World Best Car Image Zone: Hyundai

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Codenamed “YF,” this Sonata was penned at Hyundai’s design studio in Irvine, California. We were told there was heated debate in the boardroom over the styling direction of the new Sonata. Good reason is said to have won that debate, with the Sonata’s styling taking a more conservative look — save for the sloping rear roofline.

However, from the look of the leaked images — which surfaced on Hyundai-blog.com — conservative doesn’t necessarily mean bland. Although some comparisons could be made to Subaru’s new Legacy sedan, the sedan in question looks thoroughly fresh and highly stylized for the mid-size sedan market.

Details on this vehicle are in short supply at the moment, but Hyundai may be planning a hybrid version of the Sonata. We may see a concept car for the new Sonata during the upcoming auto show season, with the new Sonata likely hitting the market about mid-2010.

Powertrains will be modified across the board with a direct-injection 2.4-liter four-cylinder anchoring the low-end of the spectrum, while a 3.5-liter V6 will target upper-level competitors. Expect a little less than 200 horsepower from the four-cylinder and around 250 horsepower from the V6.

Hyundai is also planning a hybrid model of the Sonata that will use lithium polymer batteries instead of the often discussed lithium-ion. The polymer batteries are said to be more durable and cheaper to make.

While the regular Sonata should start production for the U.S, in the summer of 2010, the hybrid model should follow sometime in 2011.

Source : Leftlanenews

2010 Hyundai Tucson (ix35) SUV Official Photos

Hyundai’s stand at the Frankfurt auto show in September will feature a funky redesign of the Tucson SUV.

To be called the ix35 in Europe, the updated Tucson is the product of Hyundai’s new design center in Germany. The company says the curvy body lines reflect the “fluidic sculpture” design language that we first saw in the Ix-onic concept at the Geneva auto show—in fact, the new Tucson is almost an exact copy of the Ix-onic. The result is a futuristic shape with fresh lines that’s far more exciting than the staid Tucson currently prowling the world’s roads.

It’s probably about time for an updated Tucson, as the current model remains essentially unchanged since its 2004 debut. The last time we drove a Tucson, in February 2008, it finished eighth in a nine-SUV comparison test. The car felt dated and seemed to be geared toward more, ahem, dated drivers. Current U.S.-market drivetrains on our shores are a 2.0-liter inline-four and an available 2.7-liter V-6; all-wheel drive is optional. The new model will offer all-wheel drive and diesel engine choices, the latter likely only for Europe.

European and Korean versions of the SUV will launch within the next six months. The U.S. will also get its new Tucson in the next year, but we’ll have to wait a while for specifics.

Source : CarandDriver

Testing in Dubai : 2011 Hyundai Sonata

Hyundai has really upped its game with new entries like the Genesis Coupe and Sedan, but right now its high volume products like the midsize Sonata are simply "good enough." The Korean automaker has already committed to big plans for Sonata, as it has promised direct injection and turbocharging for improved efficiency. A quick look at some well camo'd photos of a 2011 Sonata mule shows that improvements could come in design as well.

The most eye-catching dimension of the spy photo pictured above is a sleek, Volkswagen CC-like greenhouse. Hyundai even seems smitten with the ten-spoke wheel design of the VW, as the two alloys look like fraternal twins. Beyond the four-door coupe look, the 2011 Sonata mule is very well camouflaged, although you can see what appears to be some interesting surfacing above the front wheel well that could give it a beefier-looking stance.

Up front, the front grille and headlamps are exposed. The grille doesn't appear to be dramatically different than what we we see on today's Sonata, but there is no hiding the dynamic new shape of the mule's headlamps. The high-tech lights sweep around the corners, giving the impression that the 2011 model will sport a more rounded front end than the 2009 model.

We likely have a bit longer to go before the 2011 Sonata begins its strip-tease act, but photos in the gallery below at least look promising. Whether the next-gen Sonata will be good enough to take on the well established midsized monsters from Toyota, Honda, and Nissan will clearly be a question for another day.

Source : Autoblog

2010 Hyundai Tucson Compact SUV Spy Photos

Hyundai recently updated its Tucson compact SUV with a new four-cylinder engine but the next-generation model, seen here testing in prototype form, is now only months away from making its world debut. Due late this year as a 2010 model, the new Tucson will move to a more crossover-styled body and is tipped to share its platform with the next Kia Sportage.

A concept version of the car will be on display at next month’s Geneva Motor Show and the production version should be unveiled at the following Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The new Tucson will be a global model, with Europe to get its own version called the ix35.

These latest spy shots show the upcoming SUV undergoing cold-weather testing in Northern Europe. The rough outline of the prototype reveals that the next Tucson will have a much smoother design than the boxy style of the current model, but will remain largely the same size.

One of the engines planned for the new Tucson will be a highly-efficient 2.0L turbocharged petrol unit with around 200hp (147kW) on tap. A petrol-electric hybrid version of this engine is also expected to be available but not at the 2010 model’s launch. Both FWD and AWD versions will be offered.

Another option will be a more basic 2.4L Theta II four-cylinder engine with about 175hp (130kW). A new six-speed automatic transmission is expected to come as standard. European customers will also be able to select from two new common rail turbodiesels, displacing 2.0L and developing 136hp (100kW) and 175 (130k) respectively.

Source : MotorAuthority