Review
Having driven the naturally aspirated predecessor, I was naturally motivated to test drive the all new hybrid facelift.

The facelift has newly designed bumpers, grille and headlights, giving it a much sportier outlook. On high spirits, I opened the driver's door, hoping to get a surprise but was immediately disappointed. The interior did not receive any refreshments to its design and was exactly the same as its predecessor.

Keeping my spirits high, I went for my much awaited test drive. The hybrid drivetrain coupled with the impeccable sound insulation resulted in an almost silent ride. As I got up to speed, I was amazed by how seamlessly the engine kicked in. The well-dampened suspension enabled the Avante to "Float" Past bumps as if they were non-existent, resulting in a smooth and comfortable ride.

Overall, the car is just a more fuel efficient variant compared to its predecessor as features and ride quality remain largely the same.

What I like
1) Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto.
2) Driver's seat has "Welcome Seat" feature.
3) Ventilated seats.
4) Soft touch interior finishes.
5) Great sound insulation.
6) Light steering wheel.
7) Well-dampened suspension.

What I do not like
1) The soft suspension does not instill confidence through tight bends.
2) The "S" trim still has halogen headlights.
3) Overall interior design.

Review
I recently went down to test out the Hyundai Avante Hybrid. There were 2 variants on sale. There was the standard 'S' and the Elite. The engine and powertrain between the 'S' and Elite are the same. No differences there. However when it comes to the features and kit, there are differences.

For starters, the 'S' the full Hyundai SmartSense ADAS suite. But the caveat was that it came with halogen lights, manual adjustment seats, no premium speakers, torsion beam rear suspension, no ventilated seats and no sunroof.

For roughly $7000 more to upgrade as of this review, the Elite has full LED headlights with manual adjustment, premium speakers, electric seat with memory function for the driver, electric seat adjustment for passenger, ventilated and heated seats for both passenger and driver, electric sunroof, wireless charging and lastly, Multi-link rear suspension.

Performance wise, you are getting 265nm of torque at 3600 - 4400rpm. Overtaking and acceleration is similar to that of PSA's 130hp 1.2 turbo. Spritely for a heavier sedan. While the electric motor is the same as global markets, they have down-tuned the 1.6L engine to make the combined power fit under CAT A. If I were to purchase the car, I would very much prefer to send the car to a tuner to flash the 1.6L back to its original engine power for the global market power of 141hp.

Overall the features are comprehensive even in the S and Elite models. So topping up the $7000 is up to the buyer on whether do they need the extra creature comforts or not. To me personally, the ventilated seats and multi-link suspension does make the difference in the ride comfort and drivability of the car

What I like
- Ventilated Seats
- Hyundai SmartSense Safety Suite
- Multi-link suspension
- DCT gearbox

What I do not like
- Need top up $7000 for more features
- down-tuned 1.6L engine
- Torsion beam on 'S' Model