Since 1985, Hyundai has been producing the Hyundai Sonata, a mid-sized automobile. The first generation Sonata was a facelifted Hyundai Stellar with an engine improvement that was debuted in 1985 and pulled from the market two years later due to poor customer response. While the first generation of the nameplate was solely offered in South Korea, the second version, released in 1988, was widely exported. The Sonata is currently produced in the United States for the North American market, in China and South Korea for the Asian market, and in Russia for the rest of the world. It was given the name sonata after a musical word. Read on to know more about the Hyundai Sonata history.
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Hyundai Sonata History and Legacy
Hyundai Sonata History
The Hyundai Sonata’s story ended on a sour note. However, it should not be forgotten that the car spent a significant amount of time in India. In 2001, Hyundai released the first generation Sonata. At the time, foreign players had begun to introduce new and more modern models. The customer base was gradually growing. The Hyundai Sonata was never a poor car; it was designed to stand out from the crowd.
What most people don’t realize is that in 2001-2002, it really outperformed its sole competitor, the Honda Accord. The situation was not the same with the subsequent models, though. The automobile began to lose its elegance and presence. Let’s take a look at the car that had the potential to be something. Something incredible. With the Santro’s success, Hyundai had demonstrated that it was a force to be reckoned with. Hyundai was one of the few carmakers at the time that genuinely tried to understand the market before launching its goods.
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The Sonata Gold was ostensibly designed for the high-end market. When it was first released in 2001, the automobile caused quite a sensation. It was driven by a 2.4-liter MPFi engine that produced a whopping 165 horsepower and 236 Nm of peak torque. The car has the highest level of luxury and features on the interior. Power steering, power windows, electrically adjustable mirrors, ABS, quality upholstery, and many other features are included.
2014 – 2017
The Hyundai Sonata’s seventh-generation debuted in March 2014 as a 2015 model, and it was developed with agility in mind while maintaining comfort amenities. The Sonata’s sweeping lines drew inspiration from its smaller siblings, such as the Elantra. The Sonata was not available in Europe, but its twin brother, the iX40, was.
2017-2019
In 2014, Hyundai unveiled the seventh generation of the Sonata, and three years later, it received a facelift and a sharpening of its image. The Korean automaker worked hard to make Sonata a reliable premium-segment vehicle, continually updating the portfolio to keep up with its competitors’ offerings.
2019-PRESENT
Hyundai’s eighth Sonata is shown here. It sounds roughly correct, with a couple notes on and off the musical stave thrown in for good measure. The design, selections, and some of the new features are fantastic. However, some notions may be incorrect. Hyundai doesn’t appear to be concerned about losing certain clients.
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WHY DID IT FAIL?
Hyundai supplied Sonata automobiles with defective rotating assemblies in the Theta II 2.4 L engines, according to the federal class-action lawsuit, resulting in unexpected and catastrophic engine failure. According to the complaint, when the rotating assembly breaks, it does so without notice, causing the engine to abruptly seize. The following allegations were also made in the complaint:
“Rather than notifying drivers and recalling risky vehicles, Hyundai has kept the problem hidden from consumers and has made a concerted effort to deny warranty coverage for failing engines. Even though Hyundai knows that Sonata engines fail regardless of owner maintenance and that the faulty rotating assembly is to blame, it reminds Sonata owners that they must submit a detailed record of the vehicle’s maintenance history before filing a warranty claim. Hyundai’s policy is to deny warranty claims based on insufficient maintenance records or faulty maintenance. Hyundai denies that engine problems are common in Sonata automobiles and blames the problem on its customers, who are being forced to pay up to $10,000 for an engine replacement.”
And also, Consumer complaints to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) explain how Sonata engines can cause vehicles to knock or rattle, stall or seize, or entirely shut off while driving. Some Sonata owners say their cars are “running very rough,” “hesitating,” “knocking,” and “rattling,” while others say their engines have “seized,” “locked up,” or “simply died.” The “vehicle lost power” for one Sonata driver “going down HWY @65MPH.”
In a nutshell, a Hyundai Sonata engine failure lawsuit claims that Hyundai manufactured defective engines in Sonatas from the model years 2011 to 2012. According to the plaintiff, Hyundai was aware that when connecting rod bearings fail, metal debris from the bearings is dispersed throughout the engine via contaminated engine oil.
This was our bit on Hyundai Sonata history. What do you think about this luxury car?