Hyundai releases sketch of all-new Elantra

Hyundai has teased its forthcoming all-new 2016 Elantra compact sedan in a sketch previewing the car that will be officially unveiled later this year.

Peter Schreyer, the company’s chief design officer and head honcho, said the new car “indicates a move from traditional to modern styling,” but we’d hardly call the outgoing Elantra’s look traditional. We would, however, call it over-styled, something that appears to have been fixed in this redesign, with the sketch showing more straight lines and a hexagonal grille recognizable from the recently redrawn Tucson, among other current Hyundai models. That, plus “slim and sporty” headlights give the car a “feeling of energy,” says its maker.

While the sketch shows just two doors, Hyundai says various styling elements will “set the new model apart from other compact sedans,” so expect rear doors (and door handles, for that matter) when the car gets its for-real reveal. There’s a touch of Mazda3 to the car’s snout, and we like the look of the clipped rear end, giving it a hint of German four-door coupe-ness. Mechanically, among the things we’re hopeful are a more planted ride (the current sedan feels unsettled next to the GT hatchback with its better Euro-tuned suspension) and the availability of the 1.6L turbo four used in the new Tucson, Veloster, and Kia’s Forte.

We suspect the new Elantra will be shown in the flesh next month at the Frankfurt auto show, but we’re awaiting confirmation or a “we can’t tell you that, just yet” from Hyundai Canada.

EDIT: Indeed, Hyundai Canada has confirmed it doesn’t know whether the Elantra’s global debut will happen in Frankfurt or elsewhere, but confirms it will get its North American debut at November’s LA auto show.