2011 Hyundai Sonata debuted in US

[basti08]

Think what you will about the ever-expanding “four-door coupe” theme—now applied to everything from luxury SUVs to mainstream sedans—but you just can’t help but be seized by the design of the new 2011 Hyundai Sonata debuting at the L.A. auto show. (Even if there appears to be plenty of Volkswagen CC and even a bit of Toyota Camry Solara to its looks.) Styled in the company’s California studio, the Sonata is strikingly swoopy and all creased up with Hyundai’s new design language called “Fluidic Sculpture,” which we’re told we’ll be seeing a lot more of in the future.

But this is far more than just a design exercise, and it was paramount that the new shape didn’t sacrifice interior practicality. Buyers in this category—as opposed to, say, those looking at a Mercedes-Benz CLS—will not be sold on looks alone.

Size Management

Headroom in the rear seat shrinks to 37.8 inches, down 0.4 inch, and legroom has been reduced by 2.8 inches. Overall rear volume is down by four cubic feet. While that puts the Sonata towards the low end in terms of rear space, it’s still not small, and a quick sampling of the rear seats revealed exceptional bolstering that may just make them a great place to spend miles. However, when the expanded front-seat space is added back in, the new Sonata’s total passenger volume is second only to the mammoth Honda Accord’s. The Hyundai’s 16-cubic-foot trunk is also among the largest in its class. All of this is no small feat considering that its overall length of 189.8 inches—up 0.9 inch—is still at the small end of the segment.

Four-Cylinder Only, But a Good One

Four-cylinder models have long been where the volume is in the mid-size sedan segment and so the sixth-gen Sonata goes without the V-6 option found in all of its competitors. Is Hyundai leading a new class trend? Well, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the most powerful four-cylinder in the segment, a high-tech 198-hp, 184-lb-ft, 2.4-liter direct-injected four-cylinder—the first DI engine in its class—with variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust tracts and a two-stage variable intake. Unlike a lot of high-tech mills, it runs on regular gas, too. As we’ve reported before, a hybrid version will launch towards the end of 2010 with a tweaked 2.4-liter four, and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder will be added to the conventional engine lineup at the same time.

Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions replace five-speeders in the current Sonata lineup and help push fuel economy to the top of the class: Hyundai is projecting EPA ratings of 23 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway for the automatic and 23/34 for the manual, which compare with 22/32 (automatic) and 21/32 (manual) for current four-cylinder models.

Refining Refinement

As expected, feature content remains high, including standard Bluetooth connectivity, six airbags, ABS and stability control, HD radio, paddle shifters, keyless starting. Touch-screen navigation is optional on all trims, and heated rear seats are also available. As to those trims, there are three: GLS, SE—which gets dual exhausts that net two additional horsepower, to 200 total—and the feature-laden Limited. Wheels range from 16-inch steelies to 18-inch alloys, and pricing should be similar to the current model’s, starting around $20K and rising to the high 20s for a loaded Limited when cars start rolling out of Hyundai’s Montgomery, Alabama, plant in early 2010.

Other areas of focused improvement are reduced wind and road noise—the driver’s-side glass is 25 percent thicker and the door frames are substantially heftier, as well—along with improved torsional and bending rigidity, up a claimed 25 and 19 percent, respectively. Consider us skeptical when it comes to claimed weight reduction, but Hyundai says the new Sonata, starting around 3200 pounds, is about 130 pounds lighter than its predecessor, despite the slight increase in length and 2.6 extra inches of wheelbase. If the weight claims hold up, the Sonata would boast a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio.

Going well beyond the current car’s it’s-good-for-the-money appeal, Hyundai appears to be on a tear with the Sonata in terms of design and class-leading four-cylinder horsepower, in addition to feature content and value. So far, so good, but the remaining question is a critical one: What about driving dynamics? The current Sonata suffers from excessive body roll, a platform that doesn’t feel as stiff as those of its top competitors, and slightly lazy shifts. In short, it needs to quicken its reflexes across the board. Here’s to hoping the chassis engineers take a hint from the “fluidic” part of the new design cred

[istan]

A bit of Infinity and a bit of Volvo in the interior.

[mikmik316]

I don't like the mags & tires... parang ang liit dun sa pic.

[Jun aka Pekto]

No V6? No love from me. That's what got me interested in our 2006 V6 Sonata in the first place.

V6 power and refinement for the (sometimes lesser than) price of a 4-banger.

The Mazda 6 V6 and of course, the Altima V6 are starting to look mighty attractive. The V6 Camry with the sports package is also starting to look attractive.

I'll be willing to take a look at the 2.0 Turbo if it's released. But, it better have a heck of a lot more hp than the 2.0 turbo of the Genesis coupe. If it can approach Legacy turbo power specs, I'd be interested.

The curb weight of a Subaru Legacy is 3300 lbs. That's 100 lbs more than the curb weight of this new Sonata. So, it's possible even if the 2011 Sonata is FWD. The other V6 sedans are FWD as well.

[marg]

With this SONATA and the new TUCSON, gumagaling na mga Koreans sa design. I have not crossed to the Korean product line, but these 2 cars are very compelling.

[weisshorn]

With this SONATA and the new TUCSON, gumagaling na mga Koreans sa design. I have not crossed to the Korean product line, but these 2 cars are very compelling.

Hindi ito all korean design. AFAIK collaboration ito ng us, germany and korea design studio. For sonata ang leading designer yata ay hyundai US while Tucson iX naman ay germany. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks..

[crossdx]

double post, sorry

[crossdx]

With this SONATA and the new TUCSON, gumagaling na mga Koreans sa design. I have not crossed to the Korean product line, but these 2 cars are very compelling.

I'd thought Hyundai had already accomplished that with their Genesis sedan and Coupe.

[Camgen6]

What no V6? thumbs up to Hyundai though for that 200hp DI engine that can do 35MPG. Looks like a CLS/Camry.

[parakitoJDM]

though Hyundai is not the first to make the GDI (Mitsu did way back in 90's with little success)....

though Hyundai is not the first to make 6speed A/T for their Mass production cars.....

though Hyundai's 2.4li is not the most powerful even at 198 or 200hp (Honda dishes out more power for the JDM/Euro Accord).....

but kudo's to Hyundai for combining all those things and with competitive pricing and (hopefully) better fuel economy!
this is how things should evolve....for the better. i hope their US CEO (a former Chassis engineer at Ford) can help to improve Hyundai's lack laster driving dynamics and handling then all for the better!