Hyundai has introduced the new Avante (Elantra) in the Korean market. The compact sedan grows in size, adopting a sharper design language. It gets a more spacious interior with advanced infotainment and AI tech. The eighth-generation Hyundai Avante has broken cover in South Korea, the car North America buys as the Elantra, and it arrives six years after the last one took its bow. The compact sedan has grown in every direction, picking up sharper styling and a fully reworked interior stocked with the newest infotainment, AI, and safety hardware. Hyundai also revised both the gasoline and hybrid powertrains. Nothing about the new Elantra reads like the cars that came before it. Hyundai’s “Art of Steel” design language gives it a wider, more athletic stance, and the surfacing is the first thing that grabs you, with sculpted fenders that wouldn’t look out of place on a Lamborghini Urus. The front splits its LED headlights into ultra-slim DRLs up top and main units buried in the bumper intakes. More: Hyundai’s New i20 Morphs Into A Baby Crossover The greenhouse borrows from the flagship Grandeur paired with muscled-up rear shoulders and a five-spoke design for the 18-inch wheels. Out back, vertical and horizontal LEDs trace an H-shaped signature above a dual splitter and a boxy ducktail spoiler. Buyers get six new exterior colors and three interior themes to choose from. A Bigger Footprint, A Roomier Cabin The new car stretches 4,765 mm (187.6 in) long, 1,855 mm (73 in) wide, and 1,425 mm (56.1 in) tall, riding on a 2,750 mm (108.3 in) wheelbase. That’s 55 mm (2.2 in) longer and 30 mm (1.2 in) wider than before, with another 30 mm (1.2 in) stretched between the axles. According to Hyundai, the extra size pushes interior room close to midsize-sedan territory. More: Another Automaker Is Killing Its Wagons To Chase SUV Money The cabin takes its styling cues from furniture, leaning on rounded shapes and soft-touch materials. A 14.6-inch display anchors the dash, with a 12.9-inch screen available as the smaller option, both running the new Pleos Connect software and the generative AI agent “Gleo AI.” That assistant already lives in the facelifted Grandeur flagship and handles natural conversation. While the center-mounted touchscreen layout recalls Tesla’s cars and nearly every Chinese EV on sale right now, Hyundai draws a line most of them don’t: a row of physical buttons and knobs sits right below the screen. A small digital cluster lives up near the windshield with the vital readouts, and the equipment list runs to a Bang & Olufsen system, a built-in cam, dual wireless charging pads, and 100W ultra-fast USB ports. More: Hyundai’s Cabin Lights Can Kill 99.9% Of Pneumonia Bacteria In 30 Seconds In terms of safety, the Avante has 10 airbags and a comprehensive suite of ADAS including the new avigation-based Smart Cruise Control 2, Memory Reversing Assist, Remote Smart Parking Assist, SBW P-mode Emergency Braking, and Pedal Misuse Safety Assist systems. Gasoline And Hybrid Options The Korean-spec Avante will be available with two powertrain options at launch. The first is an improved version of the naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter gasoline engine producing 147 hp (110 kW / 149 PS), a 26 hp (19 kW) bump over the outgoing model. The second is a self-charging hybrid that pairs a more efficient 1.6-liter engine with a stronger electric motor and a bigger battery for a combined 155 hp (116 kW / 157 PS). The hybrid features “Smart Regenerative Braking 3.0” and the “Hybrid Hierarchical Predictive Control System” which is said to improve fuel efficiency by making route predictions. Finally, there is a “Stay Mode” that keeps the climate control and the infotainment running when the vehicle is stationary. More: Hyundai’s New Wedgy Sedan Claims 404 Miles On A Surprisingly Small Battery In time, Hyundai will likely roll out a new generation of the Elantra N with a more powerful engine, sportier looks, and a sharper chassis setup. This is rumored to get a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine, although nothing has been confirmed yet. Availability While the company didn’t get into details about availability, the new Hyundai Avante is expected to hit Korean dealers later this year, likely followed by its gradual roll out to other markets. The compact sedan will likely reach North America as the 2027 Elantra sometime in the coming months. It has also been reported that the Elantra will return to Europe after a long hiatus. Hyundai Motor President and CEO José Muñoz said: “The All-New Avante is a model that sets a new standard for its class by balancing unrivaled design, interior space, safety, and digital experience”.