Happy with the Hyundai Elantra but want something a tad bit sportier? How about the new 2013 Elantra Coupe? Joining the Elantra GT hatchback at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, the Elantra Coupe does away with two doors, adds more style and hopefully more performance. It has the Honda Civic Coupe and Kia Forte Koup in its crosshair.
It’s mostly a new style that the coupe brings to the table; as such, it is powered by the same 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder engine found in both the sedan and hatchback. That engine is good for 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque and, in the coupe, delivers an estimated 29 miles per gallon city/40 mpg highway with a manual transmission and 28 city/39 highway with an automatic. Not as fuel-efficient as the sedan, but just by a measly 1 mpg.
The Elantra Coupe will be offered in two trim levels, GS and SE. Aside from the standard features, the GS can only be had with leather and 17 inch wheels, while an available technology package can add a 7-inch screen, a back-up camera, push-to-start and a better stereo. It’s the SE that gets the sport updates, including an upgraded suspension and a rear “lip spoiler design element.
