Hyundai has pulled off the wraps from its new Sonata luxury sedan. As has been the case before, the South Korean manufacturer decided to launch the car first in its home market. The official international unveiling is set to take place at next month’s New York Auto Show.
Although the side profile is fairly similar to that of the outgoing model, the front and rear of the car has clearly received a lot of attention. The interior now features a more luxurious trim including more options and technology. There is for instance the option of different veneer inlays for the doors and above the glove compartment. The fascia now offers a colour information screen between the two air vents. The new Sonata is also slightly larger than the outgoing car, being both longer and wider.
Some important improvements according to Hyundai over the outgoing model include a body-in-white which is 41% stiffer in torsional strength and 35% stiffer in bending strength. Advanced smart cruise control (ASCC), blind sport detection and the lane departure warning system (LDWS) will now be offered.
At the launch in South Korea, three engines were confirmed for the car. All these engines are four-cylinder units, ranging from the two 2,0-litre engines and a single 2,4-litre engine. Lets hope that Hyundai will offer one of its smaller turbocharged engines in the South African line-up when the car is eventually launched locally before the end of the year.
In South Korea the Hyundai Sonata will also be offered with the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission. Expect to see the introduction of only the automatic transmission in the SA market.
Watch the two promotional videos below, released by Hyundai.
Source: Carscoops.com
