he Elantra's due at the end of this year in the U.S., though it's already been shown in Korea under its local nameplate, Avante. The new sedan looks much like the large Hyundai Sonata, and carries some upmarket features and options like xenon headlamps, though it carries a base price of less than $15,000 in its home market.
More important are its powertrains. Last week, Hyundai showed off its future powerplants to assembled media in its Namgyong research facility, including both a 1.6-liter direct-injection and a 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder. The former engine is rated at 140 PS, or potentially 137 horsepower in U.S. EPA-certified trim; the latter, at 170 PS or 167 hp.
With the smaller engine, the Elantra will achieve 40 mpg on the U.S. EPA highway fuel economy cycle, R&D chief Dr. H.S. Lee confirmed.
Not only would that number match the Ford Focus, it would also match the subcompact 2011 Ford Fiesta's highway numbers. It would lag Honda's $25,000Civic Hybrid by only a few miles per gallon; the Civic Hybrid's rated at 40/45 mpg for the 2010 model year.
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