Beijing Hyundai Sonata 9

The Beijing headquartered carmaker launched its flagship sedan on March 20 in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, with expectations to strengthen the company's position in China's medium- and high-end passenger car market.

The shape and look of the ninth generation Beijing Hyundai Sonata was based on the new Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design, which reduced the drag coefficient to 0.27, the lowest among its peers, according to the company.

The premium-positioned model is also known as Sonata 2015 and stretches to 4,855mm, 35mm longer than the previous generation. Its 2,805mm wheelbase gives passengers more legroom.

The new design continues in the car's interior, with details around the central console and seats. The car is equipped with a new cloud computing and in-vehicle infotainment system BlueLink for a more enjoyable driving experience.

Beijing Hyundai highlighted its 1.6-liter turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection engine and the 7-speed dual-clutch shift gearbox as a leading powertrain technology for the localized Sonata 9, together with the 2.4-liter GDI engine or 2-liter engine with 6-speed automatic transmission.

The model's safety configuration is elevated to a leading level and received excellent results in safety tests including the Chinese C-NCAP, the United States' IIHS, and the European NCAP, according to the company. About 51 percent of the car body is forged by ultra-high strength steel, and at least four airbags are installed.

The standard configuration includes an Anti-lock Brake System and Electric Brake-force Distribution, Electronic Stability Control and some technologies to adjust handling and avoid side slipping.

(China Daily 03/23/2015 page18)