NY Auto Show Preview: Hyundai 2011 Sonata Hybrid

Car buyers now only have two choices if they are looking for a midsize hybrid sedan. There is the 2010 Fusion Hybrid from Ford and the Toyota made Camry Hybrid. That fact will change when Korean carmaker Hyundai unveils the 2011 Sonata Hybrid at the New York Auto Show in six weeks time.

This Hyundai release will somehow declare its intention of meeting on with the rival Japanese car maker Toyota that has been experiencing some setbacks with global recalls recently.

The new Hyundai Sonata was showcased during the Los Angeles Auto Show a few months ago. They also announced that to achieve better fuel mileage with their compact crossovers and midsize cars, V-6 engines will no longer installed for these vehicles.

The hybrid variant of the Hyundai Sonata will be its next best step to improve the fuel mileage of its range of products. The designers are making use of lithium polymer battery packs instead of nickel metal hydride that other carmakers like Ford, Honda, and Toyota use

Spyshots: 2011 Hyundai Sonata

Hyundai Sonata is one of the most famous ones among Hyundai models and indeed all mid-sized family sedans, and I can’t think of a market in which Sonata hasn’t been present during its time. Next year the new generation will be introduced with some dramatic changes over the current model. You can notice some of the new stuffs through these latest spy pictures though…

Although the curves of the body is very well disguised, but the roof line is clearly visible. As you see it has become sleeker and more elegant, but calling it a four-door coupe style seems like a tall order. Specially because the Sonata is an economy family saloon, and that sorta car should not be too fancy! More than that, the next Sonata might not become a four-door coupe because it’ll cost it lots of interior space, and that’s the car’s party piece.

Anyways, we still have to wait to realize how it’ll look with new body lines, lights and grille. Hope that next shots will be clearer with less cover! Next generation Hyundai Sonata will also feature new technologies in tune with times.

2011 Hyundai Sonata Officially Unveiled in Korea

Hyundai revealed evocative sketches of its 2011 Sonata earlier this month, but now official photos of the car are here, as well as some information.

Hyundai continues its abandonment of the rather conservative design theme its cars have followed and adopts what Hyundai calls its new “fluidic sculpture” design theme. Fluid describes the new Sonata well, as the whole car seems to flow together just like the car in the design sketches did. The actual car, however, eschews the design sketches’ rakish roofline in favor of a higher, more usable and passenger-friendly roofline.

The same shapely front and rear fascias seen in the design sketches are found on the Korean domestic market production car (U.S.-market cars may vary slightly). The same elegant body crease that carries all the way back into the taillamp bezel is there as well. Hyundai tastefully integrated the exhaust tips into the rear fascia a là Lexus LS 460.

Inside, the revolutionary design theme continues as Hyundai crafted a much more luxurious interior for the new Sonata. The Korean-market car features a two-tone dash with a sweeping center console. The navigation unit is new as well and looks similar to Nissan’s navigation unit, while the HVAC controls are similar to those found in Volvos.

Powering the new Sonata in the U.S. will be a new 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. A 2.0-liter I-4 (standard in other markets) makes 162 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque. The engines are mated to six-speed automatic and manual transmissions. Fuel economy and power ratings are not yet available for the U.S.-spec 2.4-liter engine. We also expect a V-6 engine to remain an option in the U.S.