Hyundai Elantra GT, a sportier i30 aimed at the US market

In Europe we can already enjoy the new Hyundai i30, a model that the Korean brand has developed entirely and produces on European soil with the clear aim of raising its quality, and the result could not have been better, because the Hyundai i30 looks set to become a pleasant surprise in terms of sales.

Now the new small compact from Hyundai will make the jump across the pond to take on the difficult adventure of the North American market, a place where the compacts that do well here have to hold their own against those huge vehicles with very powerful engines. Whether it manages to carve out a place for itself we will see in time, but for now the calling card is not bad at all.

Its showcase began last weekend and will continue throughout this week, on the occasion of the Chicago Auto Show. There, visitors who approach the Hyundai stand will be able to see the good taste and European style applied to this compact, and the first difference they will notice compared with the model we have in Europe will be its name, since over there it is called Hyundai Elantra GT.

The second difference they will notice, a more significant one which, unfortunately, at least for now we will not enjoy here, is under its bonnet. In the United States, the Hyundai Elantra GT will have, in its entry-level version, a four-cylinder inline engine of 2,000 CC and a power output of 162 CV. But if that sounds a little modest, buyers can opt for the GT Sport version, which fits a 1,600 CC turbo engine delivering a not inconsiderable 201 CV.

To show you the difference between one market and the other, remember that in Europe the Hyundai i30 has arrived with three different engines for the petrol versions: the smallest in terms of power is the 1.4 MPI with 100 CV, followed by the 1.0 T-GDI turbo with 120 CV, and ending with the 1.4 T-GDI, also turbo, with 140 CV. As for the diesel, here we have a 1.6 turbo that can deliver 90 CV, 110 CV or 136 CV.

In addition, and as a result of this increase in power, the torsion beam has been replaced by an independent multi-link suspension, with the consequent improvement in dynamics. The brakes have also been revised, becoming larger on the Hyundai Elantra GT in order to stop the car effectively given the increase in power.

Otherwise the Hyundai Elantra GT is the same as the new i30, with the same interior design and the same equipment and gadgets, both in terms of features and safety.

Source | Hyundai