The 2020 Sonata will not be instantly recognizable as a Hyundai, but it is designed to be a head-turner and create buzz similar to the impact of the 2011 Sonata, says SangYup Lee, head of the Hyundai Global Design Center in Namyang, Korea.
The next-generation Sonata is one of 13 new vehicles coming this year for the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands. It will be on display at the New York auto show in April with production set to begin soon.
This is an important year as Hyundai works to rebrand itself as more emotional and sporty while still offering value and retaining its commitment to cars—more are coming next year—even as Hyundai expands its crossover lineup and still plans to add the Santa Cruz car-based pickup.
Hyundai Le Fil Rouge Concept
Designing the eighth-generation Sonata was a challenge knowing it must excite consumers who continue to forgo sedans. “The new Sonata is quite challenging for us obviously just because we all know that market is shrinking and taken over by SUVs,” Lee said in an interview with MotorTrend.
As companies such as Ford, FCA, and General Motors cut their car lineups, Hyundai found itself deciding whether to proceed with a new car. But the Sonata is integral to the brand, accounting for almost a sixth of its sales as it competes with juggernauts such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
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Hyundai chose to make a new Sonata but knew it had to be more appealing, with progressive design—no big-box sedan. “It’s almost like a four-door coupe style without compromising the usability inside,” Lee said.
“We will make big statements this year,” Lee said, akin to the 2011 Sonata, the sixth generation that made people take notice. It was one of the first coupe-style sedans, a provocative design at the time. Lee was a designer at General Motors working on Camaro and Corvette when he saw that Sonata with its distinctive profile. “I was looking at it, and I was like, ‘Wow. That is something else. And it’s going to be a hit with this market.’ As soon as I saw it, I sensed it, and second thing is, ‘why didn’t I think of that?'”
Lee thinks the 2020 Sonata can have the same impact. The design is inspired by the Le Fil Rouge concept (pictured above) shown a year ago in Geneva. Some Hyundai signature cues will remain, such as a hint of the cascading grille and the composite lens in the headlights.
But the face will not be recognizable as a Hyundai. Lee wants people to like it and take a second look and see that it’s a Hyundai. Rather than Russian nesting dolls, the goal is a portfolio of chess pieces that look and behave differently, but when they’re all together, their roles are clear.
Powertrains are uncertain. The current 1.6-liter turbocharged I-4 could be dropped while keeping the base 2.4-liter I-4 and 2.0-liter turbo-four. A Sonata N performance variant could be a candidate for the third-generation Theta turbocharged 2.5-liter. The six-speed automatic transmission could be retired with the eight-speed to fall back on as well as the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. And we expect hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
Sonata dates back to 1985 when the midsize car was first produced in Korea. It was essentially a face-lifted Hyundai Stellar with more power sold in Korea, Canada, and New Zealand to little success. The second generation in 1988 was part of Hyundai’s expansion in North America, including the U.S., and the design was by Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign. In addition to Ulsan, Korea, there was a plant in Bromont, Quebec, until it closed in 1993.
Over its various generations it has used Mitsubishi engines, migrated to a platform shared with the Kia Optima and the first Hyundai Santa Fe, and was the first host for the new Theta I-4 engine and part of the production launch in 2005 at the first U.S. plant in Montgomery, Alabama. After the eye-catching 2011 model, the current seventh-generation model was unveiled at the 2014 New York auto show with more conservative styling to bolster sales in Korea. A plug-in hybrid with a 27-mile electric-only range was added in late 2015 in 10 states. The outgoing sedan got a refresh for the 2018 model year.
Lee does design work for both Hyundai and Genesis. Although Genesis was born from Hyundai, the luxury brand has a different legacy. As Hyundai positions itself as the sporty and emotional value brand, the infant Genesis brand must be progressive and daring and strives to celebrate Korean culture.
The current G70, G80, and G90 sedans will be followed up with the first SUV, the GV80, which is coming this year. Genesis has more new vehicles coming this year, but Lee is tight-lipped about the other products on tap.
He does confirm that work continues on a production version of the Essentia sports car. It is an iconic statement to define the brand, and he says it will be even better than the concept.
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