[AdityaLN]

it's not yet launched in India. Looks pretty good, has a 4 door coupe look to it. The tail lights look sleek..It's called i45 in Australia, will it be called i40 in Europe? to go with the renaming of all their new models?

[Utopian]

It really has some OOMPH. However Sonata had never been able to catch up with the Accord and Camry in India. Let's see how this one fares in India.

[avishar]

I guess hyundai will first launch a civic/corolla competitor replacing the elantra before launching the new sonata.

[PaddleShifter]

I've seen it's limited edition US variant on YouTube by one of the initial owners. The guy has done a great job in explaining the exteriors and interiors. There are some 4-5 videos. Really love this car.
BTW, i think the cockpit has quite a resemblance with the Chevy Cruze's cockpit in terms of styling.

[kannan666]

Looks really good but I guess the problem that Hyundai faces in India with it's higher end cars is the lack of 'snob value' ! After forking out so much moolah, it still isn't a Honda or a Toyota !

[althaaf]

Got this extra info also from some print media
"The Sonata in Nepal comes in 2 versions – GL and GLS. The GL has all the trappings you would expect in a luxury car – 16’ alloy wheels, leather wrapped gear knob, leather steering wheel, dual airbags (driver and passenger), ABS, keyless entry, steering audio remote control, and electronically controlled outside mirrors. The GLS variant has extra features for your comfort and safety. On the safety front, its ESP (Electronic Stability Program) detects unusual movements caused by sudden braking or swerving, and regulates torque and braking force so that you remain in control. For comfort and style, it is packed with a host of features. The GLS comes equipped with ASD (Amplitude Selective Damper), which means the car adjusts its suspension automatically according to the terrain, giving a smoother ride. A chrome front grille and chrome door handles adds to the sleek look of the GLS, complimented by 17’ alloy wheels. All windows come with solar control, which means they adjust their tint according to the intensity of the outside sunlight. There’s six CD changer + MP3 and woofer with external amplifier for the music, and auto climate control so you don’t need to keep on adjusting the temperature. Add to this, the GLS also features auto headlights (headlights adjust their brightness according to outside light levels) and rain sensors (wipers activate automatically when it rains).
Both driver and passenger have electronically powered seats with lumbar support (lumbar support is where the seat adjusts to the shape of your back). Finally, the GLS comes with rear parking sensors, which start beeping at around 3 feet from any obstruction.


At the moment, the available Sonatas are all 6-speed manual transmission. However, you also have the option of choosing the auto transmission version. And to top it all off, there’s a GLS version coming up with a panoramic sunroof."



The sonata which i saw had a similar interior with black n beige interior with silver here n there, and definitely right hand drive. no start/stop button. had a traditional key with remote hanging. The pics which i took are in my friends cam, so will post the real pics soon

[PlatzdaTurbo]

for some reason, i think the front of this sonata has a striking resemblance to the current Nissan Teana on Indian roads. When i saw the pics, at the very 1st glance it gave me the impression of being a Teana.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by althaaf

The Sonata in Nepal comes in 2 versions – GL and GLS.

GL/GLS means it is petrol? Is the CRDi variant available too, there? Any details on the engine and specs?

[althaaf]

Originally Posted by sbraj

GL/GLS means it is petrol? Is the CRDi variant available too, there? Any details on the engine and specs?

The Sonata comes with a Theta II 2.0 MPI engine, an all aluminum engine with 1998 cc displacement.

petrol engine generating a maximum output of 165 ps and maximum torque of 20.2 kgf-m

fuel efficiency (10 km / liter)

Ground clearance stands at 155 mm. The car stretches to an impressive 4820 mm (slightly over 16 feet)

And no crdi on offer.

[agspins]

That 58 lacs nepali is including duties, so whenever it is launched in India expect it to be around 20-22 lacs.

[raghav.carfreak]

Is it just me or do the headlamps of this car look like the Merc CLS?

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by raghav.carfreak

Is it just me or do the headlamps of this car look like the Merc CLS?

It's not possible for a car to 100% unique in this day and age. There's always a small or strong resemblance to other cars. This Sonata looks so good!

[Jayabusa]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

It's not possible for a car to 100% unique in this day and age. There's always a small or strong resemblance to other cars. This Sonata looks so good!

Buddy, I would say it's not possible for a Hyundai to be 100% unique. That the new Merc E-class looks like a mixture of Japanese & Korean cars tells a different story though.

[dhanushs]

Whoa!, this new Sonata does have a mean and aggressive stance. Well, the Hyundai does lack that 'snob value' in the higher segments, but then a car with such 'road presence' should sell decent numbers. The 1st gen(India) Sonata, even though pathetic as a car, did sell, and thats only because of its merc/jaguar styling.

If this car IS as good as it looks, and if marketed properly, it should sell.

[chevelle]

i had 2010 Hyundai Sonata for company. Did some 250 miles on it. This is one of the very good cars i have driven. Very good handling, ride quality. Much better than camry, at par with Mazda 6 and Accord. At free way speed, the wind noise and tire noise is a little bit more compared to accord and camry, but the poise is nice.

The interior is very good quality. At par with accord, better than camry and mazda 6. camry's interior is too grainy for my liking. Sonata has soft feel dashboard and everything falls in place nicely.

Some photos.