Hyundai looks to reinvent the Honda CRX with its new small coupe. According to Hyundai CEO John Krafcik in an interview with Edmunds, the coupe will take 70-80% of its design from the Veloster Concept seen in these photos. The new coupe will slot in Hyundai’s lineup below the Genesis coupe, filling the gap left behind from the discontinued Tiburon.

The engine will return up to 40 mpg, but it won’t be a boring econobox. It’ll have a favorable power-to-weight ratio, packing a 1.6 liter, 140 horsepower engine in a lightweight car. The car should be about the size of Hyundai’s current Accent. Hyundai states that performance is a high priority for the coupe. “Think of it like a four-passenger Honda CRX,” Krafcik told Edmunds. “It’ll be a little car you can take out and wring its neck and still get good mileage. Fun and economical, with a great power-to-weight ratio.”

Krafcik also mentioned that since LCD screens are getting cheaper, this coupe will most likely include a screen in the dash as standard fare. Hyundai has yet to name the coupe, but mentioned that Veloster and Tiburon are among the names being considered. The new coupe should hit dealerships in late 2011, as a 2012 model.

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