Hyundai Reveals 2011 Sonata Hybrid, gets 39mpg Highway, can Reach Speeds of up to 62mph in Electric Mode

hyundai's big reveal for the New York Auto Show was the all-new 2011 Sonata Hybrid that will compete head-on with the likes of the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Ford Fusion Hybrid when it arrives in U.S. showrooms later this year.

The newest member of the Sonata family features a series of unique styling cues that set it apart from its conventional brethren. These include a new fascia with a small upper grille and a gaping-mouth (Peugeot-like) lower grille, revised headlamps and a redesigned bumper.

At the back, there's a reshaped bumper with sharp creases at the corners and revised tail lights. The so-called 'eco-spoke' alloys and beefier rocker panels round off the exterior tweaks that are said to help reduce the drag coefficient from the standard Sonata's 0.28 to 0.25.

Interior changes are limited to the unique trim and color choices, and the Hybrid Technology Display featured on a 4.2-inch LCD screen located between the odometer and tachometer.

Hyundai's first hybrid in the U.S. market features a proprietary parallel hybrid drive system called "Hybrid Blue Drive" that utilizes a 169HP 2.4-liter Theta II (operating on an Atkinson Cycle) linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission (and not a CVT as most Hybrids), a 30kW (151 lb-ft) electric motor and a lithium polymer battery pack located in the forward portion of the trunk.

Its two propulsion units develop a total output of 209 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, and 195 lb-ft of torque.

The car's front wheels are turned by power coming directly from the gasoline engine, or the electric motor, or both together. Hyundai said that in all-electric mode, the Sonata Hybrid can reach speeds of up to 62mph (100km/h) which is significantly higher than the Ford Fusion Hybrid's 47mph and the Toyota Camry Hybrid's 42mph.

The South Korean automaker said that the Sonata Hybrid delivers a projected fuel economy of 39mpg highway and 37mpg city, compared to the Camry's 34/33mpg and the Fusion's 41/36 mpg.

Pricing and detailed specs are to be announced closer to the Sonata Hybrid's launch date.