Hyundai proves they haven’t been letting the grass grow under their increasingly popular mid-size sedan with the reveal of the redesigned 2018 Sonata at the New York Auto Show.
Getting a healthy mid-cycle refresh in styling, feature content and in powertrain, the redesigned 2018 Sonata gets a major boost of new to keep its sales pace moving forward in one of the most competitive market segments there is.
What you first notice is a softer and less angular look up front with a new cascading grille” design that looses the sharper straight lines of before and trades them for somewhat of a curved hourglass look. New LED daytime running lamps and available LED headlamps are also all-new in their design.
The lower fascia has a more sculpted and crafted appearance with a mustache design tied to the grille that frames out the new LED driving lights well.
At the rear, new LED taillights and a redesigned badge with an integrated trunk release button and revised chrome trims finish out the new styling. New wheels designs are also given across the entire trim grade lineup.
The interior also gets a step up in design with redesigned details that echo some of the new look outside. This starts with a redesigned center stack with revised switchgear, a new instrument cluster and a new three spoke steering wheel more sculptured in its look.
Standard is a seven-inch color touchscreen infotainment system with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. Hyundai’s Bluelink suite of applications and services is also enhanced this year. Available now also is a Qi wireless charging pad for compatable phones and there is now a USB port added for rear seat passengers to charge or power their devices.
Other big news comes to the powertrain lineup. While both the 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine and 245 horsepower 2.0 liter turbocharged engine carry over for 2018, the turbo gets an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission.
The new eight-speed transmission gives better performance because the engine can rev through its power peak more often and can turn slower at highway speeds which should help fuel economy. The 2.0 turbo also now rides on 18-inch wheels.
Handling too got an upgrade with a sportier feel in the steering system that they say promises better responsiveness as well as on-center feel. Rear suspension gets new trailing arms and larger bushings that allow for more compliance yet sharper response at the same time.
New driver assistance systems now standard equipment include blind spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, making it the only in class to offer it as such. Lane departure warning system an lane keeping system are still available options.
The 2018 Hyundai Sonata arrives a little bit later this year with final pricing and specifications to be announced closer to that time.
