A PERFORMANCE by a popular band, a world-class skating exhibition, fun and games, cold ice right under our feet, and, of course, a brand-new car wonder, unveiled—even the Hyundai jingle’s composer Felix Bernard and lyricist Richard B. Smith wouldn’t have it any other way. That’s for sure.
For one night, Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (Hari) made us, the media and Hyundai dealers, feel like we were in a winter paradise—as the South Korean carmaker launched in “Jack Frost style” the all-new 2015 Sonata at the SM Mall of Asia Ice Skating Rink in Pasay City.
Thus, the occasion touted Hyundai’s vision further up the level of Modern Premium, a brand identity unique only to Hyundai.
“We are about to unveil the next-generation model of a Hyundai favorite, redesigned and re-engineered down to the details for premium comfort, safety and performance, making for nothing less than a brilliant customer experience, in the manner of a world-class brand—a world-class product,” said Fe Perez-Agudo, president and CEO of Hari, during her speech before the car was revealed. This signaled the coming of a night, that will surely be remembered.
Singing to a new tune, the seventh-generation Sonata is the epitome of Hyundai’s vision: “To ever continue in delivering a premium driving experience to its customers.” With integrity and precision at its core, it hums to a new melody of a “luxury sedan” that is more accessible to consumers.
More so, the all-new 2015 Sonata has four core innovations labeled RSVP, which stands for Run, Stop, Versatility and Protect.
These key features bring a world-class driving experience to the consumers. Compared to the previous generation model, the 2015 Sonata is bigger in most aspects. It is longer by 35 millimeter, wider by 30 mm, and taller by 10 mm, while having a 10-mm longer wheelbase. Complementing its bigger size are its new 18-inch alloy wheels, which solidify its sporty look and more athletic feel.
Providing inner strength is the Sonata’s Theta II 2.4L MPI DOHC D-CVVT Engine, which unleashes a maximum power of 178 ps and 23.3 kilogram-m of max torque at 4,000 revolutions per minute. The sedan also has a Flat Underbody that reduces wind drag and keeps a firm grip for better performance on the road. In a short video presentation, the Sonata was seen fitted with the Edge-Arm System, a 360-degree image recording technology, to film another 2015 Sonata on the road. The Sonata remarkably made for a smooth drive despite bearing the 500-kg Edge-Arm, the film crew, additional film equipment, and its own weight—totaling over 2 tons. Here, Hyundai proves its point that more than half of the Sonata’s body is made up of Advanced High Strength Steel, which is twice as strong as ordinary steel.
Added to this are the new Electronic Stability Control, which senses steering wheel movement and applies braking to each wheel independently, thus prevents skidding even during sudden stops and turns; the improved MacPherson Strut Front Suspension, making it more stable when braking and allowing for more responsive steering; at the rear, it has a lowered Dual Multilink Suspension, which optimizes the rear wheel geometry and contributes to stable high-speed driving and turning.
When driving uphill, the Sonata uses Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC) to engage the brakes and prevent rollback while in incline. The HAC then automatically disengages the brakes when you accelerate, providing a smoother uphill ride.
The Sonata, too, has an Electric Parking Brake that allows its drivers the ease of enabling or disabling the parking brakes with just a flick of a switch.
With these features, it’s no wonder it won the 2014 Top Safety Pick from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the United States. To further achieve luxury status, the Sonata now sports, among others, better premium innovations, like the hands-free feature of the Smart Trunk. Just stand behind the car for three seconds with the Smart Key, and the trunk opens automatically. It even has a Panoramic Sunroof.
This all-new 2015 Sonata comes in Premium and GLS variants priced at P1.898 million and P1.698 million, respectively.
This class act is available in Ice White, Polished Metal, Phantom Black and Aquamarine.
Indeed, it’s a beautiful sight. And we’re happy tonight as we came to walk in a winter wonderland.
Image credits: Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes