Word on the street is that Hyundai might kill the Sonata altogether after the current generation, because sedans are not as profitable as they once were.
The Korean automaker hasn’t confirmed nor denied this rumor, but in all likelihood, the eighth-generation Sonata could get a mid-cycle refresh, probably in 2023, which would keep it on the competitive side of the mid-size sedan segment for a few more years.
Hopefully, they will fix that catfish-like face of the car before reportedly sending it off, and we wouldn’t mind at all if it ends up looking similar to the one depicted in these renderings. Coming from the CGI world, the red copy pictured above made its way to social media recently, and it has a very futuristic flair to it, inspired by the Hyundai Staria.
A side-by-side comparison provided by the digital artist behind the renderings, kelsonik on Instagram, reveals the obvious changes, which revolve around the front and back ends. The face has a thin light strip going from fender to fender, and a much bigger grille that sits further down. It is flanked by a pair of additional LED lights in the bumper, which was otherwise made to look much more aggressive.
Even the back end is prettier than the one of the current Sonata. It has new taillights that protrude more into the trunk lid, and they are now joined on the upper part by a light strip. The rear bumper looks like an evolution of the current one, and the diffuser still has cutouts for the exhaust trim. The side skirts have been toned down, and the final upgrade comes in the form of those new wheels.
Maybe a high-ranking exec at Hyundai sees these renderings and decides to share them with the right people, because the Sonata deserves to look good, especially if it will be discontinued, perhaps with the Ioniq 6 becoming its indirect successor.
Hopefully, they will fix that catfish-like face of the car before reportedly sending it off, and we wouldn’t mind at all if it ends up looking similar to the one depicted in these renderings. Coming from the CGI world, the red copy pictured above made its way to social media recently, and it has a very futuristic flair to it, inspired by the Hyundai Staria.
A side-by-side comparison provided by the digital artist behind the renderings, kelsonik on Instagram, reveals the obvious changes, which revolve around the front and back ends. The face has a thin light strip going from fender to fender, and a much bigger grille that sits further down. It is flanked by a pair of additional LED lights in the bumper, which was otherwise made to look much more aggressive.
Even the back end is prettier than the one of the current Sonata. It has new taillights that protrude more into the trunk lid, and they are now joined on the upper part by a light strip. The rear bumper looks like an evolution of the current one, and the diffuser still has cutouts for the exhaust trim. The side skirts have been toned down, and the final upgrade comes in the form of those new wheels.
Maybe a high-ranking exec at Hyundai sees these renderings and decides to share them with the right people, because the Sonata deserves to look good, especially if it will be discontinued, perhaps with the Ioniq 6 becoming its indirect successor.