Hyundai launches 6th-generation Sonata


Models pose with the latest version of Hyundai Motor Co.`s mid-sized sedan Sonata at a riverside park in Seoul yesterday. [Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald]


Hyundai Motor Co. yesterday launched the new model of its bestselling mid-sized sedan Sonata.

The company began developing the new model, which is the sixth to bear the name, four years ago and injected 450 billion won ($373 million) into the project.

First launched in 1985, the Sonata is one of Korea's bestselling cars of all time, and more than 4.6 million units of the vehicle have been sold over the past 14 years.

The company set this year's domestic sales target at 60,000 units and aims to sell about 450,000 units of the new model across the world from 2011, when the car will have been introduced to most of the major markets, the company said.

The car will be introduced to the U.S. market next year and the China market will see the new Sonata in 2011.

For the U.S. market, the new model will be produced at the plant in Alabama and Chinese demand will be met by Beijing Hyundai, the company said.

As with the previous model, the new Sonata is fitted with a 2-liter engine, but the power output has been increased to 165 brake horsepower from 163. A trim level fitted with a 2.4-liter gasoline engine will become available during the first half of next year.

The new Sonata comes with six-speed automatic transmission instead of the four-speed automatic transmission used in the older model.

These and other changes have pushed up the Sonata's fuel economy by 11.3 percent to 12.8 kilometers per liter, making the car the first mid-sized sedan to receive the second-tier fuel economy grade, the company said. The new Sonata fitted with manual transmission manages 13.6 kilometers per liter.

The company has fitted the Vehicle Dynamic Control system as standard equipment to all trim levels, and added Brake Assist System, which acts to shorten the stopping distance in emergencies, to improve safety.

Driver and passenger airbags are standard in all models, while side and curtain airbags are available as optional equipment across the range.

The new Sonata is also the first vehicle in which the Mozen Autocare system has been applied.

The system analyses faults in the electronic system that controls various parts including the engine and the transmission, and sends the information to the service center using wireless telecom networks.

The data is analyzed at the service center and sent back to the driver through the navigation system, and provides directions to the nearest service center if necessary.

(cheesuk@heraldm.com)


By Choi He-suk




2009.09.18

新款索纳塔问世
(2009.09.18 08:40)
现代汽车的新款索纳塔（SONATA）17日亮相。售价为2130万韩元至3100万韩元。/照片=现代汽车提供

朝鲜日报中文网 chn.chosun.com
本文内容归朝鲜日报和朝鲜日报网版权所有，未经许可，不得摘编

Hyundai's 6th-generation Sonata takes on Accord, Camry







Hyundai Motor Co. unveiled the new Sonata on the local market last week. Launched in 1985, the Sonata is one of the country's bestselling vehicles, of which more than 4.6 million units have been sold worldwide.

With more than 20,000 pre-launch orders, the Sonata, now in its sixth guise, is likely to continue being the dominant mid-sized sedan in the local market.

Among vehicles in the segment produced by foreign carmakers, Hyundai has singled out the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord as the rivals for the new Sonata.

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/dat...00909210055.asp
Pricing, engine performance and fuel economy


A price comparison between the three vehicles is unrealistic as the Camry is not yet available here and the new Sonata's overseas prices are not yet known. However, with the Honda Accord starting at 39.1 million won ($32,300) here, the Sonata is highly unlikely to be beaten in the price department, which will make its Korean debut next month.

The new Sonata is available in four trim levels - Grand, Prime, Premier and Top - the cheapest of which starts at 21.3 million won and the most expensive trim, Top, starts at 25.95 million won.

In terms of power output, the new Sonata's 2-liter engine comes in last with 165-brake horsepower, but the other two models have larger engines, the match to which will be added to the Sonata lineup next year.

In terms of fuel economy, the Sonata with 6-speed automatic transmission out performs the Accord and Camry by as much as 1.9 kilometers per liter. The official fuel economy of the new Sonata with automatic transmission is 12.8 kilometers per liter.

The Accord is available with either a 2.4- or 3.5-liter gasoline engines. The power output of the 2.4-liter engine, the one closer to the engine currently available in the Sonata, comes in at 180 brake horsepower. The car is fitted with 5-speed automatic transmission and fuel economy clocks in at 10.9 kilometers per liter.

The 2.5-liter engine found in the Toyota Camry generates 169 brake horsepower, or 179 in the Camry SE. The engine coupled with 6-speed automatic transmission manages 9.36 kilometers per liter in urban and 13.6 kilometers per liter in highway conditions. A rough average of the two would be about 11.5 kilometers per liter.


Safety features


The new Sonata has been fitted with vehicle dynamic control, to which hill-start assist control and the brake assist system have been added, and driver and passenger airbags as standard features to provide better protection.

In addition, high strength plates manufactured using hot stamping have been used in areas such as the B-pillar and roof side rail to increase the structural integrity of the vehicle.

Hot stamping is a method that rapidly cools the plates that have been heated to more than 900 degrees Celsius while the plates are being pressed, resulting in material that is three times stronger than unprocessed plates.

The locally marketed Accord 2.4 comes with active headrest, driver and passenger airbags, driver and passenger side airbags, side and curtain airbags and electronic braking and anti-lock braking system as standard features.

Details about the equipment that will be fitted in the locally marketed Camry have not yet been decided.


Local competition


Judging by past sales performances, local competitors will give the new Sonata little to worry about.

Even with the sales drop leading up to the new model's launch, the Sonata easily kept its position at the top of the mid-sized sedan segment this year.

During the first eight months of the year, 71,532 units of the vehicle were sold locally, outpacing the nearest competitor, Renault Samsung Motors Co.'s SM5, by more than 30,000 units.

Pricewise, the three rival vehicles, with automatic transmission, all have the upper hand over the Sonata.

The SM5 starts at 20.4 million won while the Lotze and Tosca respectively begin at 19.57 million won and 20.21 million won.

In terms of fuel economy, the new Sonata surpasses the nearest competitor, the Lotze, by 1.3 kilometers per liter.

The Lotze, equipped with 2-liter engine and four-speed automatic transmission, manages 11.5 kilometers per liter compared to the Sonata's 12.8 kilometers per liter. In third place is the SM5 with 11 kilometers per liter and the Tosca brings up the rear with 10.9 kilometers per liter.

The fuel economies of the SM5 and Tosca are for vehicles fitted with automatic transmission, four-speed in the SM5 and five-speed in the Tosca.

The Lotze again is the runner up in power output among the four vehicles with 163-brake horsepower. The Tosca's power output tops out at 144 while the SM5's engine manages 143-brake horsepower.

(cheesuk@heraldm.com)


By Choi He-suk




2009.09.21

http://flvs.daum.net/flvPlayer.swf?vid=2VWVJCytgIM$ http://tvnews.media.daum.net/segye/view.ht...164&p=segye http://flvs.daum.net/flvPlayer.swf?vid=QwMKHUchntA$ http://tvnews.media.daum.net/segye/view.ht...885&p=segye

Monthly Sales of Hyundai Sonata Hit 13-Year Record The Hyundai Sonata was the most popular car in Korea in October. The nation's largest carmaker sold more than 21,700 Sonatas, including 3,795 previous generation models, in the domestic market last month, the first time monthly sales of the mid-size sedan have topped 20,000 in 13 years. Hyundai sold 23,745 units of the second-generation Sonata in December 1995 and 23,217 units of the third-generation model in December 1996.

The carmaker unveiled the newest version of the Sonata (Sonata YF) in September, and customers have responded strongly to its design and quality. Sales were also helped by the government's tax breaks for new car purchases.

Demand has been so strong that Hyundai cannot keep up. "Some 51,000 people who ordered the Sonata YF are waiting to receive their cars," a Hyundai Motor official said. "Meeting the demand by the end of this year is impossible even though our plants are operating at the full capacity of 17,000 units a month."

The combined domestic sales of the nation's five carmakers -- Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, GM Daewoo, Renault Samsung and Ssangyong Motor -- totaled 130,851 units in October, up 24 percent from the same month last year, but a 5.3 percent decrease from the previous month.

The second most popular car was the Kia Morning with more than 8,900 units sold in October. It has topped the list of the best-selling compact cars for 20 consecutive months. GM Daewoo saw sales of its upgraded Matiz dwindle 20 percent from September to 5,650 cars in October.

Hyundai Motor captured a 50.8 percent share of the domestic auto market by selling 66,458 cars. Next came Kia Motors with a 27.5 percent share, trailed by GM Daewoo with 10 percent, Renault Samsung with 9.6 percent and Ssangyong with 2.1 percent.

Meanwhile, Renault Samsung's overall sales, including exports, hit a monthly record high in October. Ssangyong saw its domestic sales reach an annual record high last month.
englishnews@chosun.com / Nov. 03, 2009 10:09 KST

设计师李相奉推出索纳塔款式服装

现代汽车公司13日称，该公司与著名设计师李相奉联合推出反映索纳塔汽车设计美学的服装，图为设计师李相奉与他的索纳塔款式服装作品。韩联社 2010-01-13
sora@yna.co.kr

Souped-up Sonata

January 19, 2010


Korea’s top automaker, Hyundai Motor, unveiled the latest version of its flagship Sonata mid-size sedan yesterday at the Grand InterContinental Hotel in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul. The Sonata 2.4 GDi is a more spacious and powerful version of previous Sonata sedans. It’s equipped with a 2.4-liter gasoline direct-injection engine, which produces 201 horsepower at its peak, according to Hyundai officials. [NEWSIS]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NNoEpImqbg SOURCE* BY BAEBAE72 SSI/YOUTUBE.COM THANKYOU!

New rivals may herald winter of the Sonata

BLAST FROM THE PAST: 14. Sonata
January 25, 2010

The Hyundai Sonata
Once can’t discuss the rise of Hyundai Motor without mentioning the Sonata. Even today, more than two decades after the sedan’s introduction, it continues to be one of the Korean automaker’s most familiar products. Yet new rivals now threaten its continued popularity.

Over the past 24 years, a total of 4.6 million Sonatas have been sold, over 3.6 million in Korea and 1 million overseas, making it an iconic name in Hyundai history.

The first Sonata was manufactured in 1987, but the development of the vehicle dates back to 1985, when Hyundai started a project to develop a new vehicle for strategic export.

The Sonata’s body was based on the company’s earlier passenger vehicle the Stellar. It came in two versions: one with a 1.8-liter engine and another with 2.0-liter engine.

But it wasn’t until 1988, when the new version rolled out during the Seoul Olympics, that the Sonata became a major hit. Living conditions vastly improved in the aftermath of the Seoul games, and the hype that came to Korea after it hosted the event contributed to a boom in sales of the vehicle. The second-generation Sonata became a symbol of economic growth and the good life for middle-class families.

Hyundai continued revising the model, and the third-generation Sonata was introduced in 1993, followed by a more minor update in 1996, solidifying its popularity.

The Sonata’s legacy only grew when South Korea was hit by the financial crisis that swept Asia in 1998.

Even with consumption down and massive layoffs at the time, Hyundai Motor pushed ahead with the introduction of the EF Sonata, which was equipped with a V6 engine developed in-house by the Korean automaker. That model came in first among all car sales in Korea for nearly two years.

In 2002, an upgraded version of the EF Sonata with headlights resembling those of a Mercedes-Benz and a body that recalled Jaguar was sold in the market.

Then, in 2004, Hyundai Motor started selling its fifth-generation NF Sonata, and last year the sixth-generation YF Sonata was released.

Hyundai last week unveiled a YF Sonata with a 2.4-liter engine to quash strengthening competitors such as the Renault Samsung SM5.

Those competitors, including Toyota and Renault Samsung Motors, have begun to sell strong models equivalent to the Sonata in performance but cheaper in price, so it may not be as easy as it once was for the Sonata to hold on at the top, but it will always have its place in history.


By Lee Ho-jeong [ojlee82@joongang.co.kr]
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2915713

Hyundai Sonata Soars to Top Tier in Residual Value

By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff Reporter

For drivers who seek to buy models with the least depreciation in prices, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS might be the perfect fit as it is found to have the best-in-class residual value.

The Automotive Lease Guide (ALG), the industry consultancy in the United States, gave a 36-month residual value of 54 percent for the 2011 Sonata, one of the highest among the mid-size car category.

This means buyers of the Hyundai vehicles can resell them at 54 percent of the initial price tags, three years after the purchase. For example, if a U.S. citizen snaps up the model today at $20,000, he or she will be able to dispose of it at around $11,000 in 2013.

Hyundai said that the high residual value, which marks a progress of more than 10 percentage points from the previous survey, topped the models of its competitors such as Toyota, Nissan, Ford and Chevrolet in addition to premium brands such as Lexus, BMW and Mercedes.

``Hyundai's model lineup continues to evolve and the completely redesigned 2011 Sonata punctuates the tremendous evolution in Hyundai performance, design, safety and quality,'' Troy Saito, manager of Hyundai Motor America, said in a statement.

``Strong residual value has become another element in Hyundai's overall value equation, reducing the overall cost of ownership and allowing us to offer strong lease options to our customers.''

Other Hyundai models also advanced. The 2010 Genesis sedan chalked up residual value of 47.5 percent according to the ALG.

The figures were 52.3 percent and 49 percent each for the all-new Genesis Coupe and the 2010 Veracruz.

Residual value is one of the most important criteria for U.S. customers to select cars because trading of second-hand vehicles remains high in the world's largest economy.

voc200@koreatimes.co.kr

Hyundai Sonata Named Top Safety Pick in US

Hyundai Motor''s Sonata YF has been named the "Top Safety Pick for 2010" by the U.S.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), JoongAng Ilbo said Saturday.

The selection measures included front and side crash tests, a rollover trial, and protection against neck injuries, in addition to case studies going as far back as 30 years, the article said, citing the company.

IIHS, first established in 1959, is a nonprofit research and communications organization funded by auto insurers, its Web site said.

Japan's Toyota, which was placed on the list in 2009, has none of its models enter the inventory this time, JoongAng said, likely due to its recent safety problems.

Meanwhile, the Automotive Lease Guide (ALG), an industry consultancy in the United States, earlier this month gave a 36-month residual value of 54 percent for the 2011 Sonata, one of the highest among the mid-size car category.

Residual value is one of the most important criteria for U.S. customers to select cars because trading of second-hand vehicles remains high in the world's second-largest auto market.

China overtook the U.S. to become the world's biggest car market, China said last month.

sunny.lee@koreatimes.co.kr

Hyundai Motor to Recall 47,300 Sonatas

By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter

Hyundai Motor will recall about 46,000 of its new Sonata sedans here and another 1,300 in the United States after the cars were discovered to have defective door locks, company officials said Wednesday.

The recall comes at an unfortunate time for Korea's largest carmaker, which hopes to avoid a Toyota-like public relations disaster amid increasing scrutiny over vehicle malfunctions.

Safety concerns have forced the Japanese auto giant to recall about 8.5 million cars worldwide and its President Akio Toyoda is set to testify before the U.S. Congress over the issue.

Hyundai will report the decision to Korea's Ministry of Land Transport and Maritime Affairs and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the next few days and announce a voluntary recall in both countries sometime in March.

According to Hyundai, the hinge on the front doors of the 2011 Sonata sedans could get stuck and prevent the door from closing when a passenger pulls down the door latch and holds down the lock at the same time.

The problem involves about 46,000 cars made in Korea prior to Dec. 6 and more than 5,000 cars produced by the company's Alabama factory before Feb. 16, of which 1,300 have already been sold to U.S. drivers.

The glitch was first discovered by a U.S. Hyundai employee and confirmed in two of the vehicles produced by the Alabama factory, company officials said.

"The same problem hasn't been found or reported in the Sonatas sold in Korea, but since we used the same component that caused the problem before it was replaced, we decided on a quick recall," a Hyundai spokesman said.

"Of the 3,700 cars produced by the Alabama factory through mid-February that remain unsold in the U.S., we will fix the doors by replacing the problematic parts with new ones and put them back on sale. No problems have been found in cars manufactured after mid-February."

The recall is obviously a letdown for Hyundai, as the first 2011 Sonata sedans, the company's most anticipated product in years, have just started reaching U.S. dealers.

The car, named YF Sonata here, has been the top-selling vehicle in Korea since its release last October.

The new Sonatas have been garnering generally positive reviews in the U.S., with several media outlets rating the cars highly for its design, fuel efficiency and smooth driving.

According to the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, there were 123 consumer complaints involving the new Sonatas issued in the last three months.

The agency said that 49 of the complaints were related to the gearbox or other electrical issues, 45 involved the wheels and other driving problems, while 11 were related to engine problems.

Hyundai窶冱 strength in affordable, fuel-efficient cars allowed it to be one of the few major automakers to weather the global economic crisis and finish 2009 on a high note.

The company particularly benefited from an improved reputation in the U.S. market, where sales rose more than 8 percent last year.

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr

Hyundai recalling Sonatas with lock malfunction

February 25, 2010

Hyundai Motor’s 2011 YF Sonata will be subject to a recall due to a locking malfunction. Provided by the company
Hyundai Motor plans a voluntary recall of 2011 YF Sonata sedans in Korea and the United States due to malfunctions with front-door locks, Hyundai said yesterday. The recall affects 46,000 cars in Korea and 5,000 in the U.S.

“We put utmost priority on the safety of our customers and decided on the recall,� Hyundai said in a statement.

Hyundai will notify the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs of Korea this week and start the recall next month, Hyundai said.

The recall targets YF Sonata sedans manufactured in Korea before Dec. 6 as well as units produced at Hyundai’s U.S. plant in Montgomery, Alabama, before Feb. 16. The recall is limited to vehicles made prior to the specific dates because the automaker said it already replaced the faulty components on vehicles produced later.

The front-door lock malfunction could prevent front-seat passengers from opening their doors or doors from closing properly.

A Hyundai spokesperson said that “the defect would not cause danger directly to passengers.�

All 46,000 cars involved in the Korean recall had been sold while only 1,300 of the 5,000 vehicles subject to the U.S. recall were already in the hands of customers. Sale of the involved vehicles has been suspended.

Hyundai has already begun shipping replacement door latches to dealers and expects to resume the sale of the models “within days,� Hyundai said. Hyundai’s flagship sedan went on sale earlier this month in the United States while the vehicle was launched in Korea last September.

The decision to order the recall came less than a day after the U.S. magazine AutoWeek reported that Hyundai Motor America suspended the sale of some 2011 YF Sonata vehicles due to a front-door locking malfunction.

The decision by Korea’s leading automaker came at a sensitive time. Japan’s Toyota Motor has ordered a worldwide recall of over 10 million cars due to defective brake systems.

In the wake of Toyota’s problems, Hyundai’s U.S. sales rose 24.4 percent to 30,503 units in January from the same period a year ago.

Analysts say it is too early to say whether the recall will affect Hyundai’s sales in the United States. “The defect with the Hyundai Sonata is not as serious, though the market is reacting sensitively to the recall because of the massive recall by Toyota,� said Park Young-ho, a senior analyst at Daewoo Securities.

Only last week, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata earned the Top Safety Pick award from the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. To qualify for the award, a vehicle must earn the highest rating on the agency’s front, side, rear and rollover tests and be equipped with electronic stability control.

The price of Hyundai’s shares fell more than 4 percent in early trading yesterday but later recovered some ground, closing the day down 2.56 percent at 114,000 won ($98.80).


By Limb Jae-un [jbiz91@joongang.co.kr]

Hyundai Recalls New Sonata Hyundai Motor is recalling its new Sonata sedan in Korea and the U.S. due to faulty latches on the vehicle's front doors, it said Wednesday. The recall affects about 1,300 vehicles produced in the U.S. between Dec. 1 last year and Feb. 16 this year, and another 47,000 manufactured in Korea from Sept. 3 to Dec. 6 last year.

The huge difference in numbers is because sales in the U.S. only began this month, while the new Sonata has been on the market here since last September.

When opening the front door and then trying to close it again while the vehicle is stationary, the latch sometimes gets stuck and the door can't be closed, Hyundai said. While it is clear with the naked eye that the door has not closed and a warning sign appears on the dashboard and accidents are therefore unlikely, it decided on a pre-emptive recall just in case.

The firm says in vehicles produced after the affected period the problem has already been fixed.

Hyundai also plans to halt the sale of the 5,000 Sonatas already displayed in dealerships in the U.S. until the parts have been replaced. In Korea, the company will notify the Ministry of Land, Transportation and Marine Affairs of the recall within the week and fix the parts starting next month.
englishnews@chosun.com / Feb. 25, 2010 09:13 KST

Hyundai recalling SUVs in U.S.

Faulty air bags feared in 515 Tucsons produced between November 10 and 30
March 03, 2010


Hyundai Motor Co., Korea’s leading automaker, is recalling 515 sport-utility vehicles in the United States because of an air bag malfunction, the company said yesterday.

Hyundai said it discovered defects in the air bag system in the front passenger seat, and began the recall last month.

The recall affects Tucson SUVs produced in Korea between Nov. 10 and 30 last year and exported to the United States.

Hyundai notified the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the defects on Feb. 12, according to the company. Hyundai said it is unaware of any injuries related to the recalled part.

Tucsons sold in the United States are equipped with different air bags than those in domestically sold cars. They have a special device that prevents the air bag from activating if a child sits in the front passenger seat, even in case of an accident.

Accordingly, the Tucson models sold in Korea are not subject to the recall, the automaker said.

Hyundai began selling 2010 Tucsons in the United States in January, with sales there reaching 2,216 units last month.

“Properly seated adult front-seat passengers weighing more than about 240 pounds, or 108 kilograms, can cause the passive occupant detection system [PODS] module program to illuminate the ‘air bag’ warning lamp,� the NHTSA said in its recalls summary.

“If the ‘air bag’ warning lamp is illuminated, the passenger air bag will deploy if there’s a crash of sufficient force to require front air bag deployment, and it will not be deactivated if a child is seated in the right front seat position, which may increase the risk of injury to a child riding in front.�

Hyundai will reprogram defective PODS modules for free, according to Inside Line.

The notice of the recall came less than a week after Hyundai recalled about 46,000 new Sonata sedans in Korea and another 1,300 in the United States over a glitch in the front-door locks.


By Limb Jae-un [jbiz91@joongang.co.kr]

Hyundai Motor unveils Sonata hybrid car
April 1, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. unveils its Sonata hybrid model at the New York International Auto Show on March 31. (Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor) (Yonhap)
(END) Hyundai Motor unveils Sonata hybrid car
April 1, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. unveils its Sonata hybrid model at the New York International Auto Show on March 31. (Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor) (Yonhap)
(END)

Hyundai unveils Sonata hybrid in New York
2010-04-04 17:05
http://koreaherald.heraldm.com/national/De...=20100404000233



The country’s two largest carmakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. are showing off their wares as the 2010 New York International Auto Show opened its doors to the public on Friday.

At the show Hyundai has put on display the hybrid electric version of the mid-sized sedan Sonata for the first time.

With the hybrid Sonata, which will be the company’s first hybrid electric car sold outside of Korea, Hyundai is making bold claims that the car is more efficient than hybrid electric cars from rival carmakers such as Toyota and GM.

The hybrid Sonata is equipped with 2.4-liter gasoline engine and six-speed automatic transmission designed specifically for the hybrid car.

According to the company, the lithium-ion polymer batteries used in the vehicle are 30 percent lighter than nickel-metal batteries used in other hybrid electric vehicles. The 30 kilowatt electric motor used in the vehicle is also 18 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than those used in competing models.

According to the company, the combination of the car’s 171 brake horsepower gasoline engine and 40 brake horsepower motor manages 39 miles per gallon (16.7 kilometers per liter) in highway conditions and 37 miles per gallon under urban conditions.

In comparison, the Toyota Camry Hybrid manages 31 miles per gallon in city conditions and 35 miles per gallon in highway conditions.

In addition to the hybrid electric Sonata, the company also unveiled the Sonata fitted with the 2-liter Theta turbo GDi engine.

In addition to the two new versions of the Sonata, the company is putting on display the luxury sedan Equus at the show.

One of the most expensive vehicles from local carmakers in the Korean market, the Equus will mark Hyundai’s first foray into the higher end U.S. market when the company begins exporting the vehicle to the United States in July.

Hyundai’s sister carmaker Kia is using the event to show off the new mid-sized sedan K5, which will be launched on the local market in May, to international audiences.

The car will be launched in the U.S. market during the second half of the year.

The U.S. version of the car will be available with a 2-liter turbo GDi engine that generates up to 276 brake horsepower or a 2.4-liter GDi engine, whose power output tops out at 200 brake horsepower. In addition, Kia is planning to introduce a hybrid electric version of the vehicle during the first half of next year.

Kia is also hoping that UVO, a system that allows media devices brought into the vehicle using voice commands developed by Microsoft, will give the car an additional edge in the U.S. market.

The system comes with a 4.3-inch color touch-operated monitor, and 1 gigabit of memory.

The system will also be fitted in the Sorento R, known simply as the Sorento in overseas markets, and the new Sportage R compact crossover utility vehicle.

The New York show also provided the stage for the Sportage R’s debut in the United States, where the vehicle will go on sale during the later half of the year.

Other notable exhibits from Kia include the hatchback version of the compact car Forte that will make its way into the Korean and the U.S. markets during the second half of the year.



By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldm.com)

Will Hyundai terminate Sonata series?



Hyundai YF Sonata
Sister Kia new sedan K-5 eating away its market share

By Kim Yoo-chul
Staff reporter

Will Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group kill its "steady best-seller," the Sonata?

Hyundai officials say "absolutely not," but there appear to be signs that such an eventuality may be on the cards.

The biggest threat to Hyundai's best-selling vehicle is not from outside but from its sister firm, Kia.

Orders for Kia's K-5 sedan, which will be marketed soon, are so overwhelming as to take away from orders for the YF Sonata, a handsome-looking sedan with what Hyundai calls the product of "fluidic design."

According to the data given by the group, Thursday, 11,138 Sonata were sold locally in April, a decrease of 23.6 percent from a month ago.

The local sales of all Hyundai cars fell by 14.4 percent last month from the previous month. The plunge in Sonata sales was rare.

"Hyundai has previously been enjoying buoyant sales of the model during the first quarter. But situation has changed," a high-ranking industry executive said.

Hyundai officials say that the drop in Sonata sales will be transient so there is no need to determine whether to put an end to the Sonata series.

"It is different from Volkswagen's Beetle, which took decades to see a follow-up model," a Hyundai official said. "Cars in the Sonata series are often totally different cars from each other."

Still, the numbers don't look good, although any termination of the Sonata series would prove to be a hard pill to swallow, considering its flagship position in the Hyundai lineup.

For the first three months of this year, the combined sales of the Sonata were 40,720 and the sales curve was impressive ・14,575 for March, 12,217 in February and 13,928 in January.

It remains debatable over what the decisive factors for the sudden drop are. But analysts and watchers cite higher appetites for the K5 by consumers as one possible reason.

Officials at Kia Motors said it has so far sealed a total of 9,000 contracts, including 6,000 pre-orders from March 5, which they claim is "impressive."

"We are receiving more calls about the K5. It is yet to be seen whether the popularity of the model will continue for the remainder of this year," an official at Kia said.

The new model has a low, wide stance, while a long wheelbase. Short overhangs will serve to set it apart from its global segment competitors, Kia believes.

Developed under the TF codename, the K5 uses the same front-wheel drive Type-N platform as the recently launched Hyundai Sonata and Kia K7 sedans.

Launch engines consist of Hyundai-Kia existing 1.8 and 2.4-litre gasoline I4s, while the existing model 2.0-litre diesel will be replaced by the more modern 2.2-litre R-engine. A gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain is due to be added in Korea, Canada and the United States in 2011.

"It is forecast Kia will undertake aggressive promotions in terms of pricing. The demand for Sonatas will continue. Who knows if top Kia officials want cannibalization to fuel the ongoing momentum for its external growth," Song Chang-hoon, an analyst at Kyobo Securities, said, adding the local brokerage still maintains its "overweight" position for Kia Motors.

By whatever measure of increasing sales ・higher in general or eating into Sonata sales ・K5 could crimp the Sonata margins, according to watchers.

Korean companies heat up World Cup frenzy
2010-05-05 17:08



Major firms are preparing for numerous promotional events and media commercials depicting World Cup fever. Some have even released products with festive images of the event to become better known to worldwide spectators.

Hyundai Motor Co., the country’s largest carmaker, plans to host street cheering events around the country in cooperation with municipal offices and non-profit organizations next month. Since Hyundai Motor is a FIFA partner, the automaker can use official emblems, mascots and logos of the South Africa World Cup during the street cheering event

Kia Motors Corp., an affiliate of Hyundai Motor, has plans for a nationwide road show with its best-selling vehicles -- compact car Forte and compact crossover vehicle Soul.


Korean soccer fans with their new red T-shirts and towels jointly designed by SK Telecom and Adidas for the street cheering events. SK Telecom
The carmaker with SK Telecom, the country’s leading mobile carrier, plans to select 16 volunteers to drive 160,000 kilometers around the country, spreading the nation’s wish for the team making it to the second round. Since its debut in 1954 in Switzerland, South Korea has only made it to the second round once in 2002, when it played at home.

Lotte Department Store, Korea’s major retailer, will open movie theaters for cheering squads for three matches scheduled next month. In the World Cup, Korea will face Greece in the Group B opening match on June 12, Argentina on June 17 and Nigeria on June 22.

On June 12, the Lotte Group will also invite 10,000 customers to an ice rink at its theme park, Lotte World, and hold cheering events for the national team.

Korean companies are doing their bit to add to World Cup spirit through soccer themed TV ads while also garnering attention to their products.

Samsung Electronics has already signed contracts with three Korean soccer players who are playing in pro-European fields -- Park Ji-sung of Manchester United, Park Chu-young of AS Monaco and Lee Chung-yong of the Bolton Wanderers -- to promote its new 3-D TV. SK Telecom has chosen two K-pop singers -- Psy and Kim Jang-hoon -- famous for their passion for the World Cup, to make direct appeals to younger customers.

Park Ji-sung is probably the most famous Korean player and is also being favored by companies. His name has even become a brand name for some products.

GS25, a major convenient store chain in Korea, has put the name and pictures of “Park Ji-sung� on 10 of its products including triangle kimbap, mineral water and sausages.

Fashion retailers are no exception.

FILA and LK Sport have released new red T-shirts with the catch phrase “Go Korea.� Accessories such as caps and bags exclusively designed for the World Cup are enough to attract young fashion-conscious soccer fans.

Samsung Electronics, the world’s top memory chip manufacturer, will hold a series of promotional events in South Africa targeting international soccer fans visiting during the World Cup finals.

The project named “Samsung Mobile Live� will have Samsung’s mobile products displayed at major shopping malls in major cities of South Africa and offer gifts for event participants.

Hyundai Motor will host road shows in 32 countries qualified to compete in the World Cup. The carmaker and Kia have also opened a website about the World Cup in English, French, German, Spanish and Korean.

Hyundai Motor expects that its promotional events and TV commercials will significantly boost its brand image as well as sales.

“It is too early to say how much we would gain through the events and ads but we expects to see real benefits around the world,� a PR manager at the company’s Seoul office said.

In the 2002 South Korea-Japan World Cup, Hyundai Motor said its brand recognition was boosted by 10 percent, while the event generated an estimated 6.2 trillion won ($5.5 billion) in publicity.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldm.com)

K5 Dethrones Sonata as Top-Selling Car The Kia K5 The newly-released Kia K5 has outsold the Hyundai Sonata in the domestic market, according to an industry report released on Thursday.

Kia Motors sold 10,673 units of the K5 last month while sister company Hyundai Motor sold 9,957 Sonatas. It is the first time a Kia mid-sized sedan has topped the monthly sales chart since the company was acquired by Hyundai in 1998.

The K5 hit the market in late May and sold 3,552 units within the first week of its debut.

Market watchers are calling the K5's rise above the Sonata an industry landmark. The Sonata was the invincible leader of the mid-sized sedan category for 11 years, and it continually ruled the monthly sales chart except for July 2003 when it was overtaken by the Renault Samsung SM5 due to a Hyundai labor strike.

In June, Hyundai was surpassed by Kia in nearly all categories. In the large sedan segment, Kia sold 3,829 K7s compared to Hyundai's 1,869 Grandeurs. It is the first time Hyundai has sold less than 2,000 units of the Grandeur since 2005 when it introduced the Grandeur TG.

In the compact SUV class, Kia's Sportage R outpaced Hyundai's Tucson iX by 4,176 to 3,967. Kia also beat Hyundai in the mid-sized SUV category, selling 2,958 units of the Sorrento compared to Hyundai's 2,589 Santa Fes. The Avante was the only Hyundai car that survived the challenge from Kia last month.

Nevertheless, Hyundai managed to defend its champion title in terms of total monthly sales, outselling Kia by around 4,000 vehicles when commercial vans and large trucks are taken into consideration. Kia doesn't produce vans or trucks.

Based on sales of passenger cars and recreational vehicles alone, Kia has beaten Hyundai and taken first place for two consecutive months. Hyundai is predicted to remain weak in the two segments in the domestic market until the release of its new Avante in August.

Meanwhile, the nation's five major automakers sold a combined 595,169 cars in the domestic and overseas markets in June, up 25 percent on-year. Hyundai's sales grew 11.3 percent, while Renault Samsung's surged 64 percent and GM Daewoo's 89 percent.
englishnews@chosun.com / Jul. 02, 2010 10:08 KST

Hyundai Sonata Earns Top Rating from U.S. Consumer Reports Hyundai Motor's redesigned Sonata was selected as a top-rated family sedan by Consumer Reports in its New Car Preview 2011 published on Monday. The car appeared on the cover of the U.S. magazine, a first for a Korean auto.

"The Sonata has agile handling, a steady ride, good accommodations, easy-to-use controls, and impressive performance and fuel economy for the class," the independent consumer watchdog said.

Hyundai was also named among "the top five most considered brands by new car shoppers" in a survey by Kelley Blue Book, pushing aside Nissan to join the list for the first time. Ford topped the list, followed by Toyota, Chevrolet and Honda.

The survey by KBB, one of the most trusted auto buying guides in the U.S., was conducted between April and June on 3,000 consumers.
englishnews@chosun.com / Aug. 12, 2010 09:19 KST
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_d...0081200460.html

新型Sonata，登上美《消費者報告》封面
金善河 記者 | 2010.08.12 09:56

現代汽車的新型Sonata登上美國消費者聯盟發行的《消費者報告》汽車特輯封面。

《消費者報告》8月9日（當地時間）發行的2011年型汽車特輯封面刊登了新型Sonata的照片，有評價稱，“此款汽車是最優秀的家庭轎車â€�。這是韓國汽車首次登上《消費者報告》封面。本次特輯刊登了在美國出售的280種2011年型汽車模型的介紹和評價資料。

該雜誌評價新型Sonata，“擺脫了以前單調的模型，更加乾練â€�，“保持了現有Sonata的優點，集優良的乘車感、可駕馭性、低油費於一身â€�。還稱“該車具備現代汽車家用轎車最優良的品質，已躋身世界強者之列â€�。該車7月在美國共賣出17836輛，名列第八。

《消費者報告》針對現代汽車今年年末即將進入美國的Equus評價道：“該車僅次於Lexus LS460â€�。該雜誌向消費者推薦的汽車中包括現代和起亞。小型wagon、轎車類，現代汽車i30（出口名Elantra Wagon）和Avante（Elantra Sedan），在轎車類中，現代汽車Grandeu（Azera），Wagon類中，起亞汽車New Carens（Rondo）榜上有名。

韓國中央日報中文網 http://cn.joins.com/big5
高效能汽車零件產品

Hyundai's Sonata Poised to Overtake Honda Accord in U.S. Hyundai's Sonata is on track to pull ahead of one of the best-selling cars in the U.S. Sonata sales have been on the rise while those of the Honda Accord have been shrinking, according to U.S. dealers. If the current pace keeps up, the Sonata will likely beat the Accord in terms of number of cars sold this year.

Hyundai sold 21,399 Sonatas in the U.S. in August, only 1,107 units less than the Accord. This was unimaginable just one or two years ago, as the Accord and Toyota's Camry have been near invincible leaders in the mid-sized sedan market. In 2008, the Accord sold 373,000 units and the Camry 437,000, while Sonata posted sales of no more than 117,000 cars. But Hyundai has been closing the gap, with Sonata sales increasing to 17,836 units in July, just 5,100 less than the Accord.

Part of the reason the Accord is losing its edge is its age. The current model was introduced three years ago, while the latest Sonata debuted in the U.S. early this year. Sales of the Accord have slid from 39,726 units in August last year to 23,032 in July and 22,506 in August this year.

"The excellent quality of the new Sonata is very appealing to U.S. customers, and it's priced around the same as the Accord," a Hyundai spokesperson said. "The Sonata is selling so well that customers have to wait a month before receiving them."

Hyundai plans to address the backlog by boosting output at its plant in Alabama where the Sonata is produced alongside the Santa Fe crossover SUV. Production of the Santa Fe is being moved to Kia Motors' plant in Georgia, freeing up resources for the Alabama plant, which has a production capacity of 300,000 vehicles a year, to churn out up to 27,000 Sonatas a month.

The popularity of the Sonata is expected to continue to rise in the U.S., as the Korean automaker plans to release new models back to back -- a high-performance version with a 2-liter turbocharged engine in October and a fuel-efficient hybrid that can travel 17 km per liter of gas in November.
englishnews@chosun.com / Sep. 10, 2010 09:16 KST

Hyundai Sonata Recall in U.S. Prompts Concerns of Falling Quality Workers examine Sonatas on an assembly line at Hyundai Motor's plant in Alabama in the U.S. /Bloomberg Hyundai Motor's recall of its flagship Sonata sedan in the U.S. has triggered fears of eroding quality at Korea's largest carmaker. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Sunday that 139,500 Sonatas of model year 2011 manufactured at Hyundai's Alabama plant between Dec. 11, 2009 and Sept. 10, 2010 would be recalled. The recall affects nearly every Sonata sold in the U.S. during that period.

◆ Handful of Complaints Lead to Massive Recall

The NHTSA began investigating in August all Hyundai and Kia vehicles sold in the U.S. following two consumer complaints over the Sonata and one regarding the Kia Soul, all involving steering issues. Although the number of complaints was low, the agency opened the probe due to concerns that the problems could potentially result in serious accidents.

According to Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, a defect was found in some Soul cars in bolt connections that hold the power steering system together. A complaint about the Sonata stemmed from noise and vibration due to a faulty connection in the power steering system, while another issue was that the steering system separated because of poor assembly. Both problems were due to faulty assembly.

"Less than 10 cars were affected by the defects, and no accidents have occurred as a result of them," a Hyundai spokesman said. "We will proceed swiftly with the recall in October."

Since the recall does not involve accidents or structural defects, it is not expected to deal a heavy blow to Hyundai. But Lee Sung-shin, head of BMR Consulting, said, "It's possible that Hyundai's brand image of dependable quality at a reasonable price could take a hit to some extent."

◆ Rapid Expansion Can Cause Quality Deterioration

The recall could worsen if more quality issues emerge. Problems with the door-lock mechanism surfaced when the revamped Sonata first hit U.S. showrooms in February, but a quick recall of affected models prevented the issue from escalating. But the latest recall involves a much larger number of vehicles, sparking more concerns over quality.

Hyundai-Kia subcontractors say the carmaker's quality control process has been stretched to its limit by a rapid increase in output. "We are working through the night as orders for new vehicles have risen between 50 to 100 percent compared to targets set at the beginning of the year," an source at a subcontractor said.

Despite the global economic slump, Hyundai-Kia's sales rose from 4.18 million vehicles in 2008 to 4.64 million last year. Sales this year are expected to surpass the company's projection of 5.4 million vehicles, resulting in a record 9.3 percent global market share. Sales in Korea, the U.S. and China are also forecast to hit all-time highs this month.

Experts say Hyundai-Kia should heed Toyota's mistake of expanding too quickly. The Japanese carmaker began a rapid expansion strategy in 2000 to boost its global market share to 15 percent by accounting for 10 million of the 70 million cars sold worldwide per year. But over the past year it has recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide over defects such as pedals that stuck or snagged on floor mats.

"Rapid increases in production can eventually lead to problems in maintaining quality," said Kim Ki-chan, professor of automotive industry economics at the Catholic University of Korea. "If quality deteriorates, Hyundai could have a serious crisis on its hands."
englishnews@chosun.com / Sep. 27, 2010 10:33 KST http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_d...0092700499.html

Sonata Picked Among 10 Best Cars for 2011 in U.S.Hyundai's new Sonata sedan has been named one of the top cars for 2011.

In its annual "10Best" list of cars priced under US$80,000, U.S. magazine Car and Driver praised the latest Sonata's "undeniable greatness" under the headline "The Student Has Suddenly Become the Teacher."


Its direct-injection four-cylinder engine "makes more [horse]power than competitors' V-6s," but the model doesn't "sacrifice on the very reasonably sized back seat and generous trunk," the magazine noted.

Hyundai said the independent assessment proves that it is no longer playing catching up with its competitors, but is now taking the lead in the industry.

Other cars on the list include the BMW 3 series, Cadillac's CTS-V, the Chevrolet Volt, Ford's Mustang GT, Honda's Accord and Fit, the MX-5 Miata from Mazda, Porsche's Boxster/Cayman, and the Golf/GTI from Volkswagen.
englishnews@chosun.com / Nov. 26, 2010 08:54 KST
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_d...0112600356.html

Sonata among N. American award finalists
2010-12-19 18:40


Hyundai Motor Co.’s mid-sized sedan Sonata was included among the finalists for the North American Car of the Year, the company said Friday.

The Sonata will compete with the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf electric cars for the award.

Sonata.

If the Sonata is successful in winning the award, it will be the second Korean vehicle to be named the North American Car of the Year. In 2009 Hyundai’s sports sedan Genesis was given the honors for the first time for a Korean vehicle.

In a separate development, the Sonata was named the best buy in the midsized segment along with the Kia K5 by the U.S. website Consumer Guide Automotive, the company said.

Along with the two sedans, Hyundai’s Genesis and Equus were chosen as the best buy in the premium large car category, while the Kia Sorento R was picked for the midsized SUV.

(cheesuk@heraldm.com)

Hyundai Sonata Named Car of the Year in U.S. PollMembers of USA Today's online auto community Drive On voted the Hyundai Sonata sedan as the 2011 Car of the Year.

In the poll conducted by America's largest print newspaper, the Sonata received 48 percent of the 4,400 votes, compared to 23 percent for the Chevrolet Volt and 5 percent for Nissan’s Leaf.

Notable style, fuel efficiency and price value were cited as the reasons for the Sonata's win.

The best-selling Korean car in the U.S. also has been named as one of three finalists for the North American Car of the Year. Over 200,000 Sonatas were sold in North America in 2010.
Arirang News / Jan. 05, 2011 11:55 KST

Sonata clears Japan minefield of hybrid patents
04-15-2011 19:36

Hyundai Motor President Yang Seung-suk, right, and teenage environmentalist Jonathan Lee pose with the Sonata Hybrid at Seoul Motor Show 2011 held in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, March 31. The full hybrid mid-size sedan has dodged patents registered by Japanese companies and is built on domestic, cutting edge technology. / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor

Hyundai Motor best-selling sedan runs on own clean driving technology
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2011/04/123_85301.html
By Kim Da-ye

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, displayed at the Seoul Motor Show 2011 last week, isn just another hybrid vehicle.

With many existing eco-friendly technologies patented by Japanese firms, Hyundai Motor, Korea largest automaker, succeeded in avoiding patent infringement by inventing its own hybrid drive system.

Full-hybrid technology is known to be difficult and complex to develop, and only a handful of automakers including Japan Toyota Motor and General Motors of the U.S. have done so, Kim Pil-soo, auto expert and professor at Daelim University, said.

it is meaningful that the full hybrid mid-size sedan has dodged patents registered by the Japanese and that the nation first hybrid car is built on domestic, cutting edge technology.
The hybrid vehicle market is nearly saturated with patents. Toyota is known to have more than 4,000 hybrid-vehicle related patents in the U.S. which represents more than 40 percent of all relevant patents filed, the American tech publication, Wired, wrote last July.

While the Japanese juggernaut tries to cash in from licensing key technologies and to hinder other automakers・green car development, ironically, it was also sued several times for patent infringement.

Toyota, for instance, settled last July a case brought by on Paice, a small company set up by a Russian-American university professor who had patented a form of hybrid vehicle technology in 1994.

Sonata Hybrid and Kia Motors・K5 Hybrid adopt a parallel hybrid system while their competitors including Toyota use power split technology.

The Blue Drive hybrid system places the relatively small electric motor between the engine and the transmission and uses a clutch to control power from the engine.

At low speeds, the clutch disconnects and the vehicle drives in the full-electric mode with the motor. At a high speed, the clutch connects, turning on both the motor and the engine.

When the car slows down, the battery charges from regenerative breaking, and once returning to a lower speed, it drives on the charged battery.

Hyundai installed the newly developed two-liter Nu hybrid engine that produces 150 horsepower and the 30kW hard-type hybrid motor that generates 41 horsepower. The vehicle has 191 horsepower in total, and both the Sonata and the K5 show a fuel efficiency of 21 kilometers per liter (km/l), compared to Toyota Prius・29 km/l.

In Toyota Prius, the most-famous hybrid vehicle that represents the power-split technology, the lanetary gear set・replaces the role of Sonata clutch.

A set of gears connect the engine, the generator and the motor. At a low speed, the gear that connects to the motor turns on, working the electronic motor and switching another gear that starts the generator.

When reaching a certain speed, the engine turns on, provided by extra power from the generator.

The usage of the clutch was Hyundai idea to produce hybrid vehicles without overlapping Toyota technology, a Hyundai Motor official said.

He said that the automaker is investing in eco-friendly cars including electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell cars more than ever, but the budget is still small, which he described as drop in the ocean" compared to the investment by Toyota.

When asked how Hyundai could come up with its own hybrid system with a limited budget, he said it may be due to the hardworking, brainy research team.

Both the Sonata Hybrid and the K5 come with a six-speed automatic transmission tailored for hybrid vehicles which Hyundai Motor Group touts as the world first of its kind.

Compared to the continuously variable transmission (CVT) built in the Prius, the Hyundai official said that the six-speed transmission could make driving more fun.

In addition, Hyundai claimed in a press release, the top three gear ratios in the transmission have been extended to ensure the engine runs at lower RPMs and the electric motor assisted system reduces demand on the engine
Hyundai also touts using lithium polymer batteries manufactured by LG Chem instead of the more common nickel-metal hybrid batteries.

tithium polymer batteries deliver the same power with 20 to 30 percent less weight, 40 percent less volume and 10 percent greater efficiency over the nickel-metal hybrid batteries found in today hybrids,・Hyundai said. They also offer 1.7 times more energy density than their counterparts and their charge lasts 1.25 times longer.

Hyundai launched hybrid vehicles such as the Avante LPi hybrid in the past. But they were wild hybrids・that merely added a motor to the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) engine.

A mild hybrid vehicle uses mainly the engine and gets the extra power from the electric motor. The structure results in only a limited saving of energy, Kim Pil-soo said.

Kim added that for Sonata Hybrid and K5 Hybrid to take off, the government will have to actively promote hybrid vehicles to turn around the public perspective on eco-friendly cars.

views on the existing LPi hybrids aren always favorable, and some consumers do not like them for their high prices. Hybrid vehicles need publicity for the public approval of the technology like that in Japan

kimdaye@koreatimes.co.kr

Hyundai, Kia launch hybrid Sonata, K5
2011-05-01 19:16

Voiceware Text Report: Ronaldo set to announce... FIFA criticized for style Park scores as Monaco sink Lori... S. Korea, Turkey draw 0-0 in so... Argentina trips Portugal 2-1
Hyundai Motor Group’s two carmakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. are receiving orders for their first gasoline-hybrid electric vehicles from Monday.

While the carmakers had introduced hybrid electric vehicles based on the compact cars Avante and Forte with liquefied natural gas-electric powertrain, the hybrid Sonata and K5 are their first gasoline-electric hybrids.

The vehicles are fitted with the newly developed 2-liter Nu engine that puts out 150 brake horsepower and a 30-kilowatt electric motor, the combination of which puts their fuel economy at 21 kilometers per liter. The two are fitted with six-speed automatic transmission developed specifically for hybrid electric vehicles.

According to the companies, the electric motor fitted in the two hybrid models is 18 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than those used in hybrid electric vehicles from rival carmakers.

In Hyundai Motor Group’s hybrid electric system, the engine clutch remains open when the vehicle is starting and when driving at low speeds enabling the vehicle to be powered without contribution from the engine.

When the vehicle is moving uphill and at higher speeds, the clutch is engaged bringing both the engine and the electric motor into play.

The vehicles are also the world’s first hard-type electric hybrid vehicles ― hybrid electric cars that are able to operate using only electricity at low speeds ― to be fitted with a lithium ion polymer battery pack. In order to ensure pedestrian safety, both the K5 and the Sonata are fitted with a virtual engine sound system to enable pedestrians to hear the vehicles when in full-electric mode.

K5 hybrid

Sonata hybrid Hyundai Motor Co. (Sonata hybrid)

According to Hyundai Motor Group, the lithium ion polymer battery pack used in the Sonata and K5 hybrids has 63 percent higher power density and is 25 percent lighter than conventional batteries used in hybrid electric vehicles, allowing higher fuel efficiency.

The Sonata hybrid comes in two trim levels, Premier and Royal, which are priced at 29.75 million won ($27,900) and 32.95 million won.

The K5 hybrid comes in three trim levels that are priced at 29.25 million won, 30.95 million won and 31.95 million won.

The prices include the maximum tax incentive of 1.3 million won provided for eco-friendly vehicles.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldm.com): http://www.koreaherald.com/business/Detail...=20110501000223

08-31-2011 17:09

GM claims coming of 'Sonata Killer'


GM has set an October launch for its new Malibu sedan. / Korea Times

By Kim Da-ye

General Motors (GM) Chevrolet’s flagship mid-size sedan Malibu will have its first global launch in Korea planned for October, the CEO of the automaker’s Korean subsidiary said Wednesday.
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2011/09/123_93860.html
Designed and manufactured in Korea, the Malibu sedan is GM Korea’s ambitious work to take a big bite of the market for Korea’s most popular vehicle segment.

The new Malibu is the fully changed version of the Tosca, sporting stylish exteriors including tail lamps similar to those of the Chevy Camaro. Tosca was marketed by GM Daewoo, now GM Korea.

“The mid-size segment is the largest in Korea, and we haven’t had new models in this segment for a while. The Malibu will be launched in Korea before any other markets. The upper-medium market is another big opportunity for us,” Mike Arcamone, the CEO of GM Korea, said at the press conference held in the firm’s plant Bupyeong, Gyeonggi Province.

Arcamone stressed the importance of the Korean market, saying that one out of every four Chevrolet vehicles sold globally is now built in Korea.

GM Korea would begin exporting the Malibu at the end of this year to a flurry of countries while the United States would produce the model locally beginning early next year, a company official said.

The press conference was prepared mainly to highlight the successful launch of the Chevrolet brand in Korea. In the past six months between March and August, the automaker’s sales rose 27 percent from the same period last year.

The firm’s vice president of sales and marketing, Ankush Arora, said that 98 percent of respondents to a nationwide survey recognized the new brand while 55 percent had a favorable opinion toward it. Eleven percent of the surveyed were willing to buy Chevrolet vehicles.

“The market response to the 100-year-old Chevrolet brand in Korea has exceeded our expectations,” Aurora said. “Chevrolet’s success has coincided with the aggressive launch of six models in a short period of time and the roll out of a series of innovative aftersales programs such as 357 Chevy Care.”

Furthermore, Arcamone gave answers to the questions the market and consumers had been waiting to hear about.

On opinions that the automaker should get listed in the Seoul bourse to commit fully to the Korean market, the president said that GM Korea would not go public and remain the subsidiary of GM.

Regarding complaints from some drivers of the Orlando active life vehicle and the Cruze sedan that water leaked into their vehicles during heavy rainfall or even car wash, he offered an apology.

“I apologize for the inconvenience. We will repair all the cars for free. We will not neglect any quality issues with our vehicle,” the CEO assured.

With regard to a few complaints on transmission, Arcamone was firm about the auto part having no problem.

“I will set the record straight. Our transmission has no issue. We have excellent transmissions in our products that are sold across the world,” he said.

GM Korea had in the past provided reprogrammed transmissions to a group of drivers who wanted the setting of the auto part altered.

kimdaye@koreatimes.co.kr

Hyundai Offers 10-Year Warranty for Sonata Hybrid Hyundai Motor will extend the warranty period for some parts of its Sonata hybrid in Korea to 10 years. Under the scheme, consumers will receive the extended guarantee for either this time period or 200,000 km -- depending on which comes first -- for batteries, motors and hybrid power control units.

For the other parts, the current six-year or 120,000-km warranty program will continue to be applied.

Hyundai's new scheme represents the longest warranty in the industry. In the U.S. market, Toyota offers eight years or 160,000 km for its hybrid vehicles. The Japanese carmaker, meanwhile, is promoting a special offer in Korea that promises a 10-year or 300,000-km warranty for drivers who buy the Prius, its flagship hybrid, this month. The deal only covers Prius batteries.

Hyundai's offer applies not only to future sales of its Sonata hybrids but also those that have already been snapped up. The automaker is also pondering extending the warranty period for its hybrid exports to the U.S.

Kia Motors will follow suit, lengthening the warranty period for the K5 hybrid to 10 years or 200,000 km.
englishnews@chosun.com / Nov. 14, 2011 09:50 KST http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_d...1111400657.html

Sonata wins car of the year awards in China
2012-01-11 15:41
http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail...=20120111000967

Hyundai Motor Co.’s Sonata has been named the best car of the year by two Chinese car publications, industry sources here said Wednesday.

The Sonata, Hyundai Motor‘s flagship mid-size sedan, was selected as 2011 car of the year by Auto Sohu, one of the most influential automobile Web sites in China with 70 million daily visitors, according to the sources.

Based on Internet polls and expert advice, the Chinese media picked the Sonata as last year’s best car, citing the sedan‘s stylish exterior design tuned to the tastes of Chinese buyers, and its improved durability and safety.

The Sonata beat out the Benz S Class, BMW 5 series, Audi A7 and Toyota Camry, the sources noted.

The Sonata also received top place in the 2011 best cars of the year in a survey by Chinese automobile magazine Qichezu, said the sources.

The model won the highest points among 29 new cars released last year after being driven for 1,000 kilometers.

Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s leading automaker, released the new Sonata in China in April last year, and has sold an average of 10,000 units each month since September, said the company. (Yonhap News)