At the 2026 Busan Mobility Show press day on Friday in Busan, South Korea, Hyundai took the wraps off the 2027 Avante, Korea’s preferred name for the Elantra. It sheds its origami bodywork for classier lines and a retro-futuristic vibe. The eighth-generation compact sedan distances itself from the past in other ways.
The current Elantra on sale now debuted back in March 2020 via a socially distanced Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics performance at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Live-streamed to an emotionally disconnected global audience, the 2021 Elantra’s audacious design might not have gotten the attention it deserved. Times change.
The 2027 Elantra’s front end is heavily inspired by the new IONIQ V (not to be confused with IONIQ 5), which was revealed for China and other potential future markets earlier this year. That translates to the Elantra with a more svelte LED daytime running-light treatment and a sporty, angular lower fascia.
The side profile mimics that of a larger Hyundai model that we no longer get in the U.S., the Azera. The Elantra takes that car’s daylight opening and shrinks it down to the appropriate size while mostly ditching the intriguing yet confusing “Parametric Dynamics” metal shaping. Those creases made the current car look like it had been in a few fender benders from certain angles. Now, there is a cleaner, more timeless look to admire, with the added flair of aggressively flared front and rear fenders. Combined with the flat roofline, the Elantra’s old-school shape is one we really dig.
Out back, Hyundai decided that the current Elantra’s design was a good foundation to work from. As such, the 2027 model retains today’s general trunk lid shape with the sharp inward cut but a more squared-off look with fewer creases. There are vertical LED lights at the far edges of the rear haunches, but two horizontal and detached LED strips sweep the trunk itself.
The Azera also shares its insides with its new baby brother, including the massively revamped infotainment user experience called Pleos Connect. Gone is the side-by-side instrument cluster and touchscreen setup, replaced by a more prominent 17-inch touchscreen. The instrument cluster now sits on its own island closer to the base of the windshield and is much smaller and simpler than the current hardware. At 9.9 inches, this size is similar to the screen in Volvo’s EX60 and EX90, but its placement is more akin to Toyota models like the Prius and bZ. On the passenger side, you’ll notice the Art Deco treatment the Palisade adopted for its latest generation, tastefully applied here.
Unlike other automakers who have gone this route in recent years, Hyundai thankfully didn’t abandon physical controls for commonly used functions. Nestled under the main display is a row of climate-control and media buttons that are easy to decipher and appear to be within easy reach of the driver. The new Android Automotive-based operating system is backed by what Hyundai calls Gleo AI. This powers the voice assistant and is essential to what makes the new Elantra a truly software-defined vehicle. The steering wheel also adopts a new Hyundai design, adding the Morse code “H” logo and freshly styled physical buttons. We look forward to testing the entire system out for ourselves in its North American flavor.
For 2027, the Elantra carries over its standard 2.0-liter 4-cylinder base engine from the current iteration, rated at 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque. The Elantra Hybrid is also back, but with an all-new two-motor hybrid powertrain that pushes the power output to roughly 155 hp. It should also improve on the current hybrid’s combined fuel economy of up to 54 mpg combined. Hyundai says owners can now use V2L technology, just like in their EVs, allowing you to power larger electronic devices with the main traction battery. Version 3.0 of their Smart Regenerative Braking is here as well.
Hyundai did away with the N-Line trim for all its U.S. models except for the Sonata midsize sedan, but it hasn’t indicated if one will be offered on the new Elantra. A full-blown Elantra N is still on the way with a new 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder replacing the fantastic 2.0-liter in the existing model. We will have to wait a little longer to see how that whole package comes to fruition. Will it keep the manual transmission around? Stay tuned…
Being that this is the global unveiling of the eighth-generation Avante, a North American-specific Elantra debut is still a few months away. When that happens later this year, we will be sure to bring you all the details. Expect the 2027 Elantra to hit U.S. showrooms next year.
