2010 Hyundai i40/Sonata caught testing in South Korea and France

Updated: 25/05/09

Hyundai is still working hard at testing their forthcoming large family car - the i40. New spy photos, taken in a South Korean car park and in Northern France, the new i40 will use a variety of engines including the new R diesel engine. The i30's 1.6 litre CRDi, 2.0 litre and 2.2 litre diesel engines and petrol engines, 2.4 litre and 3.3 litre V6 will be available, alongside a hybrid model later on. The biggest seller in the U.S is likely to the the 2.4 litre, while in Europe, the 2.0 diesel should be popular. The newcomer will use a newly ZF developed 6 speed automatic transmission which will be mated to the 4-cylinder diesel engines.

Up front, the i40 features attractively shaped head-lights and a three bar grille. Similar to the Genesis Coupe, the upcoming i40 will also have a strong character line on the front and rear doors and an elegantly designed rear fascia with a pair of tailpipes integrated in the rear bumper - similar to the Lexus LS. According to a Hyundai insider, the i40 will major on style, “and won’t be a car that people buy purely for value”.

Out goes the boxy American styling in favour for something sleek, slinky and European. The i40 should be unveiled September '09 before sales start in Winter 2009 in South Korea. The wagon variant will be launched first in the UK to draw customers in, while the sedan will join later on in 2011.