Hyundai Elantra named 2012 North American Car of the Year

MUSCAT — The 2012 Hyundai Elantra took top honours in the most exclusive award in North America when it was named 2012 North American Car of the Year recently.

A jury of 50 independent North American automotive journalists evaluated each of the new cars introduced last year and chose the 2012 Hyundai Elantra as the winner. The jurors considered more than 50 new vehicles, before selecting the top three cars and top three trucks. The award was announced at a news conference at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which marks Hyundai’s second win. The Hyundai Genesis was named North American Car of the Year in 2009.

“Elantra speaks to the success of our recipe of bold design and great fuel economy,” said John Krafcik, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. “In a year with some truly breakthrough competitors, we are honoured that the jury recognises Elantra’s farreaching impact on the industry.”

This is the 19th year of the awards, which were inspired by the prestigious European “Car of the Year.” The jury is administered by an organising committee and funded exclusively with dues paid by the jurors. Jurors judge the cars on a number of factors including innovation, impact on the industry, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. Elantra exemplifies Hyundai’s emotional “Fluidic Sculpture” design principles. “Fluidic Sculpture” considers the interplay of wind with rigid surfaces to create the illusion of constant motion. Elantra is an evolution of the design qualities found in Sonata.

Along Elantra’s sides are Sonata’s flowing lines, with the addition of a strong undercut feature line starting at the front door. These lines, along with muscular wheel arches and a sleek roofline, create a memorable and spacious package. Flowing lines also lead to an aerodynamic body. The drag coefficient for the Elantra is exceptionally low at 0.28.

OTE Group is the exclusive dealer of Hyundai’s range of vehicles in Oman. With a nationwide network of showrooms and service centres, OTE Group ensures that Hyundai customers are never far from getting a wide range of high quality aftersales service.