The 2012 Hyundai line is off to a roaring start, but sights are already set on the 2013 model year with the announcement of the forthcoming 2013 Elantra Touring.  Known to the most of the world outside North America as the Hyundai i30, the redesigned Hyundai Elantra Touring will be rolled out in the U.S. next year.

Debuted just last month at the Frankfurt Auto Show, the new Elantra Touring will feature Hyundai's signature curvy "fluidic sculpture" design, along with an upgraded interior and a striking hexagonal front grille.   It is also expected to share the current Elantra's powertrain of a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine that generates 148 horsepower and achieves an impressive 40-mpg highway rating. 

Of most significant note is that the 2012 Elantra Touring will be offered in a hatchback design for the first time in the U.S., joining the wagon model currently in dealerships.  Both the hatchback and wagon models of the i30 counterpart have been hot sellers in Europe, and Hyundai hopes to bank on this re-emerging segment in the U.S. market as well. Target sales figures for next year are set at 215,000 models, with 190,000 expected to sell outside South Korea.