When Hyundai Philippines relaunched in the country a few months ago, you might have noticed a distinct lack of sedans in the local lineup. With a focus on crossovers, MPVs, and vans, we wondered if the South Korean automaker would ever reintroduce the traditional four-door in the country. After all, it would be nice to see the marque’s daring-looking sedans here someday.
That brings us neatly to the Hyundai Elantra. The seventh-generation model was launched back in 2020, but we never saw it come to the Philippines. It’s a bit of a shame given that the Elantra name had a decent following before the previous distributor quietly pulled the plug on that model. It also ushered in a bolder look for Hyundai sedans for the global market.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
PH fuel price update: Diesel to roll back by P1.30/L, gas by P0.70/L this week
Nissan PH bumps Terra SRP by P45,000 for 2023
Three years have passed since the new-generation Elantra debuted, and Hyundai has given it a bit of an update for the 2023 model year. Called the Avante in its home market, the facelifted Elantra gets a totally reworked front end, new wheel designs, and a fresh set of lights. It even gets a new and interesting interior color choice, but we’ll get to that later.
As mentioned, the front end gets the bulk of the changes. Hyundai gave the Elantra a slimmer pair of headlights, changing the shape of the front fenders in the process. The new sedan also bucks the trend of large grilles by getting a smaller and slimmer piece for this update. Wrapping up the changes to the front is a new front bumper featuring more prominent corners and larger intakes.
Since this is a facelift, the side profile of the car carries over largely unchanged. However, those two-tone wheels are a new option for the Elantra, and the trim piece by the rear doors get a more intricate pattern. At the back, the lower half of the bumper gets new diffusers, along with an accent piece just above it.
So, what’s this interior color option that’s rather interesting? In an age where the usual choices are black, tan, or grey, Hyundai decided to give the Elantra a green option for its cabin. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but you can’t fault Hyundai for being different and daring when it comes to interior colors. That said, it seems that the interior design is carried over from the pre-facelift models.
Hyundai will reveal the full specs of the 2023 Elantra down the line. For now, there is no mention of engine and transmission choices or other software or hardware changes. We can expect more information once Hyundai formally launches the new sedan in South Korea.
Of course, the new Elantra isn’t the only Hyundai sedan we’re eager to see. Hyundai will also be revealing the next-generation Accent by March 21, 2023.
