Hyundai launches new Sonata

Alongside the radical Hexa Space concept, Hyundai also showed, and launched, its latest-gen Sonata executive saloon. This is India’s first look at Hyundai’s long overdue replacement for the current Sonata Transform. As with most recent Hyundais, the new Sonata adopts the company’s fluidic design language, featuring lots of swoopy lines and head- and tail-lamps that stretch considerably into the car’s sides.

The large chrome grille has a complex design – supposedly inspired by a waterfall – which gives the front end a premium, yet aggressive look. Unlike the previous model, the new car has a very curved, coupe-like roofline, which brings the available headroom into question. The 17-inch alloy wheels have a smart design and fill the arches nicely.

The interiors too are very heavily sculpted and, as has been the trend with the latest crop of cars from the company, come packed with a lot of equipment. You get ventilated leather seats front and rear, a six-CD changer with USB and Aux-in support, push-button keyless start and a ten-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat (four-way for the front passenger).

On the safety front, there are six airbags, ABS, ESP and EBD as well as parking sensors and a rear-view camera. Like in the Verna, the display for the camera pops up in the rearview mirror.

Power comes from a 2.4-litre GDI (Hyundai speak for direct-injection) petrol engine that produces 25.5kgm of torque at 4250rpm and a class-leading 198bhp at 6300rpm. The engine is available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox with paddle-shifters.

There was no mention of it at the launch, but expect the Sonata to adopt the Santa Fe’s 2.2-litre CRDi diesel engine at a later stage.