First Look Review: The 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is sporty & good VFM

Update: ‘Price & Sales’ section revised.

The gas-powered 2024 Hyundai Elantra recently started rolling into U.S. dealerships, and the 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is to follow shortly. The new hybrid sedan sporting a refreshed design and an updated interior made a pitstop at the LA Convention Center to participate in the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show before it hits dealer lots this year. Following my first-hand experience with the vehicle in California, these are my insights.

Design

The 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid has a familiar silhouette, with a coupe-inspired shape achieved with a long, wide, and low body. Thanks to the new bumpers, the facelifted version is 1.3 inches longer than the outgoing car, although I can tell after seeing it in Los Angeles that this change isn’t noticeable.

The 2024 Elantra Hybrid gains a split front grille with a body-colored stripe in the middle, reshaped headlamps, and a sportier front bumper. I think its flatter headlamps make it seem wider than the outgoing model, although it measures just as wide at the tape. In my opinion, the freshened front-end is more somber and lends the car a more mature look.

On the sides, the 2024 Elantra Hybrid flaunts new wheels, measuring 16 inches in the Blue trim and 17 inches in the Limited trim. The swoopy and edgy rear-end comprises a revised bumper for a new look. Hyundai offers the 2024 Elantra Hybrid in two new colors in addition to a few carried-over options – Ecotronic Gray and Ultimate Red. The unit I experienced came in the Fluidic Gray color, a carryover from the previous year. I found this lighter shade of gray more appealing than the darker Econtronic Gray. Would you also agree that the subtle yet stylish color contributes to the car’s sporty aesthetic?

Interior

When I sat in the 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid at the 2023 LA Auto Show, I was hard-pressed to find any changes. Upon a closer look, Hyundai hasn’t included the buttons for the memory seat system for the driver’s seat beside the silver speaker grille like in the outgoing model. Similarly, the air ventilation logo was missing on the climate seat warmer buttons. According to the official product guide, Hyundai offers both features in the new Elantra, and perhaps as this is a prototype, these features weren’t integrated in the vehicle.

The Elantra Hybrid continues featuring a manual tilt and telescopic steering column and has a moderately-sized storage box under the armrest in the center console. It has received three USB-C outlets, one in the front and two in the rear, with the mid-cycle update. There’s a redesigned wireless charging pad, too. I was disappointed to see that Hyundai still hasn’t enabled wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto in the car’s 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

I played around with the infotainment system briefly to see if it was intuitive and performed flawlessly. In my experience, operations were quick but not smooth like in the new infotainment system of the latest Hyundais. The older software doesn’t feel as seamless or look as premium as that of the 2024 Sonata Hybrid and the 2025 Tucson Hybrid.

I was sitting in the Limited trim with all the bells and whistles, Settling into the new H-Tex faux leather seats, I was immediately struck by their softness and the high-end look they exuded. Between the outgoing car’s leather covers and the new model’s leatherette material, my pick would certainly be the latter.

In the front, as a six-foot-tall person, I felt that the 2024 Elantra Hybrid offers abundant headroom. I had decent leg space and good under-thigh support, too. The 2024 Elantra Hybrid has new soft-touch material on the front door panels, and I think this change, gives the interior a slightly more premium feel. Hard plastics are still aplenty in the cabin, though, not to say that’s unusual in this segment.

In the rear, the headroom was tight for someone of my stature. My head was touching the roof when I was sitting upright, but when I leaned back, I got just about enough headroom. I was sitting behind the driver’s seat, which I had left in my most comfortable position, and I felt that I had good legroom and okay-ish under-thigh support.

Thanks to the extended outer ends of the bench in the 2024 Elantra Hybrid, I had a more cocooned feeling than in the outgoing model. I felt that the shoulder room was ample, and as the seat is very wide, three adults can sit comfortably in the back.

The 2024 Elantra Hybrid offers 14.2 cu. ft. of cargo space, like the outgoing model, which is above average in this segment. Similarly, its trunk lid doesn’t have a power open/close function.

Specifications

The 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid has no mechanical changes from the outgoing car. Hyundai has used the same 1.6-liter GDI engine-based powertrain in the 2024 Elantra Hybrid. I expect the facelift to deliver a maximum fuel economy of at least 54 MPG (combined).

The Elantra Hybrid’s gas engine produces 104 hp and 109 lb.-ft. of torque, assisted by a permanent magnet synchronous motor that generates 43 hp and 125 lb.-ft. of torque. Together, the two propulsion systems provide the car 139 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. A 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sends drive to the wheels. The electric motor is powered by a 1.32 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that rests under the rear seats.

The Elantra is a respected choice in the hybrid compact car segment for its balance of performance and value. Prior to the facelift, critics already praised the sedan for its refinement. The grunt of the hybrid system is more than adequate for a commuter and its transmission offers quick gearshifts. The multi-link rear suspension is tuned for the car to remain composed on bumps and other imperfect patches of roads. It’s not a very supple car, obviously, but it does the job it’s engineered for impressively. HEVs often struggle with a smooth transition between regenerative and frictional braking, but the Elantra Hybrid handles this aspect seamlessly.

Price & Sales

I expect the 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid’s prices to start at just under USD 25,000 (excl. freight charge) for the Blue variant, and at just under USD 30,000 for the Limited variant. Hyundai does not publish variant-wise sales figures, but in its 2023 annual sales bulletin, the company confirmed that 134,149 Elantras (gas and hybrid models) were sold in the U.S. last year, which marks an improvement (YoY) of 14 percent.

TopElectricSUV says

The 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid offers style, comfort, and plenty of features. It promises a driving experience that’s familiar, bolstered by its impressive fuel efficiency. Coupled with its economical pricing, the Elantra Hybrid presents itself as an excellent choice for those seeking a value-for-money option in the hybrid compact car segment.

2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid FAQs

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