Hyundai’s Model Naming Conventions: From 0 to Fubar in Just 4 Years

Hyundai is one of the world’s biggest automakers, and the most visible of South Korea’s business and industrial acumen. So you would think a company that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of Toyota and pre-bailout GM would be pretty consistent with its model naming conventions, right?

Well, not exactly. When Hyundai first launched the i30 hatchback in Europe, Australia and other markets, it seemed that familiar nameplates such as Elantra and Sonata would soon be dead and buried. Not so. In fact, the i30 CW (basically, the station wagon version of the i30), is still sold in the U.S. as the Elantra Touring.

And there's another thing. When the “i” and “ix” naming convention was introduced by Hyundai, it seemed to me that the “i” names would be for cars and the “ix” for the brand’s SUVs. This too was not to be. In Australia, the Hyundai Sonata is sold as the i45 and the upcoming ix20 is a B-segment MPV, not a mini SUV.

So what gives, Hyundai? Why can’t you keep the names internally consisted? Audi never had this problem. A’s for cars and Q’s for SUVs. Oh, I forgot about the TT and R8. Damn it, guys! It can’t be that difficult to stay consistent. It irks me, as I’m a pedant and a stickler for uniformity.

So that’s my two cents. We now return you to your regular scheduled blog.

By Tristan Hankins

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Hyundai Sketches All-New i40 Sedan for Europe, will Debut in Barcelona

Just a couple of months after debuting the i40 Station Wagon at the Geneva Salon in March, Hyundai is now getting ready to lift the covers off the sedan version of its mid-size model, which will receive its world premiere at the upcoming 2011 Barcelona Motor Show on May 12th. The South Korean automaker released the first teaser rendering of the i40 Sedan, which will effectively replace the older generation of the Sonata in the European market and compete in the D-segment against the likes of the Opel Insignia, VW Passat, Toyota Avensis and Citroen C5.

Like the estate model, the saloon is the product Hyundai’s European R&D center in Rüsselsheim, Germany. So far, Hyundai has released very details about the car as we only get to know that it will ride on a wheelbase measuring 2.77 meters long and that according to the company, will deliver “best-in-class dimensions for front head (1025mm), shoulder (1455mm), and leg (1170mm) room”.

European buyers should expect the same engine lineup as the estate including a 1.7-liter turbo diesel and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline unit, with more information to be released after its presentation in Spain.

Not surprisingly, the i40 sedan follows Hyundai’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language, which includes a big crease along the shoulder line and a heavily profiled rear end.

“We have used very strong, fluid lines from front to rear to give i40 a distinctive appearance,” commented Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre. “We wanted to move away from the typical three-box saloon and create a car that was in keeping with the sporty nature of the i40 estate. By sculpting a low, elongated roof line, we’ve given the i40 saloon a striking coupe-like silhouette,” he added.

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HYUNDAI i40 STATION WAGON

2012 Hyundai Sonata Receives its First Facelift in South Korea

Hyundai has blessed the South Korean market version of its Sonata mid-size sedan with its very first mild facelift. Just don’t blink because you may very well miss it.

The light cosmetic surgery on the outside brings a revamped front grille with a little bit less chrome on top and around the sides, plus new LED taillights at the back, reshaped mirror casings and a fresh choice of alloy wheel designs including a set of 18-inch multispoke rims.

There are some mild tweaks inside, namely the new trim options, higher quality materials, the addition of LED spot lights and improved standard equipment throughout the range.

In South Korea, while the Sonata continues with the 165-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit, matched to a manual gearbox or an automatic transmission, for the 2012MY, Hyundai replaced the 2.4-liter gasoline engine with the more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot rated at 271-horses.

Hyundai did not say when or if the styling changes will pass on to the international market version of the Sonata, but we promise to act surprised if the U.S. model receives a similar refresh within the next 12 months.

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