The light cosmetic surgery on the outside brings a revamped front grille with a little bit less chrome on top and around the sides, plus new LED taillights at the back, reshaped mirror casings and a fresh choice of alloy wheel designs including a set of 18-inch multispoke rims.
Needless to say, a lot has changed over the past few years with Hyundai and in particular its latest Sonata sedan, not only challenging, but this past May even surpassing the Camry in U.S. sales for the first time in history.
Of course, the fact that Toyota’s production capabilities were seriously affected by the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in Japan, played a significant role in Hyundai’s accomplishment.
In terms of design, Hyundai’s newcomer may look very similar to the latest Elantra sold in North America and other parts of the world. However, measuring 4.74 meters (186.6-in.) in length, the i40 approximately 380 mm or 15-inches longer than the compact sedan. Europe’s equivalent of the Sonata rides on a wheelbase of 2.77-meters, with Hyundai claiming it offers best-in-class room for front head, shoulder and leg. The Korean carmaker also boasts that the i40 will provide passengers with "the most comfortable ride available in the D-segment".
Well, not exactly. When Hyundai first launched the i30 hatchback in Europe, Australia and other markets, it seemed that familiar nameplates such as Elantra and Sonata would soon be dead and buried. Not so. In fact, the i30 CW (basically, the station wagon version of the i30), is still sold in the U.S. as the Elantra Touring.
Designed and engineered at Hyundai’s R&D headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany, Hyundai says the i40 is the company's "first D-segment vehicle to be developed specifically for the European market, with a package of powertrains, equipment and technology tailored for European tastes."
