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N. Ramakrishnan

A view of the redesigned front and rear portions of the Hyundai Sonata. — N. Ramakrishnan

Recently in Seoul

A COMPLETELY redesigned Sonata sporting a more advanced engine is all set to hit the Indian roads shortly.

The new Sonata will be the first of the three models that are now being redesigned. A new Accent, an entry-level mid-size car, is due for launch in India in mid-2006 while Hyundai Motor Company has started working on a successor to the Santro, a hatchback, due for launch in 2007.

Unveiling the new Sonata, the seventh generation one, to a team of visiting Indian journalists at the Asan plant of Hyundai Motor Company in Korea, company officials were confident that it will help revive its sales.

The new Sonata will come with a 2.4-litre "Theta" engine, part of the world technology engine series being manufactured by Hyundai Motor Company. There are 1.8 litre and 2 litre engines in this series. Hyundai hopes to come out with a 2-litre common rail diesel engine for the new Sonata in early 2006.

The new Sonata is longer than the existing one with more front and rear legroom space and has a wider wheelbase.

It is expected that Hyundai Motor India Ltd, the wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company, will launch the 2.4-litre H-matic version of the Sonata which would enable the driver to drive either in automatic transmission mode or manual mode.

Mr B.V.R. Subbu, President, Hyundai Motor India Ltd, told the visiting journalists that the company hoped to sell about 2,000 units of the new Sonata a year. It is likely to be priced at the same level as the earlier version.

Hyundai Motor India launched the Sonata in July 2001 and has sold 5,921 units till April 30, 2005. For this calendar year, the company has sold 351 units till April 30.

The new Theta engine comes equipped with variable valve timing on the intake ports, a vibration and noise reducing balance shaft and a weight saving all aluminium cylinder block and head. It delivers more power and consumes less fuel than its predecessor.

Asked about the biggest challenge for Hyundai Motor India, Mr Jae-Il Kim, Senior Executive Vice-President, International Business Division, Hyundai Motor Company, replied that it was to avoid becoming complacent. Mr Kim, who was Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India for over two years till August 2004, said the company would not get into the game of playing with price. "The basis of our growth in recent years has been improvement in quality and customer service and we will reinforce that."

Mr Kim also saw no need for Hyundai to launch Kia brands in India. (Kia Motors is now part of the Hyundai Kia automotive group.) Hyundai has a full range of vehicles, right from the small car to a sports utility vehicle, and hence the company does not see any need to launch Kia brands in India.

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