On the missing two cylinders

AOL has an excellent first drive of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The car has been getting rave reviews generally, as expected. But this article is good journalism to boot. Particularly, in the section titled The audacity of limiting choice, Reilly Brennan analyses the wisdom of doing away with a V6 engine option, in the current US market.

2011 Hyundai Sonata (Hyundai)

The Sonata is a midsize semi-luxury sedan sold mainly in the US and also Korean markets, where it is one of Hyundai's best-selling cars. If it ever made it to Europe it might perhaps be called either i40 or i45 (its rumoured name in Australia).

Whereas the previous Sonata model sold mainly as a four-cylinder, it was available with a V6, like most other cars in the segment (large midsize semi-luxury sedans). Whilst few customers actually bought the V6, its mere availability lent the range kudos in a market besotted with power and size.

Now here comes Hyundai admitting that in the new Sonata range no V6 option will be available. At first sight this seemed even to me like a pure concession to the economy: we can't justify it in the current climate so will take this hit and grin and bear it. How would that compare to the Hondas and Toyotas with which it does battle in a toughly competitive segment? What would the neighbors think?

But Reilly has it right. The deletion of the V6, while certainly helped by the downsizing economy, can also be seen as a bold masterstroke that few other manufacturers would have attempted. Hyundai has sensed the wind and moved swiftly to take the lead. The article spells it out: Hyundai knows its new engines beat the competition, even with only four cylinders. Four beats six in terms of weight, which is more important than power, in real terms (as even the US market is slowly realizing). Not having to support the mere possibility of a V6 makes even the four-banger considerably lighter and more nimble. The Sonata's fuel economy and emissions stories are both much improved by being market leaders across the range rather than just at the green-eating bottom end.

As Reilly points out, the removal of the V6 is impressive not just in the light of the current market conditions, but also as a sign of Hyundai's growing confidence. Many manufacturers would have just kept the V6 as a tickbox option, trying to eek out the safe path where the V6 is offered but relied upon not to sell too well. And the weight and handling of the car would have suffered -- even the four-cylinder.

At the risk of sinking further into blatant fanboyism, if there's one thing that characterizes Hyundai for me it's this lightfooted forward thinking. Perhaps it's to do with being a newcomer, or perhaps with being Korean. Hyundai never seem afraid or intimidated by change.

Examples are easy. In just the last couple of years, Hyundai produced their first rear-wheel drive platform, their first true sports car, their first in-house six speed automatic transmission, their first GDI engines, their first hybrid architectures. Even their base cars are overflowing with standard features which they seemingly implement on a moment's notice, from iPod connectivity to stability control to folding door mirrors. They're also now the leading manufacturer in the US in terms of emissions across the range, only a couple of years after promising to become so.

And the recent leadership isn't limited to technology: Hyundai's bold steps in the US during their current depression have made them one of the only manufacturers to grow in 2009 rather than shrink. Shortly after the bad news set in they announced their pioneering assurance program: sell back your new car with no impact on your credit rating if you lose your job. At the 2010 Superbowl Hyundai bought up millions of dollars of prime slots and became the lead advertiser. Not bad for a car maker in a recession.

Perhaps it's significant that Hyundai means something like progress or pinnacle in Korean.