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This is the new Hyundai Sonata, which was launched in Korea today.

The new Sonata is expected to be sold as the i40 in Europe, and will go on sale in the UK in late 2010. European sales are expected to begin with an estate version, with saloon and hatch models following later in 2011.

New Hyundai Sonata picture gallery

Hyundai believes the new Sonata represents a huge leap forw...Read the full article

 2 million mini cab drivers surveyed said, "yes please".

Actually it's a big step forward in mini cab  development.

From the front it looks like a a peugout 607 mixed with an old LS430 lexus.

I hope this sells well in the UK. A few years of chronic depreciation should see this a real bargain in 2012.  Unless of course, the badge isn't "premium" enough for you.

BriMarsh:

I hope this sells well in the UK. A few years of chronic depreciation should see this a real bargain in 2012.  Unless of course, the badge isn't "premium" enough for you.

 

Of course you mean in 2010 when it is worth 40% of it's new value. It looks even worse in reality, like a 607 that's had a nasty accident with a lamp post. And wasn't that interior on the last Primera? Still, the cabbies will be used to it.  

 I'm still convinced the only 2 countries this will sell well in are Korea and US. 'Borrowing' styling and technology form 10 year old designs is not the way to enter the premium sector. And how much will this be in the end? £25k? The 'cluster ioniser' graphic is rather amusing though, like some '80s AIWA stereo...if they had ionisers.
 

God, I love Korean design. If you thought the BMW 1 series had been swooped, you haven't seen half the Korean's portfolio of cars. And now they've learnt how to crispen those curves, a tad BMW, but who really cares when it looks that good?

danielc:

God, I love Korean design.

Nurse! danielc is out of bed again

As I said in the other thread it looks better than the old Sonata. However, the more I see it the more I just see a Passat CC wannabe on the cheap.

Love that one of the photos appears to show a version with a cab sign on the roof.

 

If this i40 looks like a Passat CC wannabe then isn't the Passat CC just a Mercedes CLS wannabe?

JonathanLGardner:

If this i40 looks like a Passat CC wannabe then isn't the Passat CC just a Mercedes CLS wannabe?

 

In concept yes, but not the design details. It's those details which I can see in the Sonata. The creases down the bonnet, side of the car etc.

Brave design. If it drives as well as it looks then, for me, it will stop the 'taxi' comments just as the Coupe appealed to those who were untainted by badge snobbery.

Yes, it is still somewhat derivative. But the overall effect is pleasing, at least to my eyes - it's nice too, to see the interior styling matching the exterior for once. Too many times, especially with euro designs, the money runs out and the interior is the saving venue.

Comments about Aiwa stereos may well be accurate, but for me the dash design is preferable to the constantly recycled Audi, Merc and Beemer designs and makes the likes of the Insignia's dash seem outmoded already.

This company has come a long, long way in a short time since recycling old Mitsubishi components.

As has been observed in the past "If you want reliability, see what the mini-cabber's use".

"The Sonata will set a new standard for world class mid-size sedans with state-of-the-art technology, superior build quality and emotional design," said Euisun Chung, Hyundai's vice chairman

I know Hyundais have been improving, but isn't this guy getting a bit carried away with that Peugeot 607 look alike?