- IL offers early photos of the future Hyundai Sonata coupe.
- The midsize coupe is a logical addition to the Sonata lineup.
- Mechanically, the coupe would mirror the Sonata sedan.
SANTA MONICA, California — Hyundai continues to round out its growing product portfolio, adding all-new models along with variations on its existing products. With both turbocharged and hybrid versions of the bread-and-butter Sonata already confirmed for 2011, Inside Line believes a Sonata coupe is the next logical extension of the nameplate.
The Sonata coupe would be mechanically the same as the recently revamped sedan, offering both the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and possibly the 2.0-liter turbo that was introduced last month at the 2010 New York Auto Show.
With the rear-wheel-drive Genesis coupe occupying the sporty end of the spectrum, the front-wheel-drive Sonata coupe would be aimed at more sedate competitors like the Nissan Altima and Honda Accord coupes.
Adding coupe counterparts to its already existing sedan models is nothing new for Hyundai. In addition to the already mentioned Genesis coupe, Hyundai is not far from introducing the Hyundai Veloster, a coupe built on the same chassis as the compact Hyundai Accent sedan. Look for the Hyundai Sonata coupe to arrive at least a year after the sedan lineup is fully up to speed.
Inside Line says: Midsize coupes have never been volume sellers, but if Hyundai can keep the costs down and the styling right, it could easily snag its fair share of the market without much effort. — Kelly Toepke, News Editor
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turtle99 says:
09:17 AM, 05/31/2010
It is a nice looking coup. The absent b-pillar looks great, but it requires frameless side windows and side-window suction as european makers. I hope both front and rear side windows roll down completely just like those in mercedes. Combined with optional panoramic 3-piece window-roofing, driver and passenger will enjoy the openness provided by no-side window, no-B-pillar both in front and rear side. The wheels on the 1st and 3rd pics must be from Genesis sedan, but they need to be much more refined. Rear portion design could be redone to differentiate coup from sedan. Trunk panel design including tail lamp and trunk lip better be redone to make it sportier than what it is right now. Since the same class coups are not that hot, it has some chances.
fortstring says:
02:26 PM, 05/05/2010
Make it AWD for the Turbo model, and you'll have an instant hit.
n2guru says:
11:10 AM, 05/03/2010
@ k55
I just quoted what doc_V said. He was the one that was bragging. I just made a comment on his quote. I like an underdog, and Hyundai/Kia have made a sincere effort to improve their brands. And judging by the amount of people that go back on HYUNDAI'S post, people are taking notice. Arguing for the sake of the argument.
k55 says:
09:56 AM, 05/03/2010
N2guru......."and anyone who doubts my taste or pedigree as a car owner... I"ve owned 7.. count'em .. SEVEN BMW's."
N2 - I doubt your taste.....for your need to brag to this extent means you have no taste. You have a big ego ,yes.........maybe insecure,yes ......but taste? You must have 6 postings here . Taste?, no, afraid not.
xoquixxoqafxo says:
07:33 PM, 05/02/2010
@ lexuslvr
You are right about toyota being the first to mass produce a hybrid, but I believe that twa727 was only talking about the United States when he was saying Honda was the first to offer a hybrid, so you can't include the fact that the prius has been around since 1997 because toyota didn't bring it here until 2001. The poor reviews about the new Insight are mixed, some car magazines love the car saying it is much more fun to drive than a prius while still giving you about 90% of the fuel economy at a 20% discount price while others are more "toyota biased". You simply can't compare the new insight to the prius because as stated many times... the insight is a compact car while the prius is a midsize car... its like trying to compare a camry to a civic... Civic hybrid is much closer in size and specs to the prius so keep ur comparos between the civic hybrid and prius especially since they have been competing since late 2002 when the first civic hybrid came out. Also, Honda takes a much different approach to hybrid tech than toyota, it doesnt mean hondas is bad, its just more cost effective hence the lower sticker prices on their hybrid products, unlike toyota which adds on a hefty premium to the hybrid versions of their vehicles.
Also, if you wanna talk about poor reviews.. try picking up your latest car magazine and read about the VERY DISSAPPOINTING reviews that everyone is giving on that new lexus hs250h... it looks like a fancy toyota corolla and drives like one. Not to mention doesn't even beat the new fusion hybrid in mileage. Add in the fact that it doesnt feel like a lexus but has an average price of over 40 grand fully loaded and you have a car that is a BIG DISSAPPOINTMENT. Besides, I wouldnt be caught dead driving a boring ass toyota hybrid, I wanna have fun driving in addition to saving fuel. Not to mention the brake problems on the current prius that is causing a lot of prius owners to trade in their piece of junk for a honda :P
twa727 says:
07:32 PM, 05/02/2010
Like I said before, lexuslvr....
Honda was the first in the US with a hybrid. Not Japan, the US. I said nothing about the effeciency or overall design of Honda's hybrid powertrain system. Hybrids have been around since the late 1800's in one form or another.
You will notice that the Insight is in a different class than the Prius. Insight is compact...Prius is midsize. That is because they are two different cars made for two different kind of buyers. It's not a "cheap knock off." The exterior designs are that unique shape for aerodynamics and nothing more...that's why when Toyota redesigned the Prius...guess what, nothing changed in terms of the car's overall shape. The Insight is meant to bring hybrid technology closer to the everyday Civic buyer without the stigma of an Accord territory price tag.
I am in no way saying Honda invented hybrid technolgy, but what they did invent was a different kind of hybrid technology, and they were the first ones to bring it to the US market...and no other mass produced hybrid has ever topped the original Insight's mileage.
lexuslvr says:
09:41 AM, 05/02/2010
twa727 sorry to burst your little hybrid bubble but while the Insight was the first hybrid in the US it was the Prius that was the first modern hybrid to be built. The Prius first started production in 1997 a full TWO YEARS before the Insight. And he's right about the Insight chasing the Prius just take a look at the current Insight. It is trying to be Honda's Prius yet it has only been met with poor reviews and worse performance and FE. Sorry but Honda Hybrid technology is inferior to Toyota's. Also take a look at Lexus and Acura. Lexus began making Hybrids in 2005 and now has 4 with two more on the way and what does Acura have? They say the first will be the TSX hybrid yet Lexus already has the HS250h and upcoming CT200h for that. Honda is the hybrid chaser.
mggray says:
10:25 AM, 05/01/2010
This looks better than the current Accord Coupe (with its bulbous rear end) or the Solara, but, I think the Sonata 4-door looks better than this Coupe rendering. It might be nicer if they incorporated the styling cues from the Sonata Hybrid's rear with this Coupe. It would add interest to the design and detract from the Solara/Sonata Coupe similarity.
Having seen the PS of the Optima Coupe, I think that's a better option for Hyundai/Kia to compete in the large coupe category.
ballerdc says:
11:10 PM, 04/30/2010
Soooo, the Solara lives on after all.
twa727 says:
05:16 PM, 04/30/2010
"Not a copycat of the Prius, which Honda has."
Sorry, but Honda was the first one in the US with a hybrid. Granted it was a two seater...but Toyota was quick to jump on and realize the potential of hybrid technology.
Now, not to burst your bubble, but the only reason the Insight and Prius look so familiar is simply aerodynamics. Look it up anywhere, the teardrop shape of these cars allow them to have a low coeffecient of drag, which, in turn, gives you a car that slips through the air with less resistance. That's the reason these cars are mileage champs.
In any other dimension of comparison besides the similar exterior design, the Prius and Insight are two completely different cars. Insight is meant to be the hybrid for everyone...hence the lower price tag and availability of less expensive features.
If you want to compare the Prius to something, compare it to the Civic Hybrid, not the Insight. It's simply not in the same class. Oh, yeah...the Civic doesn't look anything like the Prius. Imagine that.