This could be Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture 3.0 design language.
Hyundai may just have given its Sonata an mid-cycle refresh for 2018, but that hasn’t stopped the automaker thinking about the future of the sedan. Spy photos show a Sonata with a camouflaged exterior sitting alongside its competitors – a Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Even though Hyundai’s sales are declining, it doesn’t seem like they are abandoning the car market.
The spy photos show that this is the sedan’s biggest styling update since the 2011 model year’s major overhaul. This included the sixth-generation Sonata design language and the Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language. In 2015, Hyundai introduced the seventh-generation Sonata as well as Fluidic Sculpture 2.0. The Sonata 2015 received a major design update, but the platform that underpins it was the same as the sixth-gen model. Since 2011, the greenhouse and door cuts have remained unchanged.
Camouflaged cars have new door cuts and a revised greenhouse. The rear and front fascias have been modified, but you can still see the new grille. Sonata’s new design is evident in the mirrors that are mounted to the body and not the window frame. The overall design is evolving, and Fluidic Sculpture 3.0 may be introduced.
It is difficult to predict the powertrains of the 2020 Hyundai Sonata because there are three options for engines and three transmission options. There are three options for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata: a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine, and a naturally aspirated, 2.4-liter four cylinder engine. These engines can be paired with a six-speed manual, seven-speed dual clutch, or an eight-speed auto transmission. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine will be the most likely to transfer to the new model. It was added to the Sonata lineup in 2018 for the model year.
The eighth-generation Hyundai Sonata will be available as a 2020 model in the first quarter of next year.