Set to be unveiled later today at the Chicago Auto Show, Hyundai is expanding its Elantra lineup with a two-door coupe.

De-dooring the Elantra is part of the company’s strategy to pull younger buyers in who they say are willing to sacrifice practicality for coupe appeal. It’s also a product targeted squarely at the Honda Civic Coupe, which has retained its dominance in the category despite rivals like the Kia Forte Koup and Scion tC.

The coupe is pretty-much the same as the sedan, featuring standard Hyundai sensibilities like heated seats, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity and more.

In keeping with the push toward a younger crowd, the Coupe gets a few sport-inspired touches, though people purchasing these cars are anything but track junkies. The same 1.8-liter 148-hp four delivers power to the front wheels with Hyundai’s homemade six-speed manual or automatic.

The Coupe won’t however, join the rest of the 40-mpg club in Hyundai’s lineup, missing the bar slightly with a 39 mpg highway rating. Still, a 33 mpg average isn’t half bad and driving enthusiasts can get there with an entertaining 6-speed stick.

Consumers can choose from two trim levels, the base GS or premium SE. Both come with generous standard equipment, but the nicer accouterments like leather seats remain reserved for SE buyers. The wheels also get an inch bigger for the SE, growing from 16 to 17 inches.  Finally, an optional technology package is again withheld from the lower-end model but includes a 7-inch infotainment system, rear-view camera, an upgraded stereo and other cool stuff like proximity key entry, push-button start and more.

The sportier SE model gets a stiffer suspension that Hyundai says is designed for the car’s lower-profile tires. Despite getting the coupe treatment, the EPA classifies this as a mid-size car, which is interesting because it competes directly with compacts like the Honda Civic coupe and Kia Forte Koup which are both badged as compacts. Hyundai says it will deliver the best of both worlds (two door sex appeal and rear passenger roominess).

Regardless of the extra bulk, the car still manages to wiggle in between the Honda and Kia’s power to weight ratios, meaning customers can walk *erm drive away without feeling much buyer’s remorse.

GALLERY: 2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe

GALLERY: 2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe Reveal

For more on the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, see our complete coverage here.

Watch video of the Elantra Coupe below:

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Recently the 2013 Hyundai Elantra Touring was spied testing in Canada, and it appears that the second generation of its Hyundai Elantra Touring model will make its American debut at the upcoming 2012 Chicago Auto Show.

The new Elantra Touring won’t be the only Elantra variant making its debut as the Korean automaker is also planning to unveil a two-door version of their popular compact. But like the current Elantra Touring model in America, the new one will surely be just like the European Hyundai i30, which debuted at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

Interestingly enough, reports are coming in that Hyundai will lose the Touring badge from the model’s name, simply branding it as a five-door hatchback – perhaps trying to get away from the unhip stigma of being a wagon. It is expected to be powered by the same 1.8L engine in the current Elantra model, with 148-hp and achieve 40-mpg on the highway – if you believe Hyundai’s claims. Reports of a 200-hp turbocharged model and a plug-in hybrid variant are still a possibility.

GALLERY: 2013 Elantra Touring Spy Photos

GALLERY: European Hyundai i30 Hatch

Adding to Hyundai’s Super Bowl ad lineup, the automaker’s fourth commercial focuses on the Elantra.

Celebrating its 2012 North American Car of the Year victory, the Elantra takes a 30-second “Victory Lap” during the game. The Elantra won the award in January, and what better time than the Super Bowl to celebrate the big win. Instead of a parade, the Elantra takes a victory lap around the neighborhood with a little fanfare (hey, honking your horn can be considered fanfare.)

Watch Hyundai “Victory Lap” commercial after the jump.

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Hyundai might still be under fire by consumers that aren’t having such stellar mpg results with their Elantra, but the Korean automaker had no problems announcing that they’ve achieved the 36-mpg corporate average fuel economy four years ahead of the US government’s rule for 2016.

Hyundai America CEO John Krafcik refuses to step down from the claim that the Elantra is able to achieve its 29/40-mpg claims in the real world, despite owners and even the media stating otherwise. Last month advocacy group Consumer Watchdog petitioned the EPA to re-test the Elantra while Hyundai has been reaching out to unhappy Elantra owners through its dealers to help educate them on their driving patterns and how to increase fuel efficiency.

“I don’t fully understand some of the accusations, but part of it is due to the fact we’re doing better in the marketplace now, and people are aware of and know Hyundai a little bit better than they did a few years ago,” he says. “Probably every car in every car maker’s lineup has people complaining about the real-world fuel economy they’re getting.”

[Source: Wards Auto]

With the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto just around the corner, the finalists for Canadian Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year (the winners of which will be announced during the opening ceremonies of the show on February 16) have been announced.

For the car category, the three finalists are the Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Elantra and Kia Optima (shown above), while in the utility category, they are the BMW X3, Dodge Journey and Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel.

Each of these vehicles won their respective categories during the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada’s annual Test Fest, which takes place each Fall in Niagra-on-the-Lake, Ontario. This time out, some 170 vehicles in 11 different categories were evaluated by 70 auto journalists from across Canada, with the CCOTY finalists selected following four days of back-to-back testing on the street, test track and off-road course.

Besides car and utility of the year, AJAC also awards another category at the CIAS, Best New Design. For that one, this year’s three finalists are the Hyundai Veloster, Jaguar XKR-S and Range Rover Evoque.

[Source: AJAC]

Hyundai will debut its next-generation Santa Fe crossover at the 2012 New York Auto Show in April, Motor Trend has confirmed.

Little is known about the new CUV, though the third-generation will probably feature the same drivetrain with somewhat improved performance and fuel economy. We’re also guessing the majority of aesthetic updates will be on the inside, keeping in line with the company’s other updated interior designs. Another example is the updated Elantra— you can see pictures-a-plenty of the futuristic design cues in our review.

The Santa Fe got an update in 2010 (pictured above), and the CUV isn’t a poor seller, but it isn’t great either falling into the middle range for overall sales last year with just over 74,000 units sold in North America. That’s a lot better than the abysmal 1,524 Azeras sold last year, or if you really want embarrassing numbers: 18 in December. It’s also nowhere near the Sonata, which capped 2011 off with almost 226,000 units sold.

While a fresh design and a little more horsepower isn’t going to slingshot the Santa Fe to such regal status among the fleet, it could stand to get current Hyundai customers back into the showroom at just the right time, when their 2010 leases are set to expire. Sales have been more-or-less stable since the update, but are on a slow decline, meaning the reiteration is probably a wise choice.

GALLERY: 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe

[Source: Motor Trend]

In a contest where any of the three finalists could seemingly have won, the Hyundai Elantra has officially been crowned the 2012 North American Car of the Year. The Elantra beat-out the Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Passat for the honor, which was announced today in Detroit at the start of the North American International Auto Show.

The Elantra has been praised for its impressive design, high-grade interior and, perhaps most importantly, the fact that it gets 40-mpg standard – regardless of the transmission choice and without having to purchase an expensive high fuel-efficiency model.

The North American Car of the Year selection process is decided by a panel comprising 50 accredited automotive journalists from the US and Canada.

Last year’s North American Car of the Year was the Chevrolet Volt.

GALLERY: 2012 Hyundai Elantra

See AutoGuide’s complete 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage here

Consumer Watchdog is not backing down from its bid of calling out Hyundai‘s MPG claims for their popular Elantra, and has now issued out a letter to Hyundai’s CEO asking the company to pull its prominent 40-mpg claims from car’s advertisements until the EPA re-tests the model.

Elantra owners from around the country are reporting that their vehicles’ average gas rating is more in the 18- to 19-mpg range rather than the advertised 29-mpg city, 40-mpg highway that Hyundai is advertising. To add more fuel to the fire, Consumers Union and Motor Trend’s tests were well short of the 33-mpg combined claim and even the most mileage-obsessed drivers over at Fuelly.com couldn’t get their Elantras close to the 33-mpg claim.

And while most people understand that there is a discrepancy between mpg claims from manufacturers and real world driving scenarios, their complaint lies in the fact that the Elantra falls well beyond a 10-percent difference. Consumer Watchdog is now calling Hyundai out as being deceptive and hope that Hyundai will pull the claims from their ads before more consumers purchase the Elantra under false pretenses.

Motor Trend tested the Elantra to 25.9-mpg while Consumers Union averaged 29-mpg. USA Today on the other hand tested just 22-mpg.

Just when we thought absolutely nothing negative about Hyundai could hit the press, this happens. A group called Consumer Watchdog has requested that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigate Hyundai’s MPG claim on their popular Elantra model.

Hyundai states that the Elantra can get 29-mpg city, 40-mpg highway with a 33-mpg average, but Consumer Watchdog is claiming that the vehicle’s real-world MPG average is more in the mid-20s. Reports are coming in from Elantra owners all over that they’re having a very difficult time achieving any MPG-average in the 30s, with even USA Today tech writer Jefferson Graham reporting that he only average a disappointing 22-mpg.

Hit the jump to read the press release

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Honda CEO Takanobu Ito stepped up and assumed responsibility for the Honda Civic’s miserable start in the United States, telling Automotive News that ”The ultimate responsibility rests with me.”

The Civic was left off the Consumer Reports list of recommended vehicles, a rarity for any Honda product. Cheap interior materials were blamed, and many reviewers reported dull styling and driving dynamics as other disappointments. Civic sales are down 15 percent this year, and Honda product planners are hoping for a model refresh as soon as 2013, well ahead of Honda’s usual vehicle schedule.

While Honda decided to stick with a smaller footprint and reduced content for the new Civic (betting on a downward economy) competitors like Hyundai, Chevrolet and Ford went in the opposite direction, offering advanced features like backup cameras, self-parking, powerful engines and bold styling. This approach won out in the end, with the Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus reporting strong sales in the segment.

[Source: Automotive News]