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Moses Akaigwe
The all-new Sonata is expected to make its debut in the Nigerian market soon, having undergone remarkable makeover that incorporates Hyundai’s third generation vehicle platform with amazingly inspiring appearance and improved performance.
The new platform, according to Hyundai Motor Company, is aimed at improving the market competitiveness of the Hyundai Sonata and its subsequent models, which are already being infused with greater flexibility, enhanced overall design, safety, efficiency and outstanding driving dynamics.
Hyundai Motor Company head of styling/vice president Simon Loasby gave this hint in Seoul at the international premiere of the remodeled eighth generation Sonata and E-Segment Palisade SUV.
He said that the remodeled Sonata has brought with it a fresh chapter for Hyundai’s longest-standing model, yet continuing a global success story that started in 1985.
Unlike its predecessors, the eighth-generation Sonata is a four-door coupe-styled sedan that showcases Hyundai’s ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language.
And as a signature product for the brand, the Sonata represents Hyundai’s future design vision, which incorporates advanced safety systems and cutting-edge technology engineered to be seamless and intuitive in function.
Suffice to say that the latest Sonata is the first model to adopt Hyundai’s new innovative ‘third generation’ modular vehicle platform, which delivers increased strength and reduced weight to enable improvements in design, safety, efficiency and driving performance.
This is in addition to an extensive application of advanced technologies to boost comfort, convenience and active safety, just as it ranked amongst Hyundai models to premiere a new collaboration with Bose to deliver an exceptional audio experience.
The new platform however rides on the dais of its predecessor, enabling a stable design with a lower centre of gravity that allows Hyundai to implement sporty and stylish design elements to the new Sonata, Mr. Loasby affirmed.
What’s more, the platform will among other niceties deliver significant improvement in collision safety through the adoption of a multi-load path structure, ‘Hot Stamping’ and super-high tensile steel plate.
The sophisticated multi-load path increases the energy absorbed by the vehicle in a collision thus improving safety and minimising collision impact in the passenger cabin.
Hyundai said the platform has been designed to allow the tyres to move outward during a small overlap collision to maximise occupant’s safety. This particular technology prevents the vehicle from spinning and possible secondary collision.
The extended application of Hot Stamping is capable of preventing deformation of the passenger room, thereby improving vehicle safety as well as enhancing power and driving performance, which have all been infused in the next generation engine called the Smartstream Powertrain.
Also featuring a system that controls the flow of air, the new platform improves air movement to the engine bay and heat dissipation, which enhances stability in the lower part of the vehicle and subsequently minimising air resistance to deliver excellent efficiency and power performance.
The all-new Sonata is expected to be unveiled in the local market in a couple of weeks by Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited {Stallion Motors}, which is confident that the enormous features enabled by the third generation’ modular vehicle platform, will spur the car to remarkable success.
The Korean automaker said this transformation will enhance handling by dramatically expanding lateral stiffness, while positioning the steering closer to the wheel center and providing stable and balanced driving performance through tyre-optimisation technology.
Above all, Hyundai has numbed offensive cabin noise, using reinforced sound-absorbing systems to laden vibration-sensitive parts.
In addition, a newly designed ‘Digital Pulse Cascading Grille’ spans the front of the new Sonata with combination headlamps each featuring a distinctive and innovative new lighting system.
This includes LED daytime running lights embedded with ‘Hidden Lighting Lamps’ – the running lights appear to form part of a chrome decoration when the car is switched off but dramatically illuminate when the driver starts the engine.
