Everyone and their dog wants a sport utility vehicle, which is why automakers have pivoted to SUVs in the last decade. Hyundai is one of those automakers, and increasing demand for SUVs may result in the Sonata getting discontinued around the year 2025.
Originally a more luxurious take on the Giorgetto Giugiaro-penned Stellar, the Sonata transitioned to a Mitsubishi platform for the second generation. A completely different animal from the originals, the eighth generation rolled out in 2019 for model year 2020. The Korean automaker facelifted the midsizer in March 2023 for model year 2024, giving the Sonata full-width lighting elements front and rear.
Based on the said facelift, rendering artist Ascariss Design further beautified the Sonata with the help of the Jaguar F-Type. Inspired by an older design study that combined the Sonata with the Aston Martin Vantage, this fellow is bite-the-back-of-your-hand pretty. But alas, Hyundai couldn't be bothered to take note due to abysmally poor demand for coupes.
That wasn't the case before, though. Remember the Hyundai Tiburon and Hyundai Genesis Coupe? How about the Veloster with its asymmetrical design? Looking over the sales data for these vehicles in the US market, you'll understand in an instant why the Korean automaker preferred to focus on sport utility vehicles to the detriment of sportier body styles.
The Sonata isn't doing too well either. From January 2023 through September 2023, the front-biased sedan moved 37,341 units in the United States of America. By comparison, Toyota sold 217,975 units of the Camry in the first three quarters. Truth be told, the Camry is more prestigious than the Sonata because the Japanese automaker made a name for itself with extremely dependable cars, utilities, and trucks.
Photo: Ascariss Design on YouTube
Currently priced at $26,420 for the 2024 model year, the Camry is marginally pricier than the Sonata. The folks at Hyundai advertise their sedan at $25,450 for the 2023 model year, whereas the facelift starts at $27,500 (or $28,615 including the delivery fee). As of December 2023, pricing information for the 2025 Toyota Camry hasn't been released. With the newcomer being hybrid-only, you can bet your bottom dollar the 2025 model starts at approximately $30,000.
The pre-facelift Sonata is also listed as a hybrid on Hyundai's website, with prices kicking off at $28,450. Lower down the spectrum, the Elantra and Elantra Hybrid are $21,475 and $24,550, respectively.
Once the Sonata goes the way of the dodo, Hyundai may very well fashion the Ioniq 6 as an indirect successor. Kia did a similar thing with the Stinger and EV6 GT, which is a bit weird because the EV6 is a crossover. For the time being, Kia doesn't have a badge-engineered version of the Ioniq 6 sedan.
On the other hand, the rumor mill suggests a true heir apparent for the Stinger in the form of the GT1. Reportedly launching no later than the first half of 2026 on the Hyundai-Kia eM platform, the yet-unconfirmed successor is expected with both rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations. The battery pack is estimated at 113.2 kWh, meaning 700 to 800 kilometers (435 to 497 miles) under the WLTP.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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