The New Hyundai Elantra Looks Super Cool

Revealed in South Korea, the Hyundai Avante will come to the U.S. as the Elantra sedan

written by Steven Ewing
edited by Kathleen Clonts
6/26/2026
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What's new: Hyundai released images of the new Avante in South Korea, which will become the Elantra in the U.S.
Why it matters: The sedan's design is sharp and sophisticated, and the new interior tech looks better than what's offered in rivals like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.
Edmunds says: U.S.-specific details are TBD, but we expect the new Elantra to be revealed next year.

Days after our spy photographers caught the next-generation Hyundai Elantra testing, the Korean automaker revealed this, the new Avante. Why's that significant? The Avante is what the Elantra is called in South Korea, so this is our first look at Hyundai's next-generation rival for the Honda Civic, Kia K4, Toyota Corolla and more.

We don't have any U.S.-specific details to share right now, but based on the Korean information, the new Elantra will be longer, wider and taller than the current model, with a more sophisticated and muscular design. The split taillight elements are really cool, and the sedan looks almost Sonata-sized in profile. The increased dimensions should result in more room for passengers, which is always a good thing.

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The Elantra's interior takes a big step forward both in terms of design and technology. Front and center is Hyundai's new Pleos infotainment system, which runs on Android software. In South Korea, the Avante/Elantra will come standard with a 12.9-inch touchscreen, which is one of the largest in the segment. Not enough digital real estate? A 14.6-inch display is optional.

The Korean-market Elantra will be powered by either a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower or a 1.6-liter hybrid with 155 hp. The U.S.-spec versions of these powertrains currently make 147 hp and 139 hp, respectively. We also have a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four in the Elantra N Line with 201 hp, and the racy Elantra N comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine putting out a healthy 276 hp. It's unclear if the N and N Line models will carry over into this new generation.

Hyundai will launch the new Avante in South Korea later this year. We expect to see the U.S.-spec version sometime in early 2027.

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by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

edited by Kathleen Clonts

Kathleen Clonts has worked in the automotive industry since 2014 and has copy-edited thousands of vehicle reviews and stories about cars and the auto industry in that time. Kathleen is the Edmunds editorial team's copy chief and previously worked as the senior copy editor for Automobile magazine.

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