Is Hyundai PH considering to launch all-new Elantra?

If you take a look at Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc.'s (HMPH) current lineup, you'll see that the brand now mostly offers crossovers, MPVs, and big vans. Yes, they still have passenger cars in the form of the Elantra N and IONIQ 6 but other than that, they don't have anything yet new.

However, it looks like the brand is set to bring back a familiar nameplate that could once again take on the likes of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla Altis. That vehicle is the Elantra which is now in its 7th generation, and we have good reason to believe the compact four-door could make its return soon to the Philippine market.

The automaker recently received regulatory approval for two new passenger vehicles powered by gasoline engines. One comes with a 1591cc engine while the other gets a slightly bigger 1598cc engine which both translate to 1.6 liters of displacement. The former weighs in at around 1360 kg while the latter is marginally heavier at 1470 kg.

Looking at what Hyundai currently offers with the two engines, it seems HMPH could offer the next-generation Elantra with a naturally aspirated inline-four and a turbocharged four-cylinder. The first engine the Elantra could get in the Philippines is the 1.6L naturally-aspirated Gamma II MPI which makes 127 PS and 144 Nm of torque. Its exact displacement is at 1591cc and it's mated to either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic.

The other possible engine the compact sedan may get is the turbocharged Smartstream 1.6L T-GDi. Not only does it displace 1598cc, but the engine also makes an impressive 204 PS and 265 Nm of torque. Transmission choices for this particular inline-four include a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch.

With hybrid vehicles becoming more popular in the country, could we also see Hyundai bring an electrified version of the Elantra? For now, it seems unlikely as the hybrid version of the compact sedan comes with a 1580cc four-cylinder engine. It makes 141 PS with 265 Nm of pull and is connected to a 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

The Elantra may have gone away for a while in the Philippine market but it looks like sedans are making a comeback despite crossover SUVs becoming more popular. Perhaps the only question now is when can we expect Hyundai to possibly debut the all-new Elantra in the country. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed they reveal it at this year's MIAS.