2011 Hyundai Sonata spied in Dubai by WCF reader

2010 Hyundai Sonata spy photo in Dubai

By Thami Masemola
July 8, 2009 8:22 PM
Filed Under: Asian, Hyundai, Spy Photos

Hyundai is on the up and with new products coming through the company is poised to take advantage of its growth. These new spy pictures show the next-generation Sonata going through vigorous summer testing in Dubai. The Middle Eastern emirate is currently in the hot season and temperatures can easily reach 45 degrees celcius. It was only a few months ago when it was caught testing on a frozen Swedish lake.

The Sonata has definitely grown in both stature and actual size. Looking a bit curvier than the current car, it has some exterior features that are akin to the Genesis. The Genesis is the styling canvass of all new and upcoming Hyundai passenger cars.

Powertrains expected to grace the body include a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and a 3.3-litre V6. The big TAU V8 may not however make it into the Sonata. Turbo diesels will be offered in Europe, perhaps even the new 2.2-litre R-Type motor making 145kW (197hp) and torque of 435Nm. The new hybrid is also a possibility.

South Korea is to get its first taste of the new Sonata when it is unveiled in May 2010, while sales begin in October the same year.

Source: assayyarat.com

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Tags: Hyundai Sonata, 2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2011 Hyundai Genesis

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Comments

akbars600

July 8, 2009 8:28 PM

looks quite upmarket than the current model.. i see a little bit of Hyundai Genesis design resemblence here..

Narco

July 8, 2009 8:34 PM

First Buick starts making good cars, and now this little gem from Hyundai. Its a mad mad mad mad world.

Fishes,

Narco.

Edited by user on July 8, 2009 at 8:34 PM

Renegade

July 8, 2009 10:42 PM

Buick made good cars before, back when Detroit made real cars, but with Hyundai we have a whole new thing coming. Let's see that this thing will be more then a vanilla flavored car.

hata0101

July 8, 2009 8:49 PM

bravo! Hyundai is catching up really fast! designs & build quality are improved a lot thru years.

sj0808

July 8, 2009 9:08 PM

WOW. I can't really say too much about the exterior since it's not recognizable.. but the interior surely looks great!!!

Keep it up Hyundai!!

noworkday

July 8, 2009 10:00 PM

lol

same pics were at autoblog also. and there it said autoblog reader:)

Siawa

July 9, 2009 12:01 AM

O man this looks really compelling for car like Sonata.

MasterA

July 9, 2009 12:44 AM

Looks like a chinese Merc ripoff. The long taillights are like Lexus. I hate the globalization of the carmarket... so little individualism.

Renegade

July 9, 2009 12:57 AM

Ummm ...Id say more like a VW Passat CC rip off, witch was the original Merc CLS rip off.

BabyMilo

July 9, 2009 4:51 AM

Really now that you said it, i can see A6 in the rear. And those Air Con controls are straight out of a Volvo. Hyundai has now just moved down in my books again.

Edited by user on July 9, 2009 at 4:57 AM

9TNine

July 9, 2009 3:13 AM

Nice...!

Yes, I see elements of a few cars here including Audi A6 and Insignia for the interior, but a nice design and certainly not a boring Toyota design!

BabyMilo

July 9, 2009 4:49 AM

Im suprised, it actually looks pretty nice. Im one of those brand snobs - so yes i dont really like Hyundai and the other Koreans, but this has the potential to be a nice car, it isnt like the bar is very high at the moment.

BabyMilo

July 9, 2009 4:53 AM

UPDATE - im not so impressed anymore, after reading MasterA's comment Hyundai has moved down in my books. I hate it when designers copy design. Especially when it is cheap Korean/ Chinese brands becuase it makes the real thing age alot quicker

motorjedi

July 9, 2009 4:52 AM

Well, I would find it hard to call that thing boring. But it is a bit over the top, as Hyundai sometimes is these days. Like those headlights, and that heavily-dropping shoulder line - it doesn't have to drop so much. It'll be a good (and probably cheaper) alternative to the crowded market of Accords, Passats, Camrys, Maximas etc. I haven't driven any of the new big Hyundais (Genesis, Equus), but the new i10, i20 and i30 are brilliant. So here's wishing them the best.

Edited by user on July 9, 2009 at 4:54 AM

politz

July 9, 2009 7:10 AM

why do people neeed so bad to call it a ripoff when it's a quite original design, especially for its segment? i'm not that much of a hyundai fan but, wait a minute... a sleek, sporty, daring design with a coupe-like profile and european flair in a MAINSTREAM MIDSIZE SEDAN? and most of all, in a HYUNDAI SONATA? that's more than groundbreaking... that's jaw dropping, game changing and completely rule defying. we've come to expect a lot from hyundai... but taking that much of a risk on its cash cow model... come on, even the most straight minded bimmerboy should give them a standing ovation at this point... at least for having the balls to do it.

Schizo0223

July 9, 2009 8:42 AM

Compared to the Japanese offerings you are certainly correct. But the Insignia is a hard one to beat in this sector in terms of design.

I just hope Hyundai sticks some decent set of wheels on this car. All of their stock wheels suck!

DeRay

July 9, 2009 6:10 PM

That is a passionate statement politz. I like Hyundai. They are about giving the comsumer more for less. How can anyone not respect that. You don't have to like them but respect is due. It doesn't bother me that I see similarities of each manufacturer in different cars. It's called competition. They do the same thing in clothing and food industries. When you go to walmart you see kellogs ceral and you have a knockoff brand. It shouldn't bother or upset anyone to see this in the automotive industry. Plus alot of the brands that we say that this car is borrowing from has brand loyalty in their favor so they can afford to try something new because if it is a Merc or BMW someone will still embrace it just because it's german and they tried something different.

chip

July 9, 2009 8:08 AM

You should drive one of these to know that they really can compete at least in this class

Schizo0223

July 9, 2009 8:36 AM

I've driven the current generation Sonata as a rental car for a week and I was very impressed. I actually liked it more than the Camry which I rented at the next city. I wonder how this one will drive.

alessandro

July 9, 2009 1:48 PM

Jesus!!! It is it I said on new Saab 9-5 matter. Disastrous and satanistic similarity with no any independent creativity or uniqueness. That industry is like a Soviet collective farm. It will be no wonder that one day we all will be forced to wear similar clothes.

alexyn

July 9, 2009 9:35 PM

Nice looking. But its front seems a Ssangyong Action. Its lateral: Audi A6. And so on...

MasterA

July 9, 2009 10:25 PM

l0l When asked "What brand is this?" and showed him the pic from the front of the car, my brother said exactly Ssangyoung! The same question at a friend and he guessed Peugeout :D

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