Why was the 2018 Elantra discontinued?
3 Answers
Only the commemorative edition of the 2018 Elantra was discontinued. Here is the relevant information: 1. The discontinued model was the 15th Anniversary Limited Edition, released to commemorate the 15th anniversary. As the name suggests, it was naturally discontinued after the anniversary period. 2. The dimensions of the 2018 Elantra are 4610/1800/1450mm in length/width/height, with a wheelbase of 2700mm. The exterior design was one of the most striking aspects of the 2018 Elantra. The front featured a large hexagonal grille design, which was very popular at the time, with horizontal hollow chrome accents, paired with the headlight clusters and swirling air intakes on both sides, giving it a very bold and aggressive appearance.
I drive an 18-year-old Elantra, and this is actually quite common. The discontinuation of the Elantra was mainly due to Hyundai making way for new models, as the seventh-generation Avante was about to be launched, overlapping with the Elantra in terms of positioning. Car manufacturers often do this—a model is typically sold for three to four years before being replaced, otherwise its features and design can't keep up with competitors. At that time, the Elantra had significant discounts in its later stages, but sales still declined, so the manufacturer decided to discontinue it to free up production lines. Another factor was the upgrade in emission standards—the 18-year-old model mainly complied with the China 5 standard, and when China 6 was rolled out nationwide in 2020, older models had to be discontinued if they weren’t upgraded. Of course, there’s no need to worry about after-sales service, as parts will still be supplied for several years.
It's all about market strategy adjustments. The 2018 Elantra sold quite well when it was first launched, but competition in the compact car segment is extremely fierce, with rivals like the Civic and Sylphy upgrading their configurations every year. Hyundai naturally needs to focus resources on promoting new models—the 7th-generation Elantra is larger in size and comes with hybrid options, making it a natural replacement for the older model. Moreover, by 2019, monthly sales of the Elantra had dropped to just 3,000–5,000 units, and the manufacturer calculated that discontinuing production would minimize losses. The China VI emission standards also played a role—the engine tuning of the 2018 model couldn’t meet the new requirements, and the cost of retooling it would have been higher than a full model refresh. Hyundai opted for a direct generational upgrade, and that’s how the 2018 model faded out.
