Hyundai Sonata

The Hyundai Sonata first appeared in North America in 1988, when the company decided to try to build upon the initial success of the Excel and make further inroads into the world’s largest automobile market. After tweaking the design and performance capabilities through 1994, the model was given a dramatic overhaul for 1995, with additional changes coming in 1996 that saw sales spike 25 percent. Building on this success, Hyundai launched the third-generation Sonata in 1998, making it one of the first production cars in the world to come with a limited 10-year warranty.

21st-century improvements to the Hyundai Sonata

By 2006, the line was modified again, moving from the middle of the sedan sizing range to the higher end, and included the first all-aluminum engine ever produced by Hyundai. Dramatically reducing the sedan’s overall weight, these new Sonatas also sported a sleeker, curvier and more appealing appearance that included a revamped grille, headlights and taillights as well as an ergonomically superior instrumentation cluster.

At the 2008 Los Angeles International Auto Show, a hybrid version of this popular passenger sedan was unveiled. Reviewers suggested that the hybrid sedan could shape the future of the line and reinvigorate consumer confidence because of its lithium-ion battery.