Hyundai Sonata 2009: More Style, More Efficient

Motoring Channel Staff - 3/June/2008

Sydney, Australia — Priced from $27,990 and sporting a subtle new exterior design, not to mention a new low emission 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine, Hyundai's 2009 Sonata looks set to impress.

"The 2009 Sonata underlines Hyundai's commitment to bring latest generation technology within the reach of all Australian motorists," said Hyundai's director of sales and marketing, Kevin McCann. 

"Sonata now offers a suite of intelligent safety features with revised suspension and steering, together with the class-leading quality and reliability for which Hyundai is globally recognised," added McCann.

The new diesel engine will also be of interest to customers looking for a mid-sized car with low emissions and ultra-low fuel consumption, while a large boot with 523 litres of cargo space compares well with much larger cars.

Two models will be offered, the entry-level SLX and upper model Elite, with both 2.4-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engines. The pricing is as follows:

Sonata SLX
 2.4 petrol 5-speed manual: $27,990
 2.4 petrol 5-speed auto: $29,990
 2.0 CRDi 6-speed manual: $30,490
 2.0 CRDi 4-speed auto: $32,490

Sonata Elite
 2.4 petrol 5-speed auto: $34,490
 2.0 CRDi 4-speed auto: $36,990

While the 3.3-litre V6 appears to have been removed from the Australian Sonata range, the new design and more frugal engines will increase interest in the new model, which has been styled to look more like Hyundai's new V8 rear-wheel drive luxury flagship, the Genesis.

New look head light and upmarket grille designs give the new Sonata a more prestigious appearance, while new brake lights tidy up the rear of the car. 

Minor changes to the shaping of the front and rear aprons have also been made, and new alloy wheels ((16-inch for SLX, 17-inch for Elite) complete the visual changes.

Fitted as standard across the new 2009 Hyundai Sonata range are things like air conditioning, power windows, keyless entry with car alarm, cruise control, iPod, MP3 player and USB ports, and Hyundai is offering Australian buyers "a complimentary 1Gb USB memory stick" to use with the car's stereo.

As well as 523 litres of boot space, 60:40 split fold rear seats and three child tether strap anchors, safety levels are high. All models get ABS, EBD, ESP stability control with traction control and six airbags, including side curtain airbags.

The engine range consists of two 4-cylinder pumps, the new 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine and a tweaked 2.4-litre petrol engine.

As Hyundai explains, "The highlight of 2009 Sonata's powertrain line-up is the new 2.0 litre turbo-diesel engine, badged CRDi for Common Rail Direct injection". 

The 2.0-litre diesel has a variable geometry turbo (VGT) that helps to "optimise both performance and economy" and with combined fuel consumption of just 6.0 litres per 100km with the 6-speed manual gearbox, this claim appears to hold true. 

Like all of Hyundai's CRDi models, the 2009 Sonata diesel models come with a pack of latex free vinyl gloves. This is to make refuelling with diesel a clean and carefree experience according to the Korean car maker.

As well as class-leading fuel economy, the diesel engine outputs 110kW @ 3800rpm and 305Nm of torque @ 1800rpm, which is coupled with either a 6-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission.

The petrol engine is a 2.4-litre motor with dual continuous variable valve timing (DCVVT) added for this model. The manual gearbox returns fuel economy figures of 8.0L/100km while the petrol automatic combo will drink 8.4L/100km.

In addition to the engine changes, Hyundai has updated the suspension which has been "specially calibrated for Australian driving conditions" in that the car will better work on "Australia;s multi-patched and bumpier roads". 

The steering has also been changed to deliver a sharper feel and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels have been optimised for a quieter ride.

The top Elite models get leather interiors, high end stereo systems with subwoofer, and dual zone climate control on top of the standard issue features like cruise control and CD stereo.

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- Hyundai Concept Genesis Coupe (2009)
- Hyundai Genesis (2008)
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- Hyundai Santa Fe (Road Test)
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