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Like all recent Hyundais, the new Elantra follows the fluidic design theme. The swoops and flowing lines are easy on the eye, the elongated body gives it an extra dash of elegance, and when viewed from certain angles, it looks like a stretched Verna. Still there’s no doubt, this is probably Hyundai’s best-looking three-box yet. It is bigger than the Verna of course, and is 4.53 metres long, making it about the size of a Skoda Laura.

The wheelbase however is much longer at 2.7 metres and that, of course, means there is plenty of space in the cabin, even in the back. The rear seat is very supportive, the floor is flat and levels of comfort are high, but the swooping roof indicates that headroom could be an issue for taller passengers. And you do feel a bit hemmed-in on the back seat due to the high waistline of the car and the low roof. Quality levels however are higher than those of the Verna, especially on the dash, and as expected, there’s more equipment here than on many luxury cars. On the top-end version you get ESP, six airbags, powered and ventilated seats, dual-zone air-conditioning, audio control for rear seat passengers, cruise control and even heated mirrors.

New Hyundai Elantra photo gallery