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Hyundai Australia has resolved its mid-sized sedan's identity crisis, with the Sonata nameplate being replaced by the i50. Hyundai Australia staffers have been given the green-light by Seoul to use the new ’I’ naming regime, which has proven popular with the Australian buyers.
The new i50 sedan, seen for the first time outside Korea at the recent Los Angeles motor show, will arrive during the second quarter of 2010. The all-new vehicle is set to have a six-speed automatic transmission and a two-litre Theta-II petrol engine and a features list that is likely to include as standard six airbags, stability control and hill-start control.
It was designed and developed in Korea and the US over four years at a cost of around AUD$428 million. It will be party of a trio of new ‘I’ models for the Korean brand, which is looking to consolidate its strong 2009 sales performance, which pushed passed 60,000 units for the first time and is more than 40 per cent up on 2008.
The Tucson will be replaced by the ix35 (which uses a similar ‘fluidic sculpture’ style) and the entry-level Getz will be joined by the i20 (its replacement in Europe).
The i20 is being aimed at the Mazda2 and others in the high end of the light-car segment, in the realm of $16,000 - but Hyundai is loath to remove the popular Getz from its local line-up just yet.
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