2018 Hyundai Sonata facelift sketches go official – UPDATE

UPDATE: Hyundai Australia has released the same sketches and confirmed the reveal of the next Sonata for next month. See bottom of article for details.

The facelifted 2018 Hyundai Sonata has been teased in sketches that have been leaked online, giving a closer look at what the updated sedan will look like when it gets revealed later this year.

Posted on Hyundai-Blog.com, the images show the regular Sonata and the sportier 'Turbo' model alongside the two previous generations.

Up front the new Sonata features Hyundai's new 'cascading' grille and upright LED daytime-running lights that debuted with the new i30 hatch, while at the rear the new sedan will sport a very clean and sharp rump - with Audi-esque LED tail-light inserts.

Compared to the current car, according to the sketches at least, the new Sonata looks far more European and premium in its design.

A pre-production prototype for the facelifted Sonata was spotted recently during cold weather testing, though the heavy camouflage concealed most of the details at the front and rear that are shown in the drawings.

Hyundai's local arm has already confirmed the new Sonata will be launched in Australia during the second quarter of this year. An official unveiling is confirmed for early next month ahead of the Seoul motor show later in March.

In addition to the exterior updates, expect the facelift to also bring updates to the cabin, including revised trims and the company's latest infotainment system.

Stay tuned to CarAdvice for more updates in the coming weeks.

Update: Hyundai has officially released the sketches that will preview the upcoming Sonata facelift, with the new sedan's launch scheduled to occur in its home market of Korea "early next month".

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