Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea’s top carmaker, said Wednesday it has released a redesigned edition of its Sonata turbo model in the home market to attract younger customers with its improved fuel efficiency and more polished look.
The new model of Hyundai’s flagship midsize sedan has an in-house developed “new theta-i” 2.0-liter turbo gasoline direct injection powertrain that packs a maximum horsepower of 245 and 36 kilogram-meters of torque.
The newest Sonata also sports a mileage of 10.8 kilometers to one liter of fuel, up 5 percent compared to the previous 2.0-liter turbo model, dubbed the Sonata YF, Hyundai said.
The car’s daytime running lights are revamped with an improved design composed of light-emitting diodes, while 18-inch alloy wheels have been added, setting apart the new version from others with a sporty and polished makeup.
The vehicle is also available in a newly-introduced “phoenix orange” shade, along with the existing colors, and the seats and steering wheel are also made with orange stitching to give “a more refined look,” according to the carmaker.
“The new Sonata turbo was made to target younger buyers that look for a fun driving experience along with style, and thus expand our group of prospective customers in order to contribute to overall Sonata sales,” a Hyundai official said.
The carmaker said it has set the annual sales goal for the new turbo-charged Sonata at 4,200 units in the domestic market.
The latest Sonata turbo is available in two trim levels, with the Smart model priced at 26.95 million won ($24,571.48) and the Exclusive model to be sold at 32.1 million won. (Yonhap)
