Coming at you...the 2011 Hyundai Sonata will get a class-leading 35 mpg Highway.
Hyundai may have made it just a little bit more difficult to justify buying a hybrid. The automaker’s all-new, 2011 remake of the Sonata will deliver a class-leading 35 miles per gallon, even while the maker has announced that it is cutting the base price of the sedan by about $225.
The midsize car gets more than just a modest update for the upcoming model-year. The 2011 Hyundai Sonata will feature an all-new design, reflecting the Korean carmaker’s new “Fluidic Sculpture” design language.
And though it’s officially a midsize model, the interior package now falls into the Large Car category according to the EPA.
The 2011 remake of the Hyundai Sonata features the all-new Theta II engine.
The 2011 Hyundai Sonata will debut with an all-new Theta II 2.4-liter gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) inline-four that will not only deliver 198 horsepower in the base trim, and 200 in the upscale SE package, but also make 35 mpg on the highway, 24 on the government’s City test cycle.
The base GLS starts at $19,195, with a 6-speed manual gearbox, which is $225 under the starting price of the 2010 Sonata. All other models come with a six-speed automatic. A well-equipped 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited, which includes the navigation package, will come in at $27,395. With the automatic, mileage is 22/35. (Delivery charges add another $720.)
Hyundai isn’t just low-balling buyers. The new car comes with a wide range of equipment for the price. Things like XM Satellite Radio and Bluetooth are standard equipment. Standard safety gear includes stability control and six airbags, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, front active head restraints and Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
Though it falls into the midsize category, the interior is rated Large Car by the EPA.
Hyundai has been trying for a number of years to push the Sonata into the mainstream of the midsize segment and it has been steadily gaining traction, in recent years, boosted in part by its 10-year warranty and steady gains in the independent quality surveys. Analysts say the maker could be well-positioned to score some big numbers in the wake of the Toyota safety recall problems, particularly with the Japanese maker’s Camry subject to two separate callbacks dealing with sudden acceleration problems.