New Hyundai Sonata Spied Ahead of Launch

Hyundai has been working fast on the next-generation Sonata well ahead of its schedule. Camouflaged prototypes have already been spotted testing on the roads of its home market of South Korea. But now we have the first leaked pictures of the all-new Sonata caught during filming showing its exterior design completely undisguised.

The images show us that the appearance remains pretty much true to the renderings we have seen earlier. Also, there were varied reports regarding the fate of the Sonata as previously it was said that Hyundai may even kill the Sonata nameplate altogether. However, with the updated model’s arrival on the corner, it might be happening at least for a few more years.

Technical details are scarce at the moment but according to South Korean motoring portals, it’s a full model change but based on the same platform wearing a completely new design. The front end adapts the similar treatment we have seen with the new breed of Hyundai cars such as the Staria & Stargazer having a distinctive full-width light strip at the front, below which there are main headlamps flanked by a large mesh grille.

New Hyundai Sonata caught undisguised

The 8th generation Sonata (DN8) has been suffering from sluggish sales so much that Hyundai has already closed the Asan Plant line where it is being built, while the Hyundai Grandeur which is produced in the same plant is selling like hotcakes. The Grandeur is enjoying the best-ever sales moment, surpassing 10,000 units on a monthly basis, and has earned its name as ‘Best Selling Car’ in its home market. According to data, it accounts for nearly 35% of Hyundai’s sales in the Korean market. On the other hand, 8th gen Sonata has been suffering from sluggish sales witnessing a 31% decline compared to the previous year.

Inside Hyundai, the DN8 is being admitted as a failed model, so the company decided to skip a mid-cycle facelift in favor of a full model change (codenamed DN9). The North American versions bear a codename of DN9a.

The new DN9 Hyundai Sonata is expected to make its first official appearance in April 2023. The debut in North American and other international markets is expected to take place in the latter half of the year.