Autoblog

Click for a high res gallery of the new Sonata

In recent months, Hyundai has made a big splash with the introductions of the Genesis sedan and coupe. While those two models will likely do wonders for Hyundai's street cred, they will definitely be niche players when it comes to volume. Among passenger cars in the US market, the midsize segment has been the highest volume category for nearly two decades. Since the mid-nineties, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have been the primary players with everyone else having been an also-ran. In recent years, however, Hyundai's entrant in the segment, the Sonata, has put up an increasingly aggressive challenge to the big dogs. The current generation Hyundai Sonata debuted for the 2006 model year and the company unwrapped its mid-cycle refresh back in February at the Chicago Auto Show.

The 2009 Sonatas have been in production since before the Chicago debut and they should be in stock at Hyundai stores around the country now. We went out to the Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center (HATCI) outside of Ann Arbor, MI for a tour of the facility where the new Sonata was created and then set out for a couple of hours to see how it behaves in the real world. Find out if the new Sonata is for you after the jump.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Front seat cushions are under a lot of pressure these days. It is a strenuous job, as they are tasked with determining how heavy the derrière sitting on them actually is. According to Hyundai, passenger seat sensors in the cushions of some 2006-2008 Hyundai Sonatas may not be up to the task of distinguishing between a child and an adult, so they are sending out recall notices to 394,000 Sonata owners. Weight sensors in the passenger seats of most late-model vehicles are designed to disable the passenger-side airbag when a child is riding up front. However, Hyundai told the NHTSA that an error with some of its sensors may keep the passenger airbags off when small adults are occupying the seats, as well.

Notified Sonata owners are being asked to check whether or not the airbag is activated when the seat is occupied by an adult. If their vehicle is among the estimated 1 percent of vehicles that have "confused" airbag sensors, the seat cushions will be removed and sent to the West Coast for reprogramming. Owners will receive a rental car while their cushions are in California getting reprogrammed -- and some R&R, of course.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]

Hyundai has quickly developed a full range of products in its US lineup, and quality scores from companies like JD Power show those vehicles now rank among the best in the industry. For all of Hyundai's progress the past few years, the South Korean automaker has taken its time getting navigation systems into its fleet of cars and trucks.

For '08, the Azera, Santa Fe, and Veracruz all get nav systems, the Genesis sedan receives a separate high-end interface, and the bread-and-butter 2009 Sonata will get the tech as well. The folks over at Kicking Tires proclaim the interface to be bright, clear, and easy to use. It's about time. With Hyundai raising the price of entry for the Sonata to match (or exceed) the competition, it's important that the midsize sedan has everything the competition offers. It's just a shame that it took until now for them to do it.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

click above to view more high-res pics of the 2009 Hyundai Sonata

When Hyundai released its 2007 Sonata, the automaker served notice that it was serious about playing with the "big boys" in the midsize sedan market; namely the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima and, just recently, the latest version of the Chevy Malibu. With its refresh of the Sonata for 2009, Hyundai has taken another major leap towards matching the best that Japan has to offer. Many consider the Camry too boring while others find the Accord a bit too sporty for their tastes. Hyundai is aiming at the middle ground with the '09 Sonata, and based on looks alone it seems that the company is on target. The interior especially looks ready to compete in the most hotly-contested segment in the industry, with quality materials and a much more pleasing design with more features than the current model.

Added power and efficiency have been gained in both four-cylinder and six-cylinder versions. Using the second generation Theta engine architecture, the 175-horse 2.4-liter inline-four is a vast improvement over its predecessor, especially since a new five-speed automatic replaces the old four-speed unit. Drivers who prefer a bit more power can opt for the newly updated 3.3-liter Lambda V6, now boasting 249 horsepower while still offering a slight increase in fuel economy. The Lambda V6 is available only with the five-speed automatic while four-cylinder buyers can choose between the automatic or a five-speed manual. We are still waiting for official pricing information, but expect the Sonata to continue to undercut the Accord and Camry.

click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Hyundai Sonata.

Hyundai recognizes that competition in the mid-size sedan segment is always heating up, so the little automaker that could is bringing a refreshed Sonata to Chicago, sporting a slightly new look, more interior amenities and new powertrains.

The 2009 Hyundai Sonata debuts with a choice of two revised mills that sport more power and fuel economy to rival the sedan's more expensive rivals. The Theta 2.4-cylinder inline-four is now in its second generation and makes 175 horsepower and 169 lb.-ft. of torque with a new five-speed automatic to help carve up the revs. The 3.3-liter V6 gets a 15-hp bump and is now making 249 hp and 229 lb.-ft. of torque. Aside from the upgraded engines, Hyundai is also hyping the Sonata's handling and will be offering a sport-tuned suspension on the SE model.

The exterior revisions are mild, with a new front bumper, grille, lights and wheels, while passengers inside now enjoy a completely revised interior that's much more visually interesting than before and is even available with an optional sat nav, a first for the Sonata. Hit the jump for more info and the official press release from Hyundai.

It's more of a freshening than a full-out restyle, but that's okay, since the Hyundai Sonata is an enjoyable little number. The meat in the middle of the sandwich remains the same, but the nose and tail have been nipped and tucked. Up front, there's new headlights, a reshaped bumper and more chrome on a new grille. On the poop deck, it appears as if the taillights got some attention, but the rest is pretty heavily disguised. We expect to not be floored once the wraps come off, but Hyundai's gotten its styling together in the last few years and a familial resemblance to the Santa Fe and the Veracruz is not a bad thing.

[Source: Inside Line]

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in Arlington, Va. has just concluded testing on some 75 vehicles' head restraint systems and after performing a simulated rear-end impact of 20 MPH, only 22 of the systems received the top score of "good."

At the head of the class was Audi's A4, S4 and A6, along with the Chevy Cobalt, Ford Five Hundred (Taurus, whatever) and its Mercury counterpart, Honda's Civic, Hyundai Sonata, Jag S-Type, Kia Optima, Merc E-class, Nissan Sentra and its lesser sibling the Versa, Subaru's Impreza, Legacy and Outback, as well as Volvo's S40, S60 and S80 (no surprise).

The flunkees included the Acura TSX, BMW 5-series, Buick LaCrosse and Lucerne, Caddy CTS, DTS and STS, Chevy's Aveo, the Honda Fit and Accord, Infiniti's M35, the Jaguar X-Type, Kia Rio, Mitsubishi Galant, Pontiac's Grand Prix, plus the Toyota Avalon and Corrolla.

Considering that the IIHS estimates that the injuries sustained to the back and neck in these types of collisions costs insurance companies around $8 mbillion dollars per year, their interest in the matter is obvious. Whether or not consumers will include this in their purchasing criteria is another matter however.

[Source: IIHS]

We first brought you news of "sleep-driving" earlier this month with bizarre tales of Ambien-takers getting behind the wheel at all hours, driving and remembering none of it. A defense lawyer at that time blamed it on users of the sleep drug mixing it with alcohol or taking higher than recommended doses.

Well, the FDA is stepping into the argument with demands that makers of 13 sleep aid drugs include labels warning users of side effects including sleep-driving, making phone calls while asleep and preparing food while asleep. And, we presume, possibly all three at the same time. Though seeing someone driving erratically while talking on their mobile phone and using the other hand (the left one, of course) to turn the burgers on the passenger-seat grill wouldn't surprise us. At all.

Check out the jump for the FDA's press release and see if your sleep-aid drug is one to get the new warning label.

[Source: The Associated Press via CNN.com]

Subtlety and modesty are rare commodities in Vegas this time of year, but Hyundai hit all the right spots when customizing their Sonata sedan. The clean styling of the Sonata lends itself well to an understated body kit that looks more OEM in its fit and finish. Black paint couples nicely to the Axis wheels that frame the Brembo big brake kit. The addition of the beefy stoppers is deceiving as the Sonata doesn't get much in the way of go fast goodies. The stock springs were nixed in favor of a set of Eibach coils and the exhaust was replaced with a custom, dual Studie exhaust.

The clean theme carries into the interior, with custom suede and leather seats, and a steering wheel wrapped in what looks to be alcantara. As for audio, Hyundai elected to replace the stock equipment with units from Infiniti and Kenwood and fitted monitors in the headrests for rear seat passengers.

We'd like to see another trim package for the Sonata above what Hyundai already offers and if this SEMAified ride is any indication, we know that the automaker could do it up right and, ahem, tastefully.

More pics are available after the jump.

With safety features being quite high on the list of features that manufacturers like to show off, we noticed a number of displays centered on occupant protection at this year's New York International Auto Show. Volvo, Hyundai, and Volkswagen gave us a chance to peek under the sheetmetal to see what automakers do to keep passengers safe during violent impacts.