Hyundai has pulled the wraps off the eighth-generation Elantra sedan, which is labelled the Avante in the Korean market, at the 2026 Busan International Mobility Show. The new-gen Elantra, which arrives just over six years after the debut of its predecessor (codename: CN7), introduces larger proportions, entirely new exterior and interior designs, a longer list of features and an upgraded hybrid powertrain.
- Follows Hyundai’s new Art of Steel design language; looks edgier and more aggressive
- Features Pleos Connect interface with 14.6-inch touchscreen and slim driver’s display
- 1.6-litre hybrid makes 16hp more; gets upgraded transmission, drive motor and battery
2026 Hyundai Elantra exterior design
55mm longer and 30mm wider than the previous Elantra
The new Elantra has a 2,750mm wheelbase and measures 4,765mm in length, 1,855mm in width and 1,425mm in height. It is 55mm longer overall (30mm increase in wheelbase) and 30mm wider than its predecessor. The sedan adopts Hyundai’s Art of Steel design language, featuring lots of cuts and creases throughout the bodywork.
At the front, one of the most notable changes to the new Elantra is its split-headlamp setup, which comprises T-shaped daytime running lamps (DRLs) up top and rhomboidal LED units below. Unlike the Sonata and Verna, the section bridging the new Elantra’s DRLs does not seem to light up. The chiselled bumper sports lots of black trim, along with a slim intake on the upper side and an air dam below.
Over to the side, the new Elantra gets bulging wheel arches and edgier lines than its predecessor, along with 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, flap-type door handles and what appears to be black cladding on the side skirts. A rear quarter glass has also been added, presumably to break the visual bulk of the C- and D-pillars.
The Elantra’s roofline smoothly flows into its radically different posterior, which includes an integrated ducktail-esque spoiler, large T-shaped LED tail-lamps, a wordmark on the tailgate and a chunky bumper with generous black cladding as well as a diffuser treatment on the sides.
2026 Hyundai Elantra interior and features
Massive 14.6-inch touchscreen is central to the Pleos Connect interface
Inside, the eighth-gen Elantra comes with Hyundai’s new Pleos Connect interface, which comprises a massive centrally mounted infotainment touchscreen (up to 14.6 inches) and a slim digital driver’s display that sits on top of the all-new dashboard. Gone is the outgoing Elantra’s grab handle on the passenger side of the central tunnel.
There’s a chunky three-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel with the four-dot Hyundai motif and lots of buttons, along with an array of toggles and knobs on the centre console for hazard lights, media controls, AC settings and more – Hyundai has evidently not skimped on physical controls. The interior of the new Elantra also gets lots of ambient lighting, dual wireless charging pads and plenty of storage spaces.
As for features, the new Elantra packs a Bang & Olufsen sound system, a built-in dashcam, over-the-air (OTA) updates, a digital key, 100W USB charging ports, 10 airbags, an ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) suite, an electronic parking brake with auto-hold, powered front seats with memory functions, dual-zone climate control, a 360-degree camera, auto park assist and more.
Hyundai has also added two new safety features to the eighth-gen Elantra, namely navigation-based Smart Cruise Control 2, which automatically decelerates the car in specific sections, such as speed-limited areas, speed breakers and intersections, and Pedal Misuse Safety Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in situations where the driver mistakes the accelerator for the brake pedal.
2026 Hyundai Elantra powertrains
Same 2.0-litre petrol and 1.6-litre hybrid options as before
The new Elantra carries over its predecessor’s 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol and 1.6-litre hybrid powertrains. While the former continues to develop 149hp and be mated to a CVT automatic, the latter’s output has been bumped to 157hp – up 16hp over the outgoing Elantra hybrid – and its transmission, drive motor and battery capacity have been improved.
The Elantra hybrid features a new smart regenerative braking system that automatically modulates the level of regenerative braking needed based on traffic flow and navigation information, thereby reducing the frequency of brake pedal use. There’s also a ‘Hybrid Hierarchical Predictive Control System’, which improves fuel efficiency by predicting and analysing the route and road conditions to your destination and accordingly controlling the battery charge.
Lastly, the new Elantra hybrid gets a ‘Stay Mode’ that allows occupants to use in-car functions such as climate control and infotainment for a certain amount of time while the engine is turned off.
Dipan Sur
Glenn Noronha
Dhruv Dhaka
Saptarshi Mondal
