Topic: Hyundai i40/Sonata Wagon

[Ice]

Hyundai will apparently be bringing the Sonata Wagon to North America: http://www.hyundai-blog.com/index.php/2010/12/13/new-hyundai-i40w-images-released-ahead-of-its-geneva-auto-show-debut/

I will give Hyundai huge kudos for having the fortitude to bring a mainstream wagon to North America. I hope they don't chicken out or that this rumor turns out to be false. Someone needs to do it... maybe it'll start something. If I needed a family hauler, that is the direction I would want to be looking in.

[carcrazy]

Wow! This one nice wagon. 


The Sonata is ready for a face-lift soon. This is the new Hyundai face it seems.

[Winklovic]

A properly-shaped D-pillar!

[Sir Osis of Liver]

So far, so good!

[airbalancer]

Looks more like a hatch, wish they would square of the back so you could fit something in the back

[Calbrez]

Too bad we won't see a diesel..

I hate North America!

[tpl]

Looks more like a hatch, wish they would square of the back so you could fit something in the back

Yes indeed!.  Wagons need a flat roofline and a vertical rear door so you can get stuff in there.
(The old Volvo 245 being the ultimate example)

[Jaeger]

That's a seriously good looking wagon.

Predictably, whenever the topic of a wagon comes up, forumites start clamoring for a manual diesel version.  As if wagons aren't a hard enough sell in NA!

As for a flat roofline and vertical gate - no question that would maximize cargo capacity.  It would also make the vehicle look more like a shoebox with wheels. I'd certainly be willing to give up a little bit of max-capacity cargo space (I suspect I'd rarely load this thing right to the roof anyway) for a BIG payback in swoopy style.  Call me shallow.    Hey, if this thing doesn't meet your hauling needs, there's a whole world of boxy and practical minivans available to you.  Very flat rooflines and very vertical hatches are yours for the asking.

Jaeger

[safristi]

     a STYLISH Wagon used to be OXYMORONIC...that one is  just a TONIC..........

[tpl]

That's a seriously good looking wagon.

Predictably, whenever the topic of a wagon comes up, forumites start clamoring for a manual diesel version.  As if wagons aren't a hard enough sell in NA!

As for a flat roofline and vertical gate - no question that would maximize cargo capacity.  It would also make the vehicle look more like a shoebox with wheels. I'd certainly be willing to give up a little bit of max-capacity cargo space (I suspect I'd rarely load this thing right to the roof anyway) for a BIG payback in swoopy style.  Call me shallow.    Hey, if this thing doesn't meet your hauling needs, there's a whole world of boxy and practical minivans available to you.  Very flat rooflines and very vertical hatches are yours for the asking.

Jaeger

Ok Shallow Jaeger.   Stylish hatchbacks  yes indeed bring 'em on.  Swoopy coupes for sure.  But if it is to be called a wagon then cargo capacity is important.  AND in all of them the roofline should such that a regular height person, say 6' tall, should be able to see out of the rear window via the inside mirror without being a contortionist or sitting on the floor. When the rear window is so far back ( as distinct from a sedan where it is a couple of feet closer) that dropping roofline can pose a problem.

[Jaeger]

Ok Shallow Jaeger.   Stylish hatchbacks  yes indeed bring 'em on.  Swoopy coupes for sure.  But if it is to be called a wagon then cargo capacity is important.  AND in all of them the roofline should such that a regular height person, say 6' tall, should be able to see out of the rear window via the inside mirror without being a contortionist or sitting on the floor. When the rear window is so far back ( as distinct from a sedan where it is a couple of feet closer) that dropping roofline can pose a problem.

Well, it's all about balance.  Give a little here, gain a little there.  I certainly agree that outward visibility is important - but there's nothing in these images that suggests to me that it would be a serious problem in the Sonata Wagon (Have you ever sat in a Camaro?  All that tire-smoking power and you can't see a damn thing out of the gun slits that pass for windows.)  And yes, cargo capacity is important - but again, I have no reason to believe this is going to be an issue.  It will certainly give buyers more space and more flexible loading than the sedan (which is rather the point) even if every last possible cubic inch of interior cargo space isn't maximized relative to the exterior dimensions.  Let's at least wait to see it in the metal.

Jaeger

[safristi]

 ................Me included

[tpl]

Ok Shallow Jaeger.   Stylish hatchbacks  yes indeed bring 'em on.  Swoopy coupes for sure.  But if it is to be called a wagon then cargo capacity is important.  AND in all of them the roofline should such that a regular height person, say 6' tall, should be able to see out of the rear window via the inside mirror without being a contortionist or sitting on the floor. When the rear window is so far back ( as distinct from a sedan where it is a couple of feet closer) that dropping roofline can pose a problem.

Well, it's all about balance.  Give a little here, gain a little there.  I certainly agree that outward visibility is important - but there's nothing in these images that suggests to me that it would be a serious problem in the Sonata Wagon (Have you ever sat in a Camaro?  All that tire-smoking power and you can't see a damn thing out of the gun slits that pass for windows.)  And yes, cargo capacity is important - but again, I have no reason to believe this is going to be an issue.  It will certainly give buyers more space and more flexible loading than the sedan (which is rather the point) even if every last possible cubic inch of interior cargo space isn't maximized relative to the exterior dimensions.  Let's at least wait to see it in the metal.

Jaeger

Ok. Fair enough

[tortoise]

Predictably, whenever the topic of a wagon comes up, forumites start clamoring for a manual diesel version.  As if wagons aren't a hard enough sell in NA!

From what I've seen in the Ottawa area VW has no issues selling the GOLF Wagon TDI, they're everywhere.  Probably because they're competing in a field of one.

[quadzilla]

Predictably, whenever the topic of a wagon comes up, forumites start clamoring for a manual diesel version.  As if wagons aren't a hard enough sell in NA!

From what I've seen in the Ottawa area VW has no issues selling the GOLF Wagon TDI, they're everywhere.  Probably because they're competing in a field of one.

Same thing down here in Toronto.

I think I read one day that over 70% of the Audi A3 sales have been TDi.  I think VW is over 50% TDi. 

No idea why nobody else wouldn't want a piece of that market.

[safristi]

...or maybe they are damn fine vehicles offering a great ride,fab mileage,sweet interiors at a reasonable price....thought of that side of the equation........ 2+2= 5.................

[tortoise]

...or maybe they are damn fine vehicles offering a great ride,fab mileage,sweet interiors at a reasonable price....thought of that side of the equation........ 2+2= 5.................

That would also describe a Sonata diesel wagon, no?

[Shnak]

...or maybe they are damn fine vehicles offering a great ride,fab mileage,sweet interiors at a reasonable price....thought of that side of the equation........ 2+2= 5.................

That would also describe a Sonata diesel wagon, no?

With the new 2.4L GDI engine in the Sonata, I'm not entirely sure if a diesel engine would give as much of a fuel economy boost as people are expecting. Certainly not enough to offset savings in fuel/diesel over 4-5 years.

[CatsEye68]

Looks like yet another Hyundai design ripoff. Now you can have a copy of a CTS Sportwagon version of the Mercedes CLS-series.

[Shnak]

Looks great! One of my major gripes with the new Sonata looks to be gone with the Sonata Wagon, the rear headroom. Even if the roof is sloping a little bit, I'm sure it'll still be a lot better than the sedan. Too bad they can't fix the foot parking brake pedal with a proper hand-brake...  

But damn, I might have to look into trading in my Sonata much quicker that I had initially anticipated! I certainly could use the added cargo capacity and the extra headroom! I'd be fine with the GDI engine, but would likely opt for the turbo for the extra $2-3k. Add AWD and it'd pretty much be my idea of the perfect family hauler (take that, Mitlov! ) but I won't hold out my breath on that one.