Ever value-conscious, Hyundai is looking to save money on badges for its latest five-door Elantra. Why else change the name from Elantra Touring to the revived Elantra GT moniker? The new hatchback makes its debut at the 2012 Chicago auto show alongside a two-door Elantra.
Name change aside, the second-generation Elantra five-door is again an Americanized Hyundai i30. Hyundai points out that the Elantra GT will have more passenger and cargo room than all of its five-door competitors, save for the recently enlarged Subaru Impreza. It fails to mention, however, that those numbers are down from the last car. That’s partly because the new i30—and, as a result, this GT—loses its upright, wagon-style rear end; it’s shorter in length and height, rides on a shorter wheelbase, and is slightly wider than the car it replaces. Seats-folded cargo capacity is down by 14.3 cubic feet to a still-competitive 51. All told, it’s a lot more attractive than the outgoing car and fits in well with the rest of the Elantra lineup.
In place of the small diesels and gas engines offered in the European i30, the U.S.-market GT uses the same 1.8-liter four-cylinder as our Elantra sedan; it makes 148 hp and 131 lb-ft of torque. The standard transmission is a six-speed manual, while a six-speed auto is optional. Hyundai estimates that either transmission will achieve 28 city mpg and 39 on the highway in EPA tests—both measures are 1 mpg lower than the Elantra sedan’s. This is one place where the GT has a big edge over the 2012 Elantra Touring, which was rated at maximums of 23 mpg city and 31 highway.
Thanks to: Car and Driver
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