In 2012, at the Chicago Auto Show, Hyundai introduced the 2013 model of the Elantra GT.
It was inspired by the European five-door version and brought the functionality and the driving dynamics.

The 2012 Elantra GT was based on the Hyundai-Kia j4 platform, which was used in Europe for the i30 model range. It only shared the “Elantra” name with its sedan or coupe sibling and more parts with the European model.

On the outside, there was a different grille than on the Elantra, with a bigger, chromed rim around it. The fog-lights were incorporated on the outer side of the front spoiler in air-intakes-like black parts. Unlike the Elantra, the GT version featured flared front wheel arches, visually extended toward the back of the car in an ascending, sculptured, line on the side.

Inside, the dashboard followed the same design language as the Elantra, but with a different layout. A binocular-style instrument cluster and a re-shaped stack were definitely different than ton the compact sedan version. The rear seats were folding and could expand the trunk space up to 1444 liters (51 cu-ft).

For the powertrain, the Elantra GT was offered with a 1.8-liter engine, good enough to offer 148 hp. It was mated to a standard 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic with manual override control.