While the only visible additions to Hyundai’s 2014 Elantra GT are the LED tail lamp clusters and the new diver’s blind spot mirror, it’s what you can’t see that matters.
For the new model year, Hyundai has replaced the GT’s 1.8-liter naturally-aspirated unit with a new standard 2.0-liter Nu Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engine, which adds 25 more horsepower (+17 percent) and 23 lb.-ft. of torque (+18 percent) pushing output to 173hp at 6,500 rpm and peak torque to 154 lb.-ft. at 4,700 rpm.
No performance numbers were released, but Hyundai says it will be perkier than the outgoing 1.8L model. What it won’t be is more fuel efficient as the Korean carmaker says the 6-speed manual version will return 24mpg city, 34mpg highway and 28mpg combined versus the 1.8L model’s 26/37/30 mpg respectively.
The same applies for the 6-speed automatic version of the 2.0L model that returns 24mpg city, 33mpg highway and 27mpg combined compared to the 1.8L Auto’s 27/37/30 mpg figures.
The 2014 Elantra GT goes on sale in the U.S. this December
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