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Will Mimicking the Genesis Help the Hyundai Sonata?

The 2015 Hyundai Sonata is going to be introduced at the New York Auto Show but earlier pictures reveal it's going to be inspired by the 2015 Hyundai Genesis and 2014 Hyundai Equus. Will that be enough to ensure that it's a success?

Unfortunately, the Hyundai Sonata is coming under some heat right now. As Automotive News reported, "Hyundai notched big gains in its sales, market share and image when its swoopy 2011 Sonata hit the market. But barely three years later, the mid-sized car has left Hyundai with a black eye. Problems reported by owners of the 2011 Sonata were the main reason that the Hyundai brand ranked fifth from the bottom in the latest dependability rankings from J.D. Power and Associates."

The problem appears to be caused by production problems between Korea and Alabama, according to some sources. Also the sales success of the model may have cause supply quality issues for the Sonata.

Now Motor Authority is out with photos, including the one posted with this article, of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata cold weather testing. It reports, "It’s clear Hyundai is adopting a more mature look that borrows elements from the automaker’s more upmarket Equus and Genesis sedans, the latter of which has just been redesigned for 2015.

"Premium touches include LED elements in the lights and dual-tip exhaust pipes finished in chrome. Inside, look for soft-touch materials and a large LCD situated atop the center stack. No doubt the automaker is keen to claw back sales taken up by latest versions of the Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry."

Will these attempts at trying to be a more compact version of the Hyundai Genesis make a difference? Time will tell but the initial thoughts are Hyundai is going to have to absolutely nail the initial quality scores of the Sonata to ensure good word-of-mouth and sustained success. Early adopters will love it but time will tell if it hangs on as the brand angel it needs to be for strong sales.

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