Hyundai Elantra gets a facelift - New front and back make the sedan look wider and meaner

The Hyundai Elantra gets a facelift, featuring a new front and rear end which makes the car look wider and lower. Everything else though is pretty much business as usual.

Although the Hyundai Elantra is one of the least popular c-segment sedans in the market today, there are some fans of the Korean sedan out there, who might be interested to know that the 7th-gen Elantra has been given a facelift.

The 2023 version of the C-segment sedan has been revealed in South Korea. The refreshed model receives a reworked front end giving it a fiercer and sharper look. 

New lights with a different design is part of the refresh, and to accomodate it, Hyundai had to also give the new Elantra some new fenders to help fit those headlights. Hyundai's signature Parametric grill is still there, but this time the upper and lower grill have been separated, whereas the previous car saw it having it in one piece.

Although the front of the 2023 Elantra seems to looks wider and sportier than before, we actually prefer the current design as it feels more streamlined, but some have said the look was a dealbreaker, which perhaps this new design has remedied.

At the back, the taillights still look the same, but the bumper now comes with a more intricate diffuser design , also making the car look wider and meaner than before. 

From the side profile's point of view, the straight and sharp body lines of the Elantra remain unchanged, but there are some new alloy rims to provide the side with a refreshed look.

As for the powertrain option, the Elantra in South Korea is offered in many different configurations, including the 1.6-litre NA Smartstream petrol unit, featuring 123 PS and 154 Nm torque matched with an IVT gearbox. This is unit is the sole engine and transmission option offered here in Malaysia.

A more powerful configuration is also offered through the Elantra N Line which is equipped with 1.6-litre turbocharged Smartstream petrol engine producing 204 PS and 265 Nm of torque, along with the option of a six-speed gearbox or seven-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission.

The full-fat Elantra, the Elantra N obviously gets the most powerful engine, featuring a 2.0 litre Theta turbo petrol unit with 280 PS and 392 Nm of torque, paired with a choice of six-speed manual or eight-speed DCT gearbox.

The cabin design is still the same, with the dashboard featuring a 10.25-inch digital instrument display and 8-inch infotainment system, just like the ones in the Malaysian Elantra.