最近谍照记者拍到了一组新款索纳塔照片，显示现代将对索纳塔进行大幅升级。现代还计划推出索纳塔N运动版本。这两款车区别明显，标准版索纳塔继续采用现行版的水平横杠格栅，但进一步向下延伸。前大灯进行了改款，采用垂直LED日间行驶灯。另外，尾灯组进行了改款，但由于遮盖得很严实，无法看清其他改款。而运动版采用黑色网格格栅和不同的底部前脸，该车的伪装可以很容易看清改款前大灯。而车尾采用梯形双出式排气尾管。目前还不清楚该车是否会替代目前的索纳塔2.0T，该车功率183千瓦/245马力，扭矩353牛米，或者它将成为新的索纳塔顶级款。现代目前正在开发的i30N也搭载了一台2.0升涡轮引擎，功率至少194千瓦/260马力甚至更多。现代或许会将这台引擎提供给索纳塔运动版。现代已经发布了轻度改款2017款索纳塔，因此这款车至少是2018款车型，预计将在一年后发布，该车或许会在明年初的某次车展亮相。

 

Refreshed Hyundai Sonata spied with future performance model

A new batch of spy photos indicates that Hyundai is deep into development on a big styling update for the Sonata. It even appears the brand is hard at work on a sporty trim – possibly with input from its N performance sub-brand.

 

Both versions are in the gallery below, and the differences are easy to spot. The standard Sonata has a new grille that extends the current horizontal slats further down the front end. There are also restyled headlights and what appear to be vertically oriented LED running lights at each corner of the lower fascia. There are also restyled taillights at the back, but the camouflage hides any other adjustments.

 

The sporty trim features upgrades like a black mesh grille with a different lower fascia. The camouflage on this one also makes easier to see the reshaped headlights. At the rear trapezoidal exhausts exit from each corner.

 

It’s not clear whether this performance variant is a replacement for the current Sonata 2.0T with 245 horsepower (183 kilowatts) and 260 pound-feet (353 Newton-meters) of torque or a new range-topping model. Hyundai’s i30 N currently under development also has a turbocharged 2.0-liter with at least 260 hp (194 kW) and likely more. The company could conceivably put this more powerful mill in the sporty Sonata.

 

Hyundai already announced minor changes for the 2017 model year Sonata. Therefore, this refresh probably doesn’t arrive until at least the 2018 examples, which would be about a year from now. That timeframe suggests a debut at an auto show in early 2017.