Hyundai Adding Elantra Wagon in 2008

A few weeks ago, Hyundai showed off a wagon called the FD at the Seoul Auto Show. Today, we’ve learned that the new compact wagon will come to the U.S. as the Elantra Wagon. 

The wagon will be powered by the same 138-hp four-cylinder engine that’s in the newly redesigned sedan, and it can’t arrive soon enough for Hyundai. Surprisingly, the new sedan isn’t selling near expectations; it’s actually selling less than last year’s aging model. Cars.com reviewed the Elantra recently, and we were impressed with the sedan’s value. Check out a few larger pictures below and tell us what you think of the look.

Comments

Wouldn't this be a hatchback?

i think so but whatever floats hyundai's boat! anyway I think they are going in the wrong direction again, I mean, the Sonata isn't selling well, only rental fleets, and now this isn't selling..hrm...maybe not taking design cues from honda and toyota would help out!!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if there's NO rear quarter window (or whatever you call it - that's the window BEHIND the rear doors), it's a hatchback. If there's one (like this one), and no matter how small it is (like this one), then it's a wagon.

As the owner of a 2000 Elantra wagon and 2002 Elantra GT hatch in the past, I'm glad to see Hyundai coming out with a liftback version of the new Elantra. It's a little odd looking, espeically in the rear with the Volvo-esque tailights, but the overall effect is pleasing. It'd be worth considering and could be a good rival to the new Saturn Astra, Mazda 3, and the Focus (oh...wait...Ford discontinued the hatch, all in the name of becoming less competitive). IMO the sedan looks bland and too much like the Corolla, which may explain the poor sales. At least the last generation Elantra had some flair!

Hey not so bad... I will definitely buy this if Toyota doesn't release the next generation of Corolla with a station wagon variant. I only wish that Hyundai had extended the cargo space in the back, because this thing looks like a hatchback more than anything. In my humble opinion, the tailights need some minor reworking.

the article is pretty loose with the "wagon" phrasing. It could be called a hatch when it finally arrives here. Hyundai said 40% of sales used to be the GT hatchback so Roo is probably the target customer.

Ooh nice... I think it's called the i30 in Korea. Has gotten a pretty good buzz around there too... I think the front and side looks a lot like a Mazda3 hatch though.

Is it me or this thing looks a lot like an opel/saturn.

I saw that too evr. And no name is right, they need to look much more different then the competition to sell. Like the old Elantra, it was not cool, but it was different.

Is this the same as the Kia Rondo?

There's no clear way to distinguish a wagon from a hatch. Sure, most such cars are clearly one or the other. But a few fall into a gray area: the Mazda Protege5 I current drive (I think of it as a wagon) and the Audi A3 are two examples.

It's not so much whether there is a window behind the C-pillar as the size of this window and the degree of slope to the rear window.

I'd classify the i30 as a hatch. The rear window is upright, but there's not much length behind the rear doors. I see a Mazda3, but not executed as well stylistically (and I'm not a huge fan of the Mazda3 hatch's looks).

But this is certainly open to interpretation.

I drive a '99 Elantra Wagon, and while I like the i30, it ain't no wagon. Hyundai has an opportunity to horn in on sales that might have gone to the Focus wagon, now that it has been pulled, but I expect that the new Saturn Astra wagon will be the beneficiary of those customers, when it arrives.

I had a 1996 Elantra wagon and loved it. When it was discontinued, I purchased a 2004 Focus wagon, which had even more space and a large rear, hatch opening. This too has been discontinued. The 2008 Elantra hatch does not appear to have either the space, nor the sizable hatch opening of the other two. Nice style, but I'll skip it. I have had small wagons my entire life (5) and keep having to switch for more practicality.

I bought a 2003 Elantra GT real Hatchback which I enjoyed and liked very much. Unfortunately it got totaled. I was hoping to see a 2007 hatchback and to my utter dismay and disappointment I was told by a Hyundai dealer that they discontinued the hatchback. I say a real hatchback because to me a real hatchback looks like a regular car but with a sloping rear that lifts up, this design also provides excellent rear visibilty and a wiper. Today's so called hatchbacks are mini station wagons but they don't call it that because it sounds less appealing. IMO, the Elantra sedan is incredibly bland, the 2008 Elantra wagon looks very similar to the other so called hatchbacks. Why did Hyundai try to fix what wasn't broken?

I've owned about twenty cars in 35 years (incl 4 Hyundais!), and my 2004 Elantra GT is the most satisfying car i've owned. I've no interest in selling or trading it in, but I'll definitely give the new hatchback a look when it comes out. Still the value leader in its class, as far as I'm concerned...

I owned a 2001 Elantra GT hatchback. That just looks like a redesigned hatch to me. A wagon would be longer. Anyway 5 years of ownership 53,000 miles and no issues. Hyundai's maintenance schedule is brisk and not cheap, but I found the dealership service departments to be competent.

I am the current owner of a 2006 Elantra and I will say that this car was the best money for value I could get then. Runs smoothly, no mechanical problems so far. And from what I see here, the "wagon" looks sexy and stylish, even if one debates that taste is a relative thing. Hyundai bashers have run short of rational arguments. The brand is now a force to reckon with in the auto industry!

I am pretty loyal to the Hyundai brand, but was disappointed that there was no hatchback version of the new Elantra when it came out last year (I have the Elantra GT hatchback of the previous generation). I LOVE having the hatchback without having something the size of your traditional station wagon. When it comes time to buy again, I will definitely take this one for a test drive.

This car is just a copy of European Opel Astra Hatchback, currently being sold in Canada as Saturn Astra. Sorry to see that Hyundai is lacking some immagination in designing their vehicles...

I've been waiting for hyundai to come out with
a wagon. Can't wait to see one up close and
personal. If it is everything its supposed to be
I'm reading to buy. When will the wagon be
coming to the dealers in the USA?