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Hyundai unveiled the Korean market Sonata in Seoul, while the North American spec version gets its debut in New York next month.
The 2015 Sonata uses 30 percent more advanced high-strength steel features the kind of tech that is proliferating in the mid-size segment: Advanced Smart Cruise Control, blind spot and lane departure systems, a hands-free trunk, and knee airbags. The new car is nearly 1.4 inches longer and 1.2 inches wider.
We’ll likely see a 2.4-liter GDi with 190 hp, 182 lb-ft of torque as well as a 2.0T powertrain. A Sport model (like the Chrysler 200S and Honda Accord Sport) is also coming. Transmission options include a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic.
43 Comments on “2015 Hyundai Sonata Revealed...”
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Doesn’t do anything for me
So sad to see Hyundais are also getting blander than ever…
I don’t know, the 2006-2010 Sonata was pretty bland. This is close, though.
That is one giant slab of a dashboard. The center stack looks eerily like the new Highlander’s:
http://carinnovative.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/019-2014-toyota-highlander.jpg
Otherwise, it’s a car. Looks like it will stop, go, turn, and keep the rain and wind off of you. Four-cylinder volume versions of the outgoing Sonata and current Optima didn’t impress me at all, but maybe this one improved on the weak points.
What a fugly center stack! Completely top-heavy. Looks like the prior A6, current A4, or current Kia Optima.
Koreans: you’re widely known to be excellent “reverse engineers.” Take a peek at center stacks from Ford, Mazda, VW, BMW, Lexus, Nissan/Infiniti….
Yeah, like BMW or Volvo didn’t have similar integrated center stack designs, and other automaker like Toyota are doing it as well.
And oh, most of the designers for Hyundai/Kia are Europeans and white Americans.
It’s amazing how they can change a couple of lines, both inside and out, and it evokes a completely different emotion. I like the 2011-2014 design a lot. I thought it was edgy back when it was released and now think it has aged better than many edgy designs do. This looks like an amalgamation of disjointed geometrical shapes that they slapped together, both on the nose and the dash. The old design flowed much better.
My sentiments *exactly*. It’s extremely disproportionate too, especially at the rear, where it can’t decide if it wants to be a liftback or a sedan…and so chooses to be worse-looking than either.
> The old design flowed much better.
True, but the interesting thing is that it’s not so different and therefore not so offensive from the side view:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/75x27x2015-Hyundai-Sonata-side-view-75×27.jpg.pagespeed.ic.vuHolhHTXN.jpg
It’s only the gaping maw that makes it awkward.
From the A pillar back: Toyota Avalon. I know it was in the works before the Avalon came out but still. From the A pillar forward it’s…. a grille and a set of headlights. eh.
But you can probably sit in the sonata for 3-4 hours with out getting cramps in your arse and pressure ulcers as in the Avalon.
Front end is standard porcine suck monster. Woo hoo.
But I do think that the Koreans are setting the standard for affordable advanced tech and their reliability will soon be Japanese-grade.
Hyundai, be like Honda and Mercedes… drop that rear beltline some and give us a hint of rearward visibility.
I’m just glad the front end isn’t all Corolla:
____ ____
___[—–] ___/
_________
//_________\\
Do you mean “1990’s Japanese Grade” or “2000’s Japanese Grade” reliability?
This looks like a squared-off caricature of the current model (which we own), especially the steering-wheel. Here’s hoping that the Kia version looks better…
Seems like Hyundai is taking a page from Mercedes’ playbook, going from super swoopy to super angular after every redesign.
The exterior is sort of OK-ish – but THAT INTERIOR!!!! (where actually you spend 99.99% of your time) is PAINFULLY outdated!
So relevant to our discussion about “stick handling”, will the manual trans version be available in the US? The stick was dropped from the current model after a year or two for lack of demand.
The stick was only available in the low end model. If a manual will now be available in a “sport” model, that might be something worth taking a look at.
Would that center console even allow a stick shift? It looks very similar to the new Legacy where the automatic shifter is off to one side.
I’m going to save my opinions of this redesign until I see it in the sheet metal. For instance, I thought the 2015 Mustang looked like a Fusion mated with a Taurus, and pooped out an otter, but seeing it in person at the MSP Auto Show I thought it looked pretty sharp.
The last generation Sonata started off high on my list of lookers, but quickly turned into a cartoon character who was trying too hard.
The car looks more conservative compared to the current generation, so clearly Hyundai thinks that the conservative, boring, and understated is what the mainstream really want to drive. This is not surprising considering the success of Accord, Camry, Passat, etc.
I sold Hyundai’s for 5 years until a couple months ago. No one ever came in drooling about a Hyundai until the 2011 Sonata came out. People bought it because they thought it was sexy. I don’t see that happening with this one. If it’s just another blend in sedan, then those customers can go back to the default Accord or Camry.
“…until the 2011 Sonata came out. People bought it because they thought it was sexy.”
Five seconds behind the wheel should have convinced them otherwise. Does show how important the sheet metal can be in shaping consumer perceptions, though.
I drove an ’11 SE with the 200HP 2.4. It was a way better drive than any four banger Accord or Camry I’ve ever been behind the wheel of.
Haven’t driven the Sonata SE. Did drive a Camry SE back to back with a four cylinder Optima. The Camry’s steering, powertrain, and seats were far ahead of that Kia’s. The Optima’s sheet metal and interior materials were the only advantages.
The Camry LE I was not impressed with in the least. But if I liked quiet, smooth isolation I would have been. It does that very well.
I don’t think in terms of “conservative,” but I absolutely hate the swoopy & excessively pronounced creases of their current cars, especially how they work the door handles into the crease. The faster every automaker abandons that design feature, the better.
I think this thing’s exterior looks far better and exudes a more up-scale look than its predecessor.
I think this is a domestic market issue (in South Korea); the previous generation had that swoopy, “fluidic” styling (as they called it) but it was deemed too “showy” for the SK market, whereas in North America it was a pretty radical design at the time (I think seeing a lot of them on the road lessens the impact of the styling).
This is really Hyundai responding to their domestic market, but I don’t think this follows their “fluidic” design philosophy. It does remind me of the 2006-2010 generation, but updated to reflect the current styling trends.
That dashboard is atrocious.
Is this 1988, and is this Subaru?
Well the colors nice, the dash is a bit weirdly proportioned though and as ever too many creasesangles for no reason.
The exterior is exactly what I expect from a Korean car maker, okay. Its pretty harmless on something like a Sonata.
A newer Mercedes on the other hand…
I had always found the current gen Sonata to be too busy in its styling. This though…….is totally forgetable. Par for the course in the midsized segment? Too much criticizm of the former body style? The current styling, though perhaps not for everyone, was at least leanng towards bold. I think it probably brought in a lot of buyers. I am not sure this new body style is an improvement.
I don’t get their caterpillar (insect) front ends, or the oversized console with no side to side leg room, but otherwise, its a car.
The dash looks Toyota goofy where the left side is disproportionate to the right side as if someone just randomly through it in there blah with little regard to how it looks. The exterior blandifies it’self to 2015 200/Avalon levels with some Fusion thrown in. Totally forgettable and the previous version was much better.
Looks cleaner then current model and will probably surprise a lot of people and put a little dent into the Toyoda Camry “crapry” sales. Unless Toyoda keeps flooding the fleet sales.
“Hands-free trunk”? On reading that, I thought it meant like a power liftgate – open and close trunk with a button press. But it’s just an auto-release/proximity sensor.
“Further convenience is provided by the all-new Sonata’s Smart Trunk function. Using the vehicle’s smart key, the system can be activated (in the user settings menu) to open the trunk automatically when the smart key is detected near the rear bumper for longer than three seconds. Unlike competitor systems, the Smart Trunk function does not utilize an under-fender kick-sensor, but employs a fender-mounted antenna to receive its instruction to operate, providing an illuminated and audible warning prior to opening. This allows users to keep both feet on the ground at all times during operation – more convenient and safer when both hands are full, for example.”
Better not stand near the trunk when talking to people and don’t wash your car with the key in your pocket.
I’m tired of cars trying to outsmart me and guess what I want.
+1
Translation:
“the Smart Trunk function does not utilize an under-fender kick-sensor [due to supplier patents we were too cheap to license], but employs a fender-mounted antenna to receive its instruction to operate, providing an illuminated and audible warning prior to opening. [Our marketing department has rationalized this deficiency by claiming that] this allows users to keep both feet on the ground at all times during operation – more convenient and safer when both hands are full, for example.”
At least the K5 still looks good.
Almost identical proportions to a Ford Fusion. No new ground broken at all here.
Well, the design is pretty identical to the proportions of the outgoing Sonata.
Actually, the new Genesis has a greenhouse shape more in line with the Fusion, as well as the Impala, the Avalon and the new 200 (seems like an in-vogue greenhouse design but really doesn’t do it for me).
Let’s just hope Kia designers don’t mess up the next Optima (they already ruined the taillights for the refresh).
Better than the current version but…Meh. I see a nod to VW CC in the rear end side view.
I recently bought a 2014 Elantra…..granted it is the first new car I’ve purchased in 14 years, but I really like it. For 18,400 it was good value for the money.
What is with the missing chrome slats in the middle of the grille?