A 2021 Hyundai Elantra has been spied in Japan. The all-new compact sedan was unveiled just last month.
Japan is a market heavily dominated by domestic brands, and even good old American brands like Ford and GM don’t stand a chance there. It’s no breadwinner for South Korean brand Hyundai either, then. While GM has curbed its business to profitable high-end imported vehicles, Ford and Hyundai have totally ceased operations.
Hyundai, the brand of concern in this story, had pulled out of Japan in 2009. Do note that we are talking about passenger vehicles and that Hyundai continues selling its commercial vehicles in the Land of the Rising Sun even today. Now, for those wondering what’s this 2021 Hyundai Elantra doing there, as we did when first saw the spy shot, there is a logical explanation.
Firstly, if Hyundai was going to re-enter Japan, it would obviously want to rectify its blunder and release A- and B-segment cars first instead, such as the i10 and the i20. Secondly, Hyundai has a technical centre in Japan, located in Yokohama. This R&D centre, called 'Japan Technical Center', focuses on developing electronic and hybrid technologies. It’s safe to assume that the Mk7 Elantra spotted there has something to do with the Japan Technical Center. Regular readers would know that it is the first-ever Elantra with a hybrid powertrain.
The 2021 Hyundai Elantra was launched in South Korea last at the beginning of this month. It will likely arrive in India in the second half of 2021.
Also See: 2021 Hyundai Elantra vs. 2019 Hyundai Elantra - Old vs. New
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[Image Source: twitter.com]
