Hyundai Lafesta shown at Auto China 2018
Hyundai has showcased the 2019 Hyundai Lafesta at the ongoing Auto China 2018. The Lafesta is Hyundai's interpretation of the now quite popular 4-door-coupe-liftback body style. The car is based on the Elantra but will slot between the Elantra and the Sonata in its line-up. Engine options are  1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol motors which are to have a power output in the 140PS to 200PS range. The transmission is a seven-speed dual-clutch unit No prices were announced but the car will launch in China by the end of this year.
The Lafesta is aimed at the millennial buyer and has styling which should appeal to this buyer demographic. The car shares its wheelbase with the Elantra but is altogether sportier looking. The Hyundai waterfall grille is now wider and the wide LED headlamps accentuate the with of the car. The coupe-like side profile has prominent bulges around the wheel arches while the liftback rear houses LED tail lamps which are vaguely reminiscent of a Kia Stinger. The Lafesta shares its wheelbase with the Elantra but is longer and wider.
No interior pictures were available but a flat-bottomed steering wheel, dual exhaust outlets, large screens, and driver assistance systems will also be offered. Equipment levels should match that of the Elantra.
Unlike in India, the D-segment space is still quite vibrant in China. Hyundai itself has a number of offerings in this segment at various price points and the Lafesta is being introduced to complement this. The Lafesta is a China-only model and there are no plans for it coming to India for now. But the car seems to have potential to be a be the cut-price mini-Stinger for Hyundai in developing markets such as ours.