2011 Hyundai Sonata Makes N.A. Debut at LA Show, Gets 2.4L, 2.0L Turbo and Hybrid Powertrains

The much anticipated and talked about 2011 Hyundai Sonata made its North American premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The all-new mid-size sedan (although EPA classifies it as a large sedan) represents a dramatic departure from the previous generation Sonata models both in terms of design and technology.

Despite the fact that the sixth-generation Sonata is aimed price-wise at the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Chevy Malibu, its so-called 'four-door coupe' styling with the sleek roofline and sculptured body surfaces brings it closer to the likes of the VW Passat CC.

And even if the design is not to everyone's taste, few will disagree that it offers the Sonata what the previous models lacked: personality.

The same can be said about the interior that's distinguished by the swoopy lines of the dashboard and the deeply set gauges of the instrument panel.

At 189.8 in (4,820mm) long, 72.2 in. (1,835mm) wide and 57.9 in. (1,470mm) tall with a wheelbase of 110 in. (2,795mm), the new Sonata is slightly longer and wider but a tad lower than the current model.

Surprisingly, 2011 Sonata is 130 pounds lighter than the existing model thanks to several weight saving measures such as the increased use of aluminum in the four-wheel independent suspension system and the ultra-high-strength steel in the body.

Furthermore, according to Hyundai, the new Sonata is 25 percent stiffer in torsion and 19 percent stiffer in bending rigidity than its predecessor.

When the 2011 Sonata goes on sale in the States in January 2010, it will be offered with Hyundai's newly developed Theta II GDI 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with direct injection that makes 198 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 184 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. In the SE trim, which includes a standard dual exhaust, the engine delivers 200 horsepower.

Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC manual control.

Hyundai estimates that the automatic version will get 23mpg in the city and 35mpg on the highway, beating all of its four-cylinder competitors in the U.S.the debut of the 2.4-liter version in the States

While there are no current plans for a V6 model in the States, in the second half of 2010, Hyundai will add a 2.0-liter Theta II turbocharged GDI four-cylinder engine and a 2.4-liter Hybrid Blue Drive model featuring the firm's lithium polymer battery pack. The Korean automaker said that more details about these powertrains will be released at the 2010 New York Auto Show in April.

Depending on the model trim, the new Sonata will be offered with various goodies including a high-end Infinity audio system with a 400-watt amplifier and a touch screen navigation system.

Hyundai Presents its First Direct-Injection Petrol Engine, the New 201HP 2.4L Theta II

Hyundai has officially unveiled it first-ever direct-injection gasoline engine, the new 2.4 Theta II GDI that promises to deliver more power and a significant improvement in fuel consumption over the standard multi-point fuel injected engines. In its Korean domestic market specification, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder unit engine produces an output of 201HP at 6,300 rpm and 25.5 kg.m or 184 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm.

Developed with a budget of 170 billion won (about US$170.5 million) over a 46 month-long research period, the new 2.4 Theta II GDI is said to deliver 7 percent more torque at low revolutions and 12 percent more torque at the high-end compared to a conventional engine of the same size.

Most importantly, Hyundai claims that the engine offers a 10 percent improvement in mileage over a vehicle equipped with a multi-point fuel injected engine

The 2.4 Theta II GDI will make its debut on the all-new 2011 Sonata sedan that is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. during the first half of 2010.

In addition to the Sonata, the new petrol engine will also be used in other Hyundai and Kia models while he the automaker added that the GDI technology will subsequently be expanded across the gasoline engine family and applied to other models of the group.

2011 Hyundai Sonata YF Video Galore with Presentation and Promotional Films

Yesterday, we brought you news and a high-resolution photo album of Hyundai's spanking new 2011 Sonata YF that was presented in its home market of South Korea. And now we have the first videos of the fancy-looking (at least for a mainstream model) mid-size sedan that marks a significant departure style-wise from the previous generations of the Sonata. Whereas the KDM model gets a 165HP 2.0-liter gasoline engine, the North American variant, which will be produced at Hyundai's plant in Alabama from early 2010, will be offered at launch with a 2.4-liter direct-injection four-cylinder unit.

Aside from the two-minute long promotional film, we've also added clips from the official presentation of the new Sonata that took place in Seoul. For more detailed information on the Korean firm's Toyota Camry-fighting saloon check out our previous post here.

2011 Hyundai Sonata Officially Revealed: First High-Res Photos and Details

Who would have imagined a few years back that there would be so much interest in a new generation of the Hyundai Sonata that it would be totally justified for us to stay up until the early morning hours to write a post on the car... But times change, GM went in and out of bankruptcy protection, the Fiat Group acquired Chrysler and surprise, surprise, Hyundai overtook the Ford Group in the first half of the year to become the world's fourth largest automaker. So there you have it. But let's wind back back to the Sonata. After more leaks than a New Orleans levy, the Korean maker formally introduced the four-door sedan in its home market today.

"The Sonata will set a new standard for world class mid-size sedans with state-of-the-art technology, superior build quality and emotional design," said Euisun Chung, Hyundai's Vice Chairman at the launching ceremony for the car in Seoul. "The new Sonata will raise Hyundai's brand values."

It might not be an Alfa Romeo, but compared to its dull and unimaginative predecessors, we'd say that the sixth-generation Sonata makes a huge step (call that a leap) forward in terms of design. Some will even claim that it clearly adopts styling cues from the so-called four-door coupe segment such as the swooping roofline and the stubby rear end, and they're probably right.

The Sonata also boasts a fresh interior with a contemporary styling that's in line with the Korean firm's latest products such as the new Tucson / ix35 SUV that was revealed at this week's Frankfurt Motor Show.

Size-wise the Sonata is 4,820mm long, 1,835mm wide and 1,470mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,795mm making it a little longer and wider but slightly lower than the outgoing model.

The Sonata, which may be sold under a different name in some regions (e.g. i40 in Europe), will be offered at launch in its home market with a 2.0-liter Theta II MPi gasoline engine with 165HP and an LPG version that makes 144HP. Both engines are paired to a new six-speed automatic transmission.

Hyundai said that it plans to add 2.4 liter Theta II GDI gasoline engine to the range in January next year. This engine will be offered as standard on the U.S. market model.

All versions of the Sonata will be equipped with a standard Vehicle Dynamic Control with Hill-start Assist Control and Brake Assist System functions. Other highlights include an available three-piece panoramic sunroof and a new Parking Guide System (PGS) that allows the driver to avoid obstacles during parallel parking or when driving in reverse - or so the company claims.

Hyundai said that it began developing the new Sonata in 2005 under the codename YF with the project costing a total of 450 billion won (US$ 372 million) to go from concept to production.

The company plans to sell 60,000 units of the new Sonata in Korea this year. With the addition of production in its U.S. plant in Alabama plant in early 2010 and in China the following year, Hyundai expects that number to raise to 450,000 units annually worldwide from 2011.

In South Korea, the new Sonata's prices range from 21.3 million Won to 25.95 million Won (US$17,600 to US$21,450).

Update: Click here to check out the video story on the new Hyundai Sonata