Indian launch is a question mark for now.
Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors of Malaysia have put the new generation 2015 Sonata on display at the KSL City Mall in Johor Bahru. The company has covered the car with a 'Coming Soon' cover, but has left parts like the headlight, wheel, bumper and grille exposed, as a way of teasing potential buyers and enthusiasts.
Based on an all-new platform that offers 41 percent better torsional strength and 35 percent greater bending strength, Hyundai say the new Sonata has actually grown in size compared to the previous generation model: It is 35 mm longer and 30 mm wider.
Looking every bit like the more expensive Genesis, the Sonata uses the Fluidic Sculpture v2.0 design language, a clear evolution over its predecessor which somewhat looks overdone. Safety features come in the form of ABS, EBD, TCS, 6 airbags, ESP, LED taillights and Bi-Xenon headlights, Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning System and an Advanced Smart Cruise Control system.
Hyundai India sells the older generation Sonata, but sadly it doesn't put up good sales figures. The last three months saw sales of just 16 units (combined). A company source told Indian Autos Blog that the Sonata in India suffers from poor branding, especially since there are plenty of German luxury cars in the similar price bracket like the Mercedes A Class, Audi A3 Sedan etc.
Also see: Rendering - Hyundai Elite i20 Cross
The same source said that before the company plans on launching the new Sonata in India, it would first need to strengthen the brand image of the product. It is to be noted that the entry luxury segment composed of non-luxury brands (VW Passat, Skoda Superb, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata) is one that has been steadily degrowing over the years.
Competitors: Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Skoda Superb, VW Passat
Expected Price: INR 20-25 lakhs, ex-Showroom
Launch date in India: NA
[Images from Paultan]
