The History of the Hyundai Sonata

Here at Hall Hyundai Elizabeth City, one of the models we take out for test drives the most is the 2017 Hyundai Sonata, which remains among our best-sellers because of its combination of style, comfort, efficiency, safety, and value. In truth, the vehicle always has brought all of these things together into a lovely little package, as that always was the vision Hyundai engineers and designers had for the automobile.

Originally designed by world famous automotive stylist Giorgetto Guigiaro and his ItalDesign firm, the Hyundai Sonata made its way to the United States in November of 1988 after seeing success first in Korea. By the mid-90s, the vehicle started to round into its more modern form, offering dual front airbags, new audio hardware, and standard air conditioning, all of which were things that either didn't exist previously or existed only as options.

In the late 90s, Hyundai literally rounded off the design a bit, giving the vehicle a less angular look, and when the Hyundai "Fluidic Sculpture" design language found its way to new Hyundai vehicles around 2011, the automaker saw unmatched success as consumers really responded to the new look and updated technologies.

Today, the latest version of the Hyundai Sonata has been redesigned yet again, with similarly positive response to the changes. It offers more technology, more advanced safety features, and more efficient engines than any other iteration of the midsize sedan in the automaker's history, which is saying a lot considering it is to date the longest-used nameplate in the Hyundai stable.

If you'd like to test one out, come pay us a visit any time and we'll be happy to get you behind the wheel for a spin. There's a great history with this automobile, and it's only going to grow more prolific with every passing model year.