Due to copyright issues, the subcompact vehicle from Hyundai received different names on different markets.
Hyundai was still a small carmaker who made its way into the world car market. It evolved with licensed parts and engines from Mitsubishi Motors, and it entered the U.S. and the European market. In 1990, the Korean carmaker launched the Elantra and entered direct competition against Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Opel/Vauxhall Astra Mk 3.

The car’s exterior looked like it was inspired by some other Japanese vehicles designed in the late ’80s and then trimmed at the edges to make it look modern. There were some curved lines and panels, but not too many to hide the wedged-shapes. A small grille at the front resembled some of the Honda models, while the angled-down headlights were similar to the European’s Opel/Vauxhall Vectra.

The interior was nice, with a curved dashboard and an instrument cluster extended over the center stack. Like some other Japanese vehicles, it featured two large dials for the tachometer and speedometer, the coolant temperature gauge on the left side, and the fuel-level on the right. The air-conditioning unit was available on the options list or standard for the upper trim levels. Its interior was good for up to four adult occupants, with limited legroom for the rear passengers.

Under the hood, Hyundai relied on its partnership with the Mitsubishi, who provided all three engine options, ranging from 86 hp to 126 hp. The Elantra was fitted with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic.