Cars & Autos | Thursday 12 September, 2019 2:00 pm |

Hyundai’s all-new Sonata has arrived at Hyundai’s official distribution partners’ showrooms in Saudi Arabia – Wallan Trading Company, Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors, and AlMajdouie Motors – offering customers a sleek four-door-coupe body style that highlights the brand’s latest ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language.

 

Created at Hyundai’s California Design Studio, the redesigned Sonata enters the market with a more assertive profile, a freshly styled cascading grille framed by distinctive lighting elements, and an entirely new rear. Chrome accents surround the daylight opening (DLO) and fresh wheel designs complete the look. The new bodywork is built on Hyundai’s latest third-generation platform, for a completely re-engineered driving experience.

 

“Since its very first generation more than three decades ago, each evolution of the Sonata has set the standard for quality and value among mid-size sedans, and this latest model also leads its market for style, innovation and technology,” said Mike Song, Hyundai’s Head of Operations for the Middle East and Africa. “Hyundai Sonata hasalways been wellreceived by our customers in the Saudi market. The all-new Sonata will encourage them to reconsider their expectations in the sedan segment, offering them something more rewarding, sportier and more exciting than has been what has been available before.”

 

A hallmark of the new Sonata’s exterior is its Hyundai-first LED daytime running lights – embedded in a chrome strip. The strip appears as chrome when the engine is turned off, but lights up when the driver starts the car. When night falls, available LED headlamps with dynamic bending light illuminate the road ahead with supreme clarity.

 

Inside, the new center stack and instrument panel echo the exterior’s eye-catching new looks. The high-style approach is showcased in the instrument design and a strong three-spoke steering wheel. Piano key buttons for audio and HVAC controls give a premium look and touch. The instrument panel follows a winged shape inspired by stealth aircraft. Visual elements combine to create a levitating effect, and designers have worked to maximize the sense of interior space. One clever application of new technology is a Shift by Wire (SBW) gear selector, taking up significantly less space than a traditional gear selector with sleek design.

 

Interior fittings include a standard seven-inch color display audio touchscreen with both Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto® integration, and a Qi wireless charging pad is available to keep smartphones topped up. The all-new Sonata now adds a second-row USB charge port, a nod to today’s connected rear-seat passengers. At the heart of the AVN system is an exceptional Bose Premium sound system equipped with 12 speakers.

 

“The all-new Hyundai Sonata delivers a premium experience for both driver and passengers,” said Mike Song. “We apply a range of new technologies intuitively, with an emphasis on functional convenience, adding features that we know our customers will use and value."

 

The new Sonata features nine standard airbags and a wide range of safety systems, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) as part ofHyundai’s latest SmartSense technologies. Depending on specification, these can include:

 

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 
Lane Keeping Assist 
Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist 
Safe Exit Assist
Driver Attention Warning
Blind-Spot View Monitor
High Beam Assist
Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go
Lane Following Assist
Rear View Monitor
Surround View Monitor
Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist 
Parking Distance Warning

 

Technical specifications include a choice of two petrol powertrains to be offered for Middle East and Africa markets, including Smartstream engines and gearboxes to deliver enhanced driving performance and fuel economy. Engine options for the region include a 2.0 MPI generating 152 PS (metric horsepower), Smartstream G2.5 MPI generating 180 PS.

 

The new Sonata has a refined chassis with improved ride and handling, updated designs for the front and rear suspension, and more-responsive steering. The result is a communicative, nimble, and comfortable sedan.