NEWS RELEASE
News Release (February 01, 2006)
Sonata wins US TV MotorWeek award
MotorWeek, America's most popular automotive video-magazine TV show, has cited Hyundai's Sonata as the Best Family Sedan in its 2006 "Drivers' Choice Awards".
A team of 15 judges comprising the writers, producers and crew of MotorWeek evaluated more than 150 cars and trucks, looking for superior performance, technology, practicality and dollar value. Each vehicle tested underwent thorough road and track tests and comprehensive competitor comparisons. Sonata beat other cars in its class by combining performance, safety and comfort in an attractive and affordable package for families.
"Hyundai is honored to take home this award from MotorWeek recognizing Sonata as the Best Family Sedan," said John Krafcik, vice president of strategic planning and product development, Hyundai Motor America. "The Sonata's blend of advanced safety features, ergonomic interior design and impressive performance truly offer something that everyone in the family can appreciate."
"The Hyundai Sonata is the first Korean-brand car to ever win our Best Family Sedan award, and did so with a tremendous value combination of roomy comfort, quality assembly and most of all safety," said John Davis, host of MotorWeek. "Standard skid control, ABS and curtain airbags simply outclassed the mighty Camry and Accord."
Hyundai Motor Company Australia's CEO Steve Yeo said the award reinforces what many motoring journalists and experts in Australia have already said about new Sonata and the awards are justly deserved.
News Limited's capital city daily newspapers' Cars Guide rated Sonata top of the newest family six trio, outranking BF Falcon and Mitsubishi 380; the NRMA assessed both 2.4 and V6 automatic Sonatas as tops in ownership affordability in their annual mega-survey of car operating costs; it was Car of the Year for New Zealand's National Business Review while US magazine Popular Mechanics bestowed an Excellence in Safety award.
Sonata's reputation for reliability is well established. Among a number of independent auto researcher accolades in the US in recent years, the rigorous annual Initial Quality Study of the first 90 days of ownership by leader J.D. Power & Associates ranked the previous Sonata the top entry mid-size car in 2004 and runner up in 2005.
"The J.D. Power survey in particular reinforces the huge leaps Hyundai has made in elevating the brand in quality and reliability terms in recent times. Hyundai is totally focused to become the standard bearer for automotive quality by 2010 and such results show it is rapidly proceeding towards achieving that objective," said Steve Yeo, CEO of Hyundai Motor Co Australia.
Such awards for reliability place Sonata in the upper echelons of quality usually inhabited by considerably higher priced brands led by Lexus.
"With Sonata, we're showing that we offer a premium quality, very reliable car priced without a loading for a 'badge' which gives more Australian buyers the chance to savour the safety and enjoy the features often only obtained in higher priced cars," said Mr Yeo.
Sonata V6 raised the bar for affordable safety in family big six-cylinder cars last year by introducing standard Electronic Stability Program (ESP), six airbags (fronts, front-sides and full cabin side curtains) and active front headrests to the entry level in the class, as well as offering ABS and a raft of other features. Sonata achieved five-star ratings in all US NHTSA NCAP frontal and side-impact tests. Sonata V6 starts from $29,990 while the 2.4 four-cylinder lists from just $25,490, both recommended retail plus on-road costs.
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Further information:
Richard Power, General Manager-Public Relations
Hyundai Motor Company Australia Pty Ltd
T: 02-9763-3670
M: 0401-990-194
F: 02-9763-3433
E: richard_power@hyundai.com.au
W: www.hyundai.com