Photo: Bobaedream.co.kr
Lacking the luster once given to them by claims of 40mpg across the board, Hyundai is looking to recapture its lost momentum with one brand new sedan, targeting the most important segment in the US marketplace, midsizes.
Of course, this being an actual Korean car, we'll get to see it there way before it's approved for American dealerships. Looking a lot like the Made in USA Fusion sedan, the Sonata has already been spotted on the factory floor before its official domestic debut on March 24, at 19:00 local time.
Of course, comparing it to the Ford Fusion is unfair. Hyundai has the right idea here, with crisp lines, large headlights and a trapezoidal grille placed high up. It just happens to be the same idea as Ford, maybe with a little bit of Audi over the top.
Design aside, the new Sonata will eventually find its way stateside and into the middle of the most fiercely competitive midsize sedan markets ever. Honda, Toyota and Ford are battling it out at the top, adding extra kit to the Accord, Camry and Fusion, respectively, with every model year.
For its Korean market debut, the 2015 Sonata will be offered with the 2.0 T-GDi turbo-four and 2.4 Theta II GDi engines, both familiar units. What's not familiar is how that power is delivered to the (front) wheels. For the first time ever, the Korean midsize will come with a seven-speed DCT, or double clutch transmission, instead of a conventional automatic. The gearbox was revealed a week ago at the Geneva Motor Show and marks Hyundai's commitment to technology, not just design.
Those same two mills will also be offered to US consumers while the Europeans will get a 1.6 T-GDi turbo with 190 hp and possibly the 1.7-liter diesel with 130. The platform for the car is codenamed LF and is still based on the outgoing Sonata. But as with the Genesis, effort will be made to improve the welding and types of steel used in order to reduce weight and increase rigidity. Visible improvements in build quality also mean close door gaps and soft-touch plastics are inbound.
Photos by Bobaedream.co.kr
Of course, comparing it to the Ford Fusion is unfair. Hyundai has the right idea here, with crisp lines, large headlights and a trapezoidal grille placed high up. It just happens to be the same idea as Ford, maybe with a little bit of Audi over the top.
Design aside, the new Sonata will eventually find its way stateside and into the middle of the most fiercely competitive midsize sedan markets ever. Honda, Toyota and Ford are battling it out at the top, adding extra kit to the Accord, Camry and Fusion, respectively, with every model year.
For its Korean market debut, the 2015 Sonata will be offered with the 2.0 T-GDi turbo-four and 2.4 Theta II GDi engines, both familiar units. What's not familiar is how that power is delivered to the (front) wheels. For the first time ever, the Korean midsize will come with a seven-speed DCT, or double clutch transmission, instead of a conventional automatic. The gearbox was revealed a week ago at the Geneva Motor Show and marks Hyundai's commitment to technology, not just design.
Those same two mills will also be offered to US consumers while the Europeans will get a 1.6 T-GDi turbo with 190 hp and possibly the 1.7-liter diesel with 130. The platform for the car is codenamed LF and is still based on the outgoing Sonata. But as with the Genesis, effort will be made to improve the welding and types of steel used in order to reduce weight and increase rigidity. Visible improvements in build quality also mean close door gaps and soft-touch plastics are inbound.
Photos by Bobaedream.co.kr
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