Hyundai Sonata gets redesign for China, we want too
Click above for a high-res gallery of the BHMC Sonata
The changes to the Chinese-market Hyundai Sonata are not enough to raise the roomy sedan's profile above handsome anonycar, but it's encouraging to see Hyundai figuring out freshening cycles without bringing the weird. This Sonata has been facelifted by BHMC, Hyundai's Chinese joint venture, and the car in the pictures is either a pre-production model, or a Monday-morning car, as it's missing some window trim. The tweaked nose and rump echo the styling of so many cars on the road that you can just pick your favorite brand as the one Hyundai copied. Derivative? Maybe, or it may just be that there's only so many places to go with a modest refresh of a modestly styled car. The interior also garnered some attention, getting adjustments to the seat and dashboard trim in the bright, airy cockpit. The design may not be quirky enough to please some, but a handsomely styled car at a competitive price will always find buyers. Thanks for the tip, 94 Taurus owner!
Gallery: Facelifted Chinese Hyundai Sonata
[Source: Carscoop]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
retsel 9:37AM (11/11/2008)
this is nice... really nice...
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Red 1:33PM (11/11/2008)
I agree. this is a very nice redesign and i wouldn't mind walking into a hyundai dealership to check one out.
...can't believe i just said that. lol
Flashpoint 9:37AM (11/11/2008)
give Hundai 3 more years and they'll be a spot on clone of Lexus.
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Smegley 9:38AM (11/11/2008)
This is one car design they can keep in Asia, thank you.
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hypermiler 9:44AM (11/11/2008)
Redesigned YF Sonata is due out next year in Korea, Spring 2010 in the US.
What you see is a China-specific refresh that will not appear outside of China.
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Epyx 9:45AM (11/11/2008)
I usually do not play this game but that REALLY looks like a Lexus ES. Still looks good and I am sure it is a great value but it is very similar.
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Craig 9:52AM (11/11/2008)
I like it less. Looks uglier, and like a Toyota Crown knockofff. At least the current car has evolved to be something that's not a blatant rip-off of one car (the nice part of 3 mixed into one maybe).
PS - the "missing trim" may be productive plastic the car is shipped in. I've noticed it here, thinking the chrome fell off new cars on the lot. Basically, it comes shipped with this black rubber-ish stuff on the chrome window trim.
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ASEVENSEE4 9:54AM (11/11/2008)
I like the current one we have now much better than this, it looks like a Corolla.
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jackson liu 9:59AM (11/11/2008)
+1
8189720 5:24PM (11/11/2008)
+2
It does, however, remind of of a Lexus ES (like someone before me mentioned). Personally, I'd keep the front from this one, pick bits of interior as well, and attach it to what's currently sold here in North America.
DJ 9:55AM (11/11/2008)
Looks like a warmed over Toyota Avalon, especially in the back, to me. Nothing new here.....
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Todd 10:02AM (11/11/2008)
It looks a lot like the current generation Taurus. We already have that here and they don't sell very well.
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Mike 10:25AM (11/11/2008)
It looks dated. Then again most Asian cars do. Probably because I've already seen that design on the road.
If you want a unique looking Asian car look at the Mazda6. This is the design that will quickly become copied.
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XJ 10:40AM (11/11/2008)
You're joking right? The Mazda 6 looks just as derivative as a Sonata. The only Japanese midsize that looks like it's not trying to copy everyone else is the Altima.
hypermiler 11:23AM (11/11/2008)
This is what Chinese consumers want. They want big grill and lots of chrome, so Chinese consumers get this.
I am not sure if YF Sonata will even hit China, given that this one's downsizing in order to be more sporty and be more competitive in Europe(i40). With Azera around, Sonata no longer has to be a large size car(No, Sonata is not a midsizer by EPA standard)
ASEVENSEE4 12:11PM (11/11/2008)
The 6 is derivative of other Manufactures designs? News to me.
Chuck 11:28AM (11/11/2008)
I work for a car rental company, and when we get shipments of Hyundai Sonatas and Hyundai Azeras, our prep crew often doesn't remove the black protective rubberized casing from the chrome trim around the door frames when them come from the factory. I have found cars that are several months old that still have a single door or side with the casing still intact. :-)
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Craig 12:21PM (11/11/2008)
I've never understand why the made the protective covering looks so much like an actual piece of trim. They could have at least made it bright yellow or something.
cBraunDesign 11:34AM (11/11/2008)
While I agree it's a ripoff of several other cars, I think this design is more in line with the Genesis, which is obviously the new Hyundai halo car. Anything they can do to align the rest of their brand with the Genesis is good for business. Hyundai is really showing the rest of the world how it's done (from an engineering standpoint). The Genesis is more affordable than anyone else's and matches the luxury and power of the german's.
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tekd 12:05PM (11/11/2008)
Far as I can tell they just made it more similar to the cars they copy.
That rear end especially looks like it's some horrible combination of the old Avalon and the current Corolla's trunk.
Oh well, sadly it's still more attractive than the current Sonata lol.
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