Hyundai Elantra New Design

The Hyundai Group is now pointing its arrows to the world’s biggest auto market with the unveiling of two new models for China at this week’s 2011 Shanghai Auto Show, the Elantra Yuedong compact sedan and the mid-size Azera, which is badged as Grandeur in some markets.

If the Elantra Yuedong looks familiar, that’s because it is a facelifted version of the fourth generation model sold in the States until 2010. The most prominent change on the outside concerns the revised front that draws on the Azera’s styling.

According to Hyundai, the interior has also been upgraded with higher quality materials and new convenience and safety features such as a smart key / button start, front side airbag, Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS), Navigation, USB2.0 port and eco-driving guide system.

The 2011 Elantra Yuedong will be offered in China with two four-cylinder engines in China sporting a displacement of 1.6-liters and 1.8-liters. The compact sedan will compete in China’s biggest segment, which surged from 2.11 million units in 2008 to 3.24 million in 2009 and 3.95 million in 2010, and is expected to reach an astonishing 6 million units by 2013, according to industry forecasts.

As for the Azera, the South Korean maker’s saloon will be marketed in China as an affordable alternative to premium models in the mid-size segment. The 4,910mm-long sedan comes with a choice of two gasoline engines, a 250HP 3.0-liter V6 and a 180HP 2.4-liter four-cylinder unit, both of which are matted to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Azera and new Elantra Yuedong are scheduled to hit showrooms in China within the next few months.

2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA YUEDONG