Old VS New Hyundai Elantra Compared In Pictures

Hyundai just pulled the wraps off the eighth-generation Elantra (known as Avante In Korea) at the 2026 Busan Mobility Show with a lot of SUV-fied and oh! what is that kind of looks that we expect form every Hyundai launch

Exterior Design

The outgoing Elantra (7th-gen, launched 2020) was sharp enough, but the 8th-gen takes a completely different direction. Hyundai calls it "Art of Steel," and you see it immediately in the flared wheel arches, flush door handles, and the triangle-shaped rear quarter glass that borrows from executive sedan thinking. 

A full-width ducktail spoiler and an "H" lighting motif front and rear complete the look. The current model's parametric grille and angled lines look almost understated by comparison.

Size-wise, the new car grows meaningfully. It's 55 mm longer (now 4,765 mm total), 30 mm wider at 1,855 mm, and rides on a 30 mm longer wheelbase of 2,750 mm. The current model sits at 4,710 mm in length with a 2,720 mm wheelbase. Hyundai specifically says the 8th-gen is "nearly as spacious as a midsize sedan" -- that's a claim it couldn't have made about the outgoing version.

Interior Design

The 7th-gen Elantra gave buyers a 10.25-inch touchscreen paired with a matching digital cluster, which was class-competitive in 2020 but is starting to show its age. The 8th-gen brings Hyundai's brand-new Pleos infotainment system based on Android Automotive OS. Standard screen size jumps to 12.9 inches, with a 14.6-inch option on higher trims. 

The slim instrument cluster sits at the top of the dash in the driver's sightline. The steering wheel drops the Hyundai logo in favour of four dots, the Morse code for "H," a detail already seen on newer Hyundai models globally. The gear selector shifts behind the steering wheel, freeing up center console space for dual wireless charging pads and two large cupholders. Ambient lighting in the door panels and dashboard is also new.

Engine and Performance

This is where the comparison is clearest. The outgoing 7th-gen comes with a 2.0-litre NA petrol (147 hp) and a 1.6-litre hybrid (139 hp combined). The 8th-gen keeps the same displacement figures but squeezes more out of both. 

he 2.0-litre now makes 147 hp (up 25 hp over what the older 2.0 used to make in earlier iterations of that engine), and the hybrid bumps to 155 hp with Hyundai's new TMED-II dual-motor system. The hybrid also gains Stay Mode, which powers the cabin's AC and infotainment off the battery with the engine off essentially a feature borrowed from EVs.

India Launch Possibility

Hyundai India discontinued the Elantra back in 2022, and there's no confirmed plan to bring the 8th-gen here. The Korean market (Avante) goes on sale in Q3 2026, with the global Elantra rollout expected through 2027. India didn't get the 7th-gen either, so unless Hyundai decides the segment is viable again, the new model is unlikely to arrive on Indian shores in the near term.