Hyundai has been rebuilding its image lately, succeeding in throwing off the perception that the company could only build bargain-basement econocars known primarily for their long warranties. Vehicles like the luxurious Genesis sedan and sporty Genesis Coupe have helped the company grow to be the world's fourth-largest automaker this year. But its bread-and-butter product, the midsize Sonata sedan, remains uninspiring. A solid choice and often a good value, it does little to excite anyone into buying it.
With a planned redesign, Hyundai hopes to change all of that.
Kicking Tires reports, "Hyundai released two sketches of the next-generation Sonata midsize sedan...The fastback look in these images seems a wild departure for the typically sedate Hyundai."
A series of photographs of the car also appeared on several websites, apparently without Hyundai's consent. Autoblog reports, "Apparently caught during an ad or photo shoot, it's immediately clear that this Sonata is - as with every recent Hyundai - a break from the current competent but safe-as-houses Sonata." With its "long nose and greenhouse, the hood ridges, the bevels, swoops, and that serious gash down the side of the car," Autoblog says, "it looks quite expressive and it doesn't appear to be a bad looking car."
Motor Trend comments, "Squint just right and you may even catch some Mercedes-Benz CLS in the side profile." The radical restyling continues inside, where MT sees "a few Lexus cues around the dash, including the blue illumination and the paddle shifters."
Yes, paddle shifters. In a Hyundai Sonata. That's a clue that the company intends to alter the performance of the car radically as well, but details on the powertrain haven't yet been revealed. The Korean version of the car, Edmunds Inside Line notes, "gets a 2.0-liter...four-cylinder gas engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Vehicle dynamic control is a standard feature." That engine will probably be offered in the U.S. version, but many in the automotive press speculate that a more powerful motor will also be available.
Hyundai has already begun taking orders for the car in Korea. It is expected to reach U.S. dealerships next spring.
If you're in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars as well as this month's best car deals.
