All set for its public debut at Seoul Mobility Show on March 30, new Hyundai Sonata gets a curved panoramic display for the cabin, a first for any Hyundai car
After a rather mediocre sales performance in the USA market, the 8th-generation Hyundai Sonata has received a facelift that’s more than a mere nip and tuck job. The current-gen, which debuted in 2019, won plenty of accolades from the media fraternity for its revolutionary design. The car buyers, though, were simply unimpressed. This, alone, could be among the biggest factors for its falling sales. While Sonata clocked an annual average sale of almost 200,000 units from 2004 to 2018, it fell to just 55,131 units last month. Amidst rumour of the Sonata nameplate being put to rest, the South Korean carmaker is giving the 8th-gen model another lease of life with a front-end highly reminiscent of the 2024 Verna (aka Accent) and a refreshed interior.
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2024 Hyundai Sonata Gets New Verna-Like ‘Seamless Horizon Lamp’
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Like the latest Hyundai Verna, the new Sonata is penned as per the Sensuous Sportiness design theme. In line with this, its front-end now features a ‘seamless horizon lamp’ that gives the sedan a characteristic look. Similarly, there’s a wide parametric grille beneath. The headlamps sit in black housings to complete the aggressive-looking fascia. Meanwhile, even the N-Line version looks almost similar with only more black inserts and a different mesh grille being visual discrepancies.
Towards the bank, the 2024 Hyundai Sonata features a new trunk lid along with new creases that give the posterior a more modern look. The car even features the new signature H-lamp – another design feature similar to the latest Verna. Basically, this setup includes vertical lights with a light bar connecting the two extreme ends. The bumper is now sharper with faux exhaust port-like elements. That said, these house the quad pipes on the N-Line version. The sportier variant even gets a sportier bootlid spoiler and bespoke 19-inch mag wheels.
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First Hyundai to Get Curved Panoramic Display
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Inside, the 2024 Hyundai Sonata gets a highly revised setup. The digital instrumentation and the infotainment unit have been housed together in a single curved display, which is a first for any Hyundai ever. Basically, the driver gets a 12.3-inch touchscreen while there’s even a touchscreen infotainment system of the same size. The gear select is now mounted on the steering column, a la Mercedes Benz. The space vacated on the centre tunnel has been used to accommodate a longer armrest and more cubby holes. The new Sonata will make its public debut at the Seoul Mobility Show on March 30.
