CHICAGO, Feb. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America took the wraps
off its Elantra Touring five-door compact at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show
today. Making its United States debut, the all-new 2009 Elantra Touring is
a sportier, more functional variant of Hyundai's popular Elantra sedan, and
is slated to hit dealerships by the end of the year. Elantra Touring is
based on the i30 CW model that was designed for the European market.
"The all-new Elantra Touring is a fun-to-drive, functional five-door,"
said John Krafcik, vice president, product development and strategic
planning, Hyundai Motor America. "Elantra Touring provides buyers a unique
offering in the compact segment, raising the bar as Hyundai likes to do in
value, safety and quality."
The Elantra Touring, with its modern, sleek styling and fun-to-drive
qualities, was developed by Hyundai in response to the growing demand for
stylish and functional five-door vehicles, sales of which doubled from 2001
to 2006. Five-door vehicle sales are projected to be strong into the next
decade. The Elantra Touring will also be the first five-door compact to
offer standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC), in addition to a host of
other class-leading safety technologies. As with all Hyundai vehicles, the
Elantra Touring was designed and manufactured to meet the most stringent
quality standards in the industry, exemplifying Hyundai's quality
leadership position worldwide.
Flowing curves and strong character lines highlight the broad stance
and long wheelbase of the Elantra Touring. The clearly defined, unbroken,
rising beltline unifies the vehicle's functional proportions. Up front, the
pronounced dual air intakes flow smoothly into the hood and A-pillar lines.
Sharp projection headlamps, fog lights and available 17-inch alloy wheels
complete the modern design.
The long wheelbase and generous width of the Elantra Touring, combined
with Hyundai's expertise in interior packaging, have produced an interior
that delivers class-leading comfort, functionality and practicality.
Elantra Touring has the most interior volume (passenger volume plus cargo
space) of any five-door in its class at 125.5 cubic feet. Elantra Touring's
cargo capacity is 65.3 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down, more
cargo space than many larger wagons and crossovers.
The Elantra Touring's exterior dimensions (176.2 inches long, 69.5
inches wide and 59.8 inches high) contribute to outstanding front legroom
and front and rear shoulder room. In addition, every Elantra Touring has
60/40 split folding rear seats.
There is 24.3 cubic feet of luggage space with rear seats upright and
65.3 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat. A stow-and-go removable
luggage cover stores conveniently out of site under the trunk area
compartment. An optional restraining net is also offered.
The Elantra Touring was conceived from the beginning as a driver's car.
Powered by the same fuel-efficient, 2.0-liter, in line four-cylinder found
in the Elantra sedan, this sophisticated 16-valve powerplant employs Dual
Overhead Camshafts (DOHC) and Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) for
a very broad power band, coupled with high fuel efficiency and low
emissions. Elantra Touring is certified as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle
(ULEV).
An ergonomically located gear shift with a SHIFTRONIC(R) manual feature
controls the Elantra Touring's four-speed automatic transmission,
delivering confident mode selection and quicker, easier, more precise
manual overrides. A unique-in-segment B&M Racing sport shifter delivers
smooth, short-throw shift control for the standard five-speed manual
transmission.
A MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension have
been fitted to perfectly complement the body structure's high rigidity.
Ventilated 11.8-inch front and solid 10.3-inch rear discs with ABS and ESC
provide excellent stopping power with added handling control.
The Elantra Touring is the first compact five-door to offer XM
Satellite Radio(R) and USB/iPod(R) auxiliary inputs as standard equipment.
When an iPod or flash drive is connected through the USB port, it not only
plays music through the vehicle's six-speaker, 172-watt audio system, but
it also charges the iPod and allows the driver to access tracks with the
steering wheel audio controls.
Other standard interior features include a sunglass holder, two front
and two rear cupholders, door bottle holders, dash storage, central console
storage, front storage tray, front seatback pockets and a cargo area
under-floor storage.
In terms of passive safety, the Elantra Touring features dual front,
side and curtain airbags, for a total of six protective airbags in the
vehicle. The Elantra Touring also contains active front headrests, seatbelt
pretensioners and seatbelt reminders. The Elantra Touring will also be the
first five-door compact to offer standard ESC, in addition to a host of
other class-leading safety technologies.
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a
subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed
throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and
serviced through more than 780 dealerships nationwide.
Journalists are invited to visit our news media web site:
http://www.hyundainews.com
SOURCE Hyundai Motor America
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CONTACT:
Miles Johnson, +1-714-965-3366, cell,
+1-714-336-1048, milesjohnson@hmausa.com, or Jim Trainor,
+1-714-594-1629, cell, +1-714-316-6421, jtrainor@hmausa.com, both
of Hyundai Motor America
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