jazzybarrel83: Hyundai of America wants a Sonata Wagon... do you? [w/poll]

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Hyundai of America wants a Sonata Wagon... do you? [w/poll]

2012 Hyundai Sonata (i40) wagon spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery

While Hyundai has yet to unveil a wagon derivative of its Sonata/i40 family sedan, copious spy shots have been captured while the car has been undergoing testing around the globe. The load-lugging Korean is a lock for Europe and will doubtlessly surface in other markets, but to date, there has been no word as to whether the wagon will haul itself into U.S. showrooms.

While there's still no official word from Hyundai, Autoblog has learned that American executives definitely want the car and are working to build a business case for it. Further, according to our source:

"We can't comment on future product plans. But we certainly are aware of the upsurge in popularity of well-executed wagons, especially in markets like Europe where consumers demand the high degrees of versatility and fuel economy that wagons deliver. The Elantra Touring has been a terrific addition to our lineup and is a huge hit with its customers. A great wagon can bring in incremental customers who otherwise might not consider a given brand's sedan."

Despite Volvo and Subaru recently giving up the U.S. wagon segment in favor of lifted, more crossover-like two-boxers, we still see a clear area of opportunity for a large, stylish and fuel-efficient wagon. As we've recently proven, hatchbacks and wagons sell in better numbers than many automakers would seem to give the bodystyles credit for, and we suspect that with the new Sonata's rocket-like sales trajectory, adding a second format would help them close the gap with their Japanese rivals. And while we'd love to see an affordable base model, the smart money suggests that Hyundai would have a better chance of profiting from a Sonata wagon if it were to launch with a single, higher-margin upscale model - a loaded 2.0-liter turbo, say.

What do you think - should Hyundai sell a Sonata wagon in the States? Vote in our poll below and then leave your thoughts in Comments.

View Poll

Gallery: Spy Shots: Hyundai i40 Kombi / Sonata wagon