Hyundai is showcasing the new generation Sonata at the 2016 Auto Expo in its hybrid avatar that gets styled in Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 with sharp styling cues.
Hyundai launched the Sonata in India for the first time in its fourth generation more than a decade back. The premium D-segment sedan made a good impact in the market back then and became quite popular due to its swanky Jaguar-esque styling. The Korean automaker continued to offer two more generations with relatively distinct styling but the newer models didn’t manage to get much attention eventually. Now, Hyundai India has come up with the latest, seventh generation model that looks mature and quite premium with its new design language.
The Hyundai Sonata showcased at the Auto Expo is a hybrid version that comes with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine under the hood that churns out 156 PS of power and 189 Nm of torque. Paired to this engine is an electric motor that produces an additional 38 kW (50 HP) of power and 205 Nm of torque. The 2.0-litre hybrid motor is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The environment friendly Sonata returns a claimed mileage of 18.2 km/l, which is quite impressive considering the size of the car.
The outgoing Sonata was offered only with a petrol engine option, which couldn’t see many takers in India. The new Sonata is also offered with a diesel engine internationally that hopefully will be launched in our country as well. The oil burner is a 1.7-litre four-cylinder motor that produces 141 HP and 340 Nm of torque. The new gen Sonata comes loaded with safety features including Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist. The interior styling is now simplistic as compared to the outgoing model but comes equipped with high-end features which you could expect from a Hyundai belonging to this segment.
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
– The current model is the seventh generation of the Sonata
– Powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor
– Comes mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission
