The Hyundai Sonata mid sized sedan is being hailed for its wonderful combination of efficiency, power and quality. Perhaps one drawback to the Sonata is that it will not be sold in Europe; that is until now. Based on the new Sonata and i45 (Australia and New Zealand’s Sonata), Hyundai will offer the i40 sedan to the European market for the 2012 model year.
The euro specific model features Hyundai’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design and the lines that have been created are sharp, bold and aggressive. Nothing is too square and the overall ‘tear-drop’ shape is very European friendly. What else is euro friendly is the choice of powertrains. A total of four Euro V-compliant engines will be offered: two gasoline powered and two diesels. Hyundai’s all-new GDI 175 horsepower 2 liter four cylinder will see duty in the i40 as well as a 1.6 liter version. The very Euro spec diesels are 1.7 liter units (114 or 134 horsepower) and should account for the majority of i40 sales. Hyundai expects there to be a 65/35 percent sales split between the diesel and gas model i40s.
The 2012 Hyundai i40 should easily find a place in the European market. Equipped with the lower output 1.7 liter and six speed manual, the new sedan can achieve up to 65 mpg. In a fuel conscious city scape such as London England, the i40’s combination of space, efficiency and quality should go a long way. Expect to see the 2012 i40 on sale late this year.
