Produced by Hyundai from 1991 until 1995, the
Hyundai Elantra was a compact Sedan. The South Korean produced vehicle was a replacement for the rear wheel drive Hyundai Stellar. After the 1995 model year the Avante replaced the Elantra, though the Avante is known as the Elantra in almost all export markets. The Elantra has also been known as the Lantra because
Mitsubishi Motors complained that the name Elantra was simply too close to their Elante trim level. Lotus also complained about the Elantra name, stating it was too close to its Elan name. By 2001 Hyundai used the Elantra name freely as both the Elan and the Elante were no longer produced.
Hyundai powered the Elantra with a Mitsubishi 1.6 liter straight four engine. The 16-valve dual overhead cam engine provided the vehicle with 113 horsepower at 6000 rotations per minute. The Elantra could accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 9.5 seconds, and it could run the quarter mile in 17.1 seconds. The top speed of the Elantra was 116 miles per hour and boasted 22 miles per gallon in the city.
The Elantra has seen just one major facelift, in 1993. Other than that, the vehicle stayed largely the same in terms of engine, exterior, and the interior. Though the Avante technically replaced the Elantra after the 1995 model year, most Hyundai consumers do not realize this as almost all export markets sell the Avante as the Elantra.
