2020 Hyundai Elantra ditches the manual transmission

MANILA: Hyundai unveiled the 2019 edition of the Elantra last year. The updated sedan was seen to have ditched the curvaceous design language it had been following for years in favour of a much modern, striking, and sharp appearance. The curvy angles were now replaced with sharper creases.

Now in 2019, the South Korean automaker has come up with the 2020 Elantra. While the sedan doesn’t boast too many changes or updates on the outside, the stuff under the hood has undoubtedly gone through a transformation.

For starters, the 2020 Hyundai Elantra has completely done away with the six-speed manual gearbox. Moreover, the six-speed automatic unit has also been replaced by a new CVT that Hyundai is calling the Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). We have already seen this unit on the Kia Forte.

Hyundai claims that this new IVT has improved the fuel efficiency of the 2020 Elantra. Coupled with the 2.0-litre motor which produces 147 PS of maximum power, this unit IVT unit allows the sedan to return a mileage of 14.5 kmpl, which is marginally more than the 13.6 kmpl returned by the CVT found on the last-gen sedan.

So, with the IVT taking the place of the six-speed auto on the 2.0-litre Elantra, what about the sedan with the 1.4-litre turbo and 1.6-litre turbo-GDI motors? Well, a dual-clutch transmission will come mated to the mills mentioned above. As we already mentioned, none of the 2020 Hyundai Elantra models in the US will feature a manual gearbox anymore.

Alongside the updated transmission options, the newest iteration of the Hyundai Elantra for the US market will also feature the SmartSense safety package. Apart from driver attention warning, forward collision alert, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot collision warning, safety equipment like smart cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, and safe exit assist will now make their way to the South Korean sedan with the suite.

What’s your take on these significant changes that Hyundai has made to the 2020 Elantra? Is this the right time to altogether ditch manual transmissions? Or there is still time before all of us accept the automatics?

What about the purists? The 2020 Hyundai Elantra is undoubtedly not going to be their next sedan. Let’s wait and see what Hyundai Philippines has in store for us regarding the new Elantra. If you're looking for a new car, Hyundai is offering its different models with up to Php 100,000 off, check out here.

Also Read:- Hyundai Elantra - Buyer’s guide