Hyundai to debut all-new Sonata at April's New York Auto Show

March 07, 2014|By David Undercoffler

Hyundai's all-new Sonata is seen in a rendering. (Hyundai )

Hyundai will launch an all-new version of its game-changing Sonata sedan at the New York Auto Show, the automaker has announced.

The South Korean company said it will debut a global version of the midsize family sedan on home soil later this month, with the U.S. iteration to break cover in April.

The current generation of Sonata was introduced at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show and went on sale in 2010. The car was an immediate critical and sales success and helped Hyundai shake its reputation as a builder of low-grade economy cars.

Rival automakers also took note of its dramatic styling, particularly in a segment known to be conservative. This pushed more established peers such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry to be more expressive in their later designs.

Yet with millions of annual sales on the line for midsize cars every year, other brands soon caught up as the current generation Sonata grew long in the tooth. Sales of the aging model were down nearly 12% in 2013, to just under 204,000.

Details on the new Sonata’s engine and transmission have yet to be released, yet likely won’t vary much from what’s out now. The current model comes with either a 190-horsepower four-cylinder engine, a 274-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder or a 199-horsepower hybrid setup.

The exterior styling will be more crisp and mature than the existing generation, echoing the look Hyundai has created for its recent Santa Fe crossover and new Genesis full-size sedan.

Hyundai is to debut the all-new Sonata in the U.S. on April 16, during the first of two media days for the New York Auto Show. The show will be open to the public April 18-27.

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