The Sonata is still playing
Remember the Hyundai Sonata?
It was a bells-and-whistles sedan and the Korean car manufacturer's attempt to convince buyers of big German cars that they can save a lot of money if they try something different.
Here in SA, Hyundai failed and stopped imports of the Sonata several years back but there's still some on the road.
Elsewhere in the world, however, there's still a healthy demand for big sedans and especially affordable alternatives to big German cars, thus Hyundai is carrying on with the Sonata and has just revealed a new version due for the production line later this year.
Capturing the brand’s Sensuous Sportiness design philosophy, the 2024 Sonata takes inspiration from the second-generation Kona with the adoption of a full-width LED light bar at the front.
The main headlamps are hidden in the upper portion of the air intakes and joined by a wider grille and sharper, more dramatic lines.
Hyundai has done much more than simply tweak the front fascia of the 2024 Sonata.
It has also crafted a new hood for it with more pronounced character lines.
In addition, the new Sonata sports black garnish across the bottom of the body and has a host of unique features at the rear.
These include a revised trunk lid and LED light bar.
There will also be N Line models, these having new dual mufflers and ride on distinctive 19-inch wheels.
Inside, numerous alterations have also been made to the cabin, the most obvious change being the fitment of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, both of which are housed within a panoramic curved display jutting out of the dashboard.
The 2024 model also adopts a column-type shift-by-wire controller as opposed to a gear selector above the transmission tunnel.
Hyundai notes that the interior has also been upgraded “for an improved passenger experience with tasteful interior colour combinations to enhance the sense of sportiness and premium character simultaneously.”
While the Korean car maker has yet to detail changes under the bonnet, it's expected that the 2.5-litre turbopetrol unit (216kW/421Nm), which powered the previous model, will be carried over.