Hyundai-Nishat is in process of expanding its product portfolio in Pakistan. As reported late last year, the company which recently introduced the previous generation Elantra will now introduce the latest generation of Sonata sedan.
Related: History of Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai Sonata mid-sized sedan which was also displayed at PAPS 2020 will go against the likes of Toyota Camry and Honda Accord upon its arrival. Sonata for Pakistani market will likely come equipped with a Smartstream 2.5L engine that produces 176hp of power and 232Nm of torque, paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Hyundai Sonata at PAPS 2020
Although the vehicle comes available in various powertrain configurations in other markets, but the availability cannot be confirmed for our market at this stage.
Alongside Sonata, the company is also planning to introduce a locally assembled variant of the Santa Fe 7-seat mid-sized SUV. Available in a single variant as CBU, the Santa Fe in Pakistan comes powered by 2.4L naturally aspirated petrol engine churning out 170hp and 225 Nm with power channeled to all wheels via 6-speed automatic transmission.
However, with an insane price tag of PKR 1.85 crore, the Santa Fe has graced the showroom floors well. In other markets the Santa Fe competes against the likes of Kia Sorento & Toyota Fortuner (although latter is a ladder chassis SUV), but in Pakistan the locally assembled versions of Sorento and Fortuner are priced almost half compared to that of Santa Fe.
Related: Hyundai Santa Fe Price Dropped by PKR 5.0 Million
The company also recently dropped the price of Santa Fe to PKR 1.35 lac but its still way expensive compared to the aforementioned rivals. Furthermore, Hyundai Santa Fe received a thorough facelift in June 2020 featuring styling as well as performance enhancements however it is yet to be known whether we will get the latest iteration here or not. Both Sonata and Santa Fe will target premium side of the market which constitutes less than 5% of the total sales of domestic models. How well the two will fare in the market, we will have to wait to find out.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
wpDiscuz
