Hyundai first unveiled the 2015 Sonata in South Korea earlier this year. Since then, the D-segment sedan has made its way to a number of markets. It has now made its China debut at the ongoing Guangzhou Auto Show.
According to a few reports, the 2015 Sonata will go on sale in China sometime early next year. Interestingly, the vehicle will be built by the Beijing-Hyundai joint venture that manufactures the sixth generation, the fifth generation, and the fourth-generation Sonata. With the introduction of the 2015 model, it seems Hyundai will finally stop making the fourth-generation model which has been around in the Chinese market since 2002.
The styling of the 2015 Sonata is heavily based on Hyundai's HCD-14 concept shown at the 2013 New York Auto Show. The interior, meanwhile, takes inspiration from one of Hyundai’s most popular global models, the Genesis.
When launched, the China-spec 2015 Sonata will be available as a 2.4 litre, four-cylinder petrol engine with 168bhp of power and 201Nm of torque. The other option is likely to be a turbocharged 2-litre engine with 200bhp and 252Nm.
Hyundai India currently sells the sixth-generation Sonata which is not exactly a slow seller, but with the ever rising competition from other D-segment models as well as a few premium compact crossovers, it means that the Korean automaker may have plans to introduce the 2015 model sooner than expected.
