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The Hyundai Elantra wasn't always a first-pick for buyers in its segment, but its transformation in recent years has put it right up there with the likes of Volkswagen and Audi.
You know when your mom or dad used to tell you as a kid not to listen to big people's conversation and go play outside?
That very same principle used to apply to the older-generation Hyundai Elantra because up until a few years ago, it has never been able to stand in the same crowd as the 'big boys' in its corner, until now.
Times have changed
The Korean brand has seen radical growth in the last ten years, setting the pace in the passenger car and SUV segments with a bunch of new, exciting, and affordable models.
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But it is the Elantra in particular that has seen a rise to fame of sorts while also benefiting from the brand's vision going forward. The model was introduced in a time when both Japanese and German automation was very much on the up. Not many were keen on making a Korean vehicle their car of choice.
Have you owned a previous-generation Hyundai Elantra? What did you love most about it, or about any other older vehicle you might have owned? Please email us your photos and stories.
Image: Net Car Show
There are currently six generations of the family sedan, and South Africa has received all of them. Sales were meagre from the early 2000s, and it wasn't an attractive option to the buyer, nor did it have a performance option. It was the likes of Toyota with the Corolla and Volkswagen with the Jetta that people instead opted for.
Getting recognition
It was in 2010 when people really started taking Hyundai a bit more seriously. The automaker co-sponsored the 2010 FIFA World Cup with its sister-brand Kia; the two brands existing models saw a refresh and a few new models were to follow in their respective line ups.
Peter Schreyer is the man that can be attributed to making Hyundai and Kia to what it is now. Although he was not directly involved in the design for the Elantra, his vision for creating compelling and distinctively designed cars put Korean-made cars back on the map.
Two years after the launch of the fifth generation, it scooped up numerous awards both locally and abroad, clinching the 2012 WesBank/SAGMJ South African Car of the Year, and the North American Car of the Year.
But it is with the current model where Hyundai practically got everything spot on. Gone are the sharp, boxy lines and in its place is a more refined, sleeker appearance. It now sports a range of new, more powerful turbo engines, and also has a mighty example to look up to - the Elantra Sport.
Where Volkswagen, Audi, and Toyota never had to worry about any other competitors in its sedan segment, there now is a genuine 'looking over the shoulder' type of concern.
Image: Motorpress
According to Hyundai, there is a new Elantra set to be launched abroad in 2021, and we can only hope it will make its way to local shores, considering the current state of affairs due to the global pandemic.
It's chalk and cheese difference when you look at how far the Elantra has come over the years. From being the one that no one wanted to drive, it is now one of Hyundai's benchmark's and with darn good reason.
