Hyundai Motor on the 26th unveiled the all-new Avante, the eighth-generation full-change model of the compact sedan Avante, at the 2026 Busan Mobility Show held at the Busan Exhibition & Convention Center (BEXCO). It comes six years after the seventh-generation model launched in 2020, with design, performance, and safety and convenience features newly changed or improved.
José Muñoz, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor, met with reporters that day and said, "Avante is very important as Hyundai Motor's entry model," adding, "Applying the latest, superior technology and product value to an entry model shows how important first-time Hyundai Motor customers are to us."
◇ Enlarged body with Pleos Connect… "With remote updates, the car will improve over time"
As Muñoz explained, the new Avante has achieved eye-catching changes. First, the body has been enlarged. At 4,765 mm in length, 1,855 mm in width, and with a wheelbase (distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels) of 2,750 mm, it is 55 mm longer and 30 mm wider with a 30 mm longer wheelbase than the seventh-generation model. The width difference with the mid-size sedan Sonata The Edge is just 5 mm. Overall length differs by 145 mm and wheelbase by 90 mm.
The exterior pursues a harmony of voluminous fenders and strong surfaces based on Hyundai Motor's new design language, Art of Steel. The front creates a wide and low impression with H-Edge Lighting daytime running lights shaped like an H. Slim-neck outside mirrors, lift-up flush door handles, and 18-inch wheels add a sporty feel.
The powertrain lineup includes a 2.0 gasoline (149 PS) and a 1.6 hybrid (system total 157 PS). The hybrid model features Smart Regenerative Braking 3.0, which automatically adjusts regenerative braking based on forward traffic flow and navigation information, and a hybrid layered predictive control system that predicts route and road conditions to optimally manage the battery, improving real-world fuel efficiency.
NSCC 2, which supports automatic deceleration on regular roads, and SBW P-range emergency braking, which stops the vehicle with the P button in an emergency, have been applied for the first time by Hyundai Motor. Stay mode, which allows the use of climate control and infotainment without starting the engine while stopped, also debuts.
The all-new Avante comes with the next-generation infotainment system Pleos Connect, based on Android Automotive, and the generative artificial intelligence (AI) agent GleO AI. This was also applied to the recently unveiled The New Grandeur. Centered on a large 14.6-inch center display, GleO AI supports not only vehicle control through conversation but also travel itinerary recommendations and emotive dialogue.
Park Min-woo, president of Hyundai Motor Group's Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP), said, "A car is no longer a product that remains in the condition it was in at delivery," adding, "It will improve based on accumulating data and feedback, and with remote (OTA) updates, new features will be added so that completeness increases over time."
◇ Muñoz: "Rivals are abandoning sedans… Hyundai Motor's competitiveness will expand"
Although preference for sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) has been growing recently, Hyundai Motor plans to revive the sedan market with the all-new Avante while aiming for record-high sales. As more rivals abandon sedans, demand for sedans remains steady, which could be an opportunity for Hyundai Motor.
Muñoz said, "It is true that the sedan market is gradually shrinking as many customers move to SUVs, but there is still a customer base that values the essence of transportation and passenger cars," adding, "We expect to continue steady growth in the domestic market as well as globally and set new sales records. We are confident the new Avante will also receive very strong responses from customers."
The North American market will also be targeted with the new Avante at the forefront. Muñoz said, "Several competitors are abandoning the sedan segment and turning to EVs or other segments," adding, "Sedan sales are not surging, but they are still at a steady level, and as many companies give up this segment, we believe we have competitiveness."
Rather than focusing only on high-income customers, the strategy is to capture consumers seeking young, affordable vehicles and turn them into loyal Hyundai Motor customers. He emphasized, "We are building a customer journey that starts with Elantra (the Avante's U.S. model name), then moves to Sonata, Tucson, Santa Fe, and Palisade, and eventually to Genesis."
Hyundai Motor plans to announce the price and specifications of the all-new Avante and begin taking orders in the third quarter. Through Aug. 2, it is running an early pass pre-registration event on the official website and plans to offer benefits such as 1 million won toward a first car purchase, awarded by lottery among customers who take delivery.