Hyundai, a leading automotive company, has unveiled the new Sonata, the eighth-generation of the popular mid-size sedan.

The new Sonata is a sleek four-door-coupe which highlights the brand’s latest ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language, said a statement from the company.

Created at Hyundai’s California Design Studio, the redesigned Sonata enters the market with a more assertive profile, a freshly styled cascading grille framed by distinctive lighting architecture, and an entirely new rear.

Chrome accents surround the daylight opening (DLO) and fresh wheel designs complete the look. New bodywork is built on Hyundai’s latest third-generation platform, for a completely re-engineered driving experience.

Mike Song, Hyundai’s head of operations for the Middle East and Africa, said: “For more than three decades, each new generation of Sonata has raised the bar for quality and value among mid-size sedans, and this latest evolution also sets the standard for style, innovation and technology.”

“In a market increasingly divided into niche segments, the new model reconsiders customer expectation in the sedan class and offers something sportier and more exciting than what has gone before,” he said.

A hallmark of the new vehicle exterior is its Hyundai-first LED daytime running lights – embedded in a chrome strip. The lighting strip appears as chrome when the engine is turned off, but lights up when the driver starts the car. When night falls, available LED headlamps with dynamic bending light illuminate the path ahead with supreme clarity.

Inside, the renewed centre stack and instrument panel echo the exterior’s eye-catching new looks. The trend carries down to instrument design and a strong three-spoke steering wheel. Piano key buttons for audio and HVAC controls give a premium look and touch.

The instrument panel follows a winged shape inspired by stealth aircraft. Visual elements combine to create a levitating effect, while designers have worked to maximise the sense of interior space. One clever application of new technology is a Shift by Wire (SBW) gear selector, which is sleek and technologically advanced, and takes up significantly less space than a traditional gear selector.

Interior fittings include a standard seven-inch colour display audio touchscreen with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and a Qi wireless charging pad is available to keep smartphones topped up.

The model now adds a second-row USB charge port, a nod to today’s connected rear-seat passengers. At the heart of the AVN system is an exceptional Bose Premium sound system equipped with 12 speakers.

“The new model delivers a premium experience for driver and passengers,” said Song. “We apply a range of new technologies intuitively, with an emphasis on functional convenience, adding features that we know our customers will use and value.”

The new model features six standard airbags and a wide range of safety systems, including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as part of Hyundai’s latest SmartSense technologies. Depending on specification, these can include: Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist; Smart Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go; Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist; Lane-Following Assist; Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist; Safe Exit Assist; Driver Attention Warning; High Beam Assist; Surround View Monitor; Blind-Spot View Monitor.

Technical specifications include a choice of two petrol powertrains to be offered for Middle East and Africa markets, including Smartstream engines and gearboxes to deliver enhanced driving performance and fuel economy. Engine options for the region include a 2.0 MPI generating 152 PS (metric horsepower), Smartstream 2.5 MPI generating 180 PS.

The new Sonata has a refined chassis with improved ride and handling, with updated designs for front and rear suspension, and revised steering to focus on responsiveness. The result is a communicative, nimble and comfortable sedan.

Deliveries of the new Hyundai Sonata to the region will begin during the summer, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service