Will there be a new Elantra Touring redesign? I purchased a 2012 model and i'm wondering if there going to redesign down the line and upgrade the motor. Before you mention the Elantra GT, i think the current Elantra Touring is a little longer and has more space, are they going to keep the line going or should i just hop on over to the Elantra GT?

 

I believe one is on the way and will be more of a hatchback type design. The current Elantra Touring is quite nicely appointed but the engine and transmission are obviously not world class. The five speed manual transmission would help the acceleration, however. I would guess that it depends on the type of driving one does.

Redone Hyundai Elantra Touring due in U.S. next year

 

The ET wagon as we know it is going away. It's being replaced by a slightly smaller, more hatchback style car called the Elantra GT. Basically the European i30.

 

Yup, it's the same "less roomy is better thing" that Toyota did with the Matrix. Always thought a major selling point of the Touring was the fact that it had a bigger and more usable cargo area compared to the competition. That sloped rear hatch shape really cuts into the cargo space...

 

That is really an important point. I liked the cargo capacity of the Elantra Touring and it was very well appointed. But the driving experience left something to be desired with the smallish engine and four speed automatic. Soooo, I looked at Kia and wound up buying the SX 5 door hatchback. Now it had plenty of power and the six speed automatic worked great. The appointments weren't as nice but I thought I could live with the hatchback. Turned out that this was quite limited in utility and was one of the reasons I recently traded it off at just over 10,000 miles on a new Tucson Limited.

I probably would still have the Elantra Touring had I bought it. I just didn't know anything about it at the time but I liked it immediately. A better engine and transmission would have sealed the deal. That Kia was my "pocket rocket" but it didn't wear well over time due to the limited storage. So I sent it on its way.

 

Well that stinks, any suggestions with similar cargo space but more oomph!