The newly refreshed Sonata gets an almost complete makeover with an intriguing design and modern luxury touches.
Sure, “sporty” is not necessarily what comes to mind when mentioning the Hyundai Sonata. With the seventh-gen model being relatively bland inside and out, the manufacturer had decided to redesign its mid-sized sedan in 2019, giving the eighth-gen a slightly sportier Cyberpunk-like styling. But only four years later, the Sonata now earned a proper sport facelift, in line with Hyundai’s latest design language.
One of the most noticeable features is the long strip of LED daytime running lights spanning across the entire front end. The headlights are placed right above the air intakes, united with a wider grill and dramatic design elements. When paired with the fresh new hood, the design language really makes for a wider and sportier look, hinting at electrification.
The side profile looks pretty much the same as the previous model, with only stylish new rims to show off. However, the rear end is now equipped with new H-shaped taillights, emphasizing the Sonata’s futuristic image and wide stance. Furthermore, the sportier N-Line model gets a built-in swooping spoiler-shaped trunk lid and a new bumper, 19-inch wheels, exhaust muffler tips, and a rather aggressive diffuser.
Inside, the new Sonata’s dashboard was almost fully redesigned, now with a more driver-centric approach matching the sportier exterior. It was also equipped with Hyundai’s new “Panoramic Curved Display,” essentially a dual 12.3-inch curved display hosting the infotainment screen and digital gauge cluster. Moreover, the manufacturer chose to go with a new twist-to-select gear selector on the steering column to free up some space on the center console.
The rest of the cabin feels modern and quite premium, especially due to the interesting mix of dark and bright colors, bringing it closer to a luxury sedan. Not to mention that the addition of ambient lighting is a nice touch indeed.
Unfortunately, Hyundai hasn’t disclosed any detail regarding the powertrain yet but assuming it’s just a mid-cycle update, there might not be much to report under the hood. And if that’s the case, the current Sonata’s engines were already pretty decent, so it’s not really a problem.
Current Sonata engine options include a naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter, a turbocharged 1.6-liter and 2.5-liter, and a 2.0-liter hybrid setup — all four cylinders producing between 180 and 290 hp. However, while Sonatas are currently FWD only, rumors from CarScoops say an AWD version could soon be available.
The 2024 Hyundai Sonata’s official reveal is set to happen on March 30–April 9 at the Seoul Mobility Show and will likely appear for the first time in the US at the New York International Auto Show on April 6.
More details to come.
Gallery: 2024 Hyundai Sonata
