Hyundai Motor revealed that it has implemented its third-generation vehicle platform to the all-new Hyundai Sonata scheduled to go on sale later this month.
According to the automaker, the new platform will offer greater flexibility for future vehicle development, which dramatically enhances overall design, safety, efficiency, power and driving performance.
The new Sonata boasts reduced weight and improved fuel efficiency while also achieving stronger durability thanks to the new platform. Building on the former platform’s core advantages, it also enables a sporty and stylish design with a lower center of gravity.
Collision safety has also been improved significantly improved safety through the adoption of a multi-load path structure, ‘Hot Stamping,’ and super-high tensile steel plate.
The sophisticated multi-load path structure increases the energy absorbed by the vehicle in a collision, improving safety with minimization of collision impact into the passenger cabin.
Interestingly, the platform is designed so that the tyres move outward during a small overlap collision to maximize occupant safety. Such technology inhibits vehicle from spinning, thus preventing possible secondary collisions.
The extended application of Hot Stamping also prevents deformation of the passenger room, thereby further improving vehicle safety.
The new platform is also expected to improve power and driving performance of the Sonata. It has been developed for possible application of Hyundai’s next-generation engine called the Smartstream Powertrain.
Featuring a system that controls the flow of air, the new platform improves air movement to the engine bay and heat dissipation, which enhances stability in the lower part of the vehicle and minimizes air resistance to deliver excellent efficiency and power performance.
Stability is enhanced by lowering the position of heavy equipment in the platform. This in turn reduces weight and lowers the center of gravity. Agile handling is enabled by dramatically expanding lateral stiffness and positioning the steering closer to the wheel center, while tyre-optimization technology provides balanced and stable driving.
Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) performance is also improved through reinforced sound-absorbing systems in vibration-sensitive parts.
