2014 Hyundai Sonata

In 2010, for the 2011 model year, Hyundai tore down the Sonata’s bland mold and completely rebuilt it. This redesign produced one of the best looking Hyundai sedans to date, and the trend has continued with nearly every Hyundai since.

Well, 2014 will mark the fourth year that the Sonata has donned this look and compared to some of the newer Hyundai vehicles – except the Accent – the Sonata now looks outdated. Not necessarily old, but it simply doesn’t fit Hyundai’s new, more aggressive styling. Hyundai plans to take care of this issue before this body style hits five-years old, as the budget automaker’s CEO announced that the Sonata will receive an upgrade in 2014.

Taking a look at the 2012 Sonata, which competes with the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima, the Sonata’s drivetrain options stand tall. With a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that cranks out up to 200 horsepower, while getting 35 mpg on the highway, and a 274-horsepower, 2.0-liter engine that gets 34 mpg on the highway, the competition just can’t hang with it. All Hyundai needs to do is a mild facelift to keep buyers interested in the Sonata.

As of yet, there is no mention of what direction Hyundai will go with the Sonata. With its accounting for 35% of all Hyundai sales in 2011, chances are the Sonata’s upgrade won’t be too drastic. Then again, Hyundai has been pulling some rather interesting stunts lately, like releasing the rather un-Hyundai-like Equus luxury car and sporty, innovative, and economical Veloster. They sure have come a long way since I bought my brand new 1999 Accent for a cool $9,000. We will continue to provide updates on this future upgrade as details roll out, so stay tuned.

Note: Current model pictured.