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HYUNDAI SONATA 8TH GENERATION— A DYNAMIC REBIRTH
By Piero Facchin
Hyundai has revamped the Sonata midsize sedan with a new look that aligns with other recent redesigns such as the Kona crossover. It looks strikingly different from the outgoing Sonata that was first launched for the 2020 model year, and the new face is particularly appealing.
The full-width LED light strip that stretches across the front is immediately noticeable, and the grille and headlights are redesigned. At the rear, the lights incorporate a similar light strip and the lower fairing looks more aggressive than before. Hyundai presented both the standard car and the sportier N Line version, and both get new wheel designs. The N Line gets 19-inch wheels, plus a rear spoiler and dual exhaust tips. Hyundai has upgraded its colour palette with the addition of Biophilic Blue Pearl, Ultimate Red Metallic and Cream Beige.
Changes inside centres around two large 12.3-inch screens that are now housed in a single curved display cockpit. Some of the dashboard components, such as the climate controls, have been rearranged, and the materials appear to have undergone an upgrade from the previous model. The steering wheel is also new, and the gearshift lever has been moved to the steering column to free up space in the centre console. Hyundai claims to have made body reinforcements to improve vibration and harshness isolation.
The only significant change to the Sonata’s powertrain lineup is that the optional 1.6-liter turbocharged inline four has been dropped. Otherwise, it will include the same 191 horsepower, naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline four in the base car, a 290 horsepower turbocharged 2.5-liter inline four for the N Line and a 192-horsepower hybrid configuration. Full specs aren’t available yet, but expect those power numbers to remain about the same for the 2024 model.
Hyundai will reveal more details about the car soon, with Canadian specs expected to arrive in the coming months.
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