Hyundai has made the world premiere of the new 2015 Sonata in South Korea with an evolved design language and a host of changes and updates. The premium sedan was tested in a variety of locations worldwide including the Nurburgring in Germany and the Mojave Proving Grounds in California to suit different market conditions globally. The 2015 Hyundai Sonata is marginally bigger than the outgoing version and is 35 mm longer and 30 mm wider, while the cabin space has also seen a significant increase.
On the design front, the new Hyundai Sonata exhibits an evolved Fluidic Sculpture philosophy. The lines are far more restrained compared to its predecessor, while the overall styling looks leaner and more premium. Compared to the competition, the Sonata looks fresher and more sophisticated with the toned down use of chrome and the extensive fluidic lines. The front gets a single frame hexagonal 3D grille which strikes a bold appearance, while the redesigned headlight unit now sports LED Daytime running lights. The rear looks more sophisticated and rather European with the new tail light cluster design. The low coupe like roof line adds to a sporty side profile on the car.
The redesigned interiors have improved ergonomics on the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The cabin gets improved levels of quality, a redesigned steering column and an enhanced easy-to-read instrument cluster focused at the driver. Buyers can choose from a 3.8-inch to a full-sized 8-inch touchscreen unit with USB, AUX and Bluetooth connectivity. You also get voice recognition and smartphone integration as standard on the features list. The Sonata also boasts of lower NVH levels compared to the outgoing model. The company has used over 51 percent of Advanced High Strength Steel in the making of the premium sedan.
The 2015 Hyundai Sonata has been updated with a host of safety features such as Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning System and Advanced Smart Cruise Control. A driver side knee airbag has also been added to the list. Hyundai has also equipped the car with rear parking sensors, heated leather seats and rear-side curtain airbags to offer advanced safety and comfort features on the Sonata. Engine options for the Korean market range from 2.0-litre CVVL motor producing 168 PS, 2.4-litre GDi producing 193 PS and a 2.0-litre LPi producing 151 PS. The engines will be mated to 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions, while tyre options range from 16, 17 and 18-inch alloys.
The new Hyundai Sonata is scheduled to be launched outside of Korea in the second half of this year. Hyundai India however, could launch the new Sonata in the first half of 2015. The company aims to achieve a sales target of 2.28 lakh units for this year and expand to 3.38 lakh units by next year. Hyundai has already received 10,000 pre-bookings for the 2015 Sonata. The new Sonata when launched in India is most likely to be offered with the existing engine options. The sedan will be competing against the recently updated Skoda Superb, Toyota Camry and the likes in the segment.
