SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Korea Bizwire) – Hyundai Motor rolled out its all-new Sonata Hybrid featuring state-of-the-art technology and future-oriented design on December 16 in Seoul. The Sonata Hybrid was reborn with higher driving performance and premium design, after 27 months of development and an investment of 180 billion won (US$164 million) by the world’s fifth largest automaker.
Its hybrid system combines a 2.0-liter GDI hybrid engine with a 38kW hard-type electric motor, in a bid to add performance to a segment of the market where it is often lacking. The new drivetrain produces 156 horsepower and 19.3kg.m (139 ft/lbs) of torque, for increases of 4 percent and 5.5 percent respectively compared with its previous model.
An official at Hyundai Motor said, “The all-new Sonata Hybrid is a state-of-the-art eco-friendly vehicle with dynamic driving performance. With the model as momentum, we will expand our eco-friendly vehicle lineup to 22 by 2020 and stand as the second largest eco-friendly carmaker in the world.”
Hyundai is aiming to sell a total of 55,000 Sonata Hybrids next year – 18,000 in Korea and 37,000 overseas including the U.S., where the vehicle will be launched in the first half of 2015.
Image Credit: Hyundai Motor / photonews@koreabizwire.com
