Wider arches house sportier wheels, and at the back, the boxy fenders now feature an intake to cool the rear brakes (wishful thinking on a compact performance sedan).

For the rear end, we've gone with four exhaust tips instead of the usual two to highlight the bigger engine, and both the diffuser and rear wing atop the trunk are much bigger to counter the increased width. While we're proud of the new look, Hyundai will surely do better and make it boxier, and we look forward to seeing just how aggressive the new Elantra N will be. The new Elantra is over an inch wider than its predecessor, and we're hopeful that figure could double with the N.

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