The Hyundai Sonata is likely to make a big splash with its good looks when it hits dealers in a few weeks. One thing that was missing from the original release of the Sonata was an up-level engine option. To review, the Sonata can be optioned with a 191 horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder or a 180 horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with a wide peak torque band and 195 lb.-ft.   Gone is the 245 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo.

Back in April, Hyundai confirmed that it would produce an N-Line version of the car with 275 horsepower.  That car is likely to be debuting at the LA Auto Show later this month. The kicker is the N-line is not the full performance edition like a Sonata N would be. 

Now, rumors out of Korea via Korean Car Blog say that the full N will be coming late next year. Powering the Sonata N would be a 2.5-liter turbocharge direct injected engine producing at least 300 horsepower and 311 lb.-ft of torque. Power would be fed through an 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. This powertrain has already been shown at a 2019 Hyundai Kia Motors Powertrain Conference, so we know they'll be building this engine for something.

Of course, Hyundai has not commented on any of these rumors, so take a Sonata N with a grain of salt.  Still, a performance tuned Sonata could make an exciting addition to the otherwise stale and fading mid-size car market.

 

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Some car EXCITEMENT for Hundai. Not bad, could be something to actually stir up the car interest if priced right.

More horsepower is nice, but keeping price in line is more important because this isn't rear drive so real performance buyers aren't going to buy it.  So they need to appeal to that conventional sedan buyer that isn't happy with 200 hp, the people that used to buy Camry, Accord, Altima V6's before they got killed off or will be killed off.

WHY????!???????!?!?!????!?!

 

Cause if they can get 300 horsepower and still get decent mileage... why not?