Double Vision: Looking Back At A Commercial Icon
Did you know that the Hyundai Sonata has been on the market for more than 30 years? That’s a long time, but it doesn’t mean the car hasn't been updated. The Hyundai Sonata is a stunning example of American and Korean design, even still. With options like an available 7-inch Touch screen and rear camera mirroring system, it’s no wonder people keep coming back to this iconic model.
Here are some fun facts about this amazing car!
On December 24th, 1976, the first-ever Mazda Miata came off of an assembly line at Mazda's manufacturing plant in Hiroshima Prefecture.
Huntington Beach, California is nicknamed as the "Surf City" because of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, and the high quality of surfing in the area.
The Hyundai Sonata was originally designed for Japanese automaker Toyota's luxury brand Lexus. The first prototype of the Sonata was built on Toyota’s production line. This made it easier for Hyundai to handle production and quickly ramp up new models down the line.
In December 2007, 72,000 people lined up outside of a mall parking lot just to get a chance to sit in a limited edition Subaru Impreza WRX STI Rally Car.
The Subaru Impreza is a compact car that was first introduced in Japan in 2001. The 2008 WRX and STI models were the first to be produced outside of Japan.
Hyundai is the number two selling car brand in America, just behind Toyota.
Americans purchased more than 1 million Accords in 2002, making it the most popular vehicle in the country. Honda sold about 2 million vehicles that year, meaning that sales of its top three best-selling models accounted for nearly half of all U.S. automotive sales.
The Hyundai Genesis Coupe has a top speed of 174 mph. That's even faster than the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport, which tops out at 162 mph.
Hyundai is actually short for Hyudai. The name was derived from Hyudai, which is a combination of the two characters for Hyundai and Japan. Hyudai is derived from the Japanese expression "dai hyu" or "big water."
The Hyundai Manta is a concept that was created in 2006 to show off some of the ideas that Hyundai had been developing in the early 1980s on their own. The Manta has a removable fender, and can be driven as a normal car.
The most popular car color in America is silver, followed by dark blue and black. The reason for this is because the weather in many states in America is much colder than that of other parts of the world. A darker color absorbs more heat from the sun, so people tend to choose darker colors to help keep their cars cool.
The Audi TT was named after Dr. Ing. Wolfgang Audi’s son who passed away in a skiing accident prior to the TT’s release in 1999. The TT also earned accolades at several automobile shows around the world during its short lifespan before being discontinued at the end of 2006.
The Hyundai Equus was rated as the fastest production sedan in the world at its launch. The Equus has a top speed of 161 mph and a 0-60 time of 5.4 seconds.
Hyundai recognizes its heritage by offering special editions of its most popular models. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe pictured here is an anniversary edition that pays tribute to the first-generation Hyundai Coupe from the mid-1990s.
On August 11, 1991, president George H.W. Bush visited Texas A&M University to drive a “Silver Bullet” 100X experimental electric car for about 1 mile with former U.S. Rep. Steve Bartlett Jr., who was chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee.
Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis, offers a sedan called the G90. The G90 was rated as one of the best cars on the road by Time Magazine in 2016.
The Hyundai Grandeur is a mid-size car that was originally available with a V-6 engine and rear-wheel drive. The Grandeur had seating for five people and could reach top speeds of up to 113 mph.
The Western States Endurance Run is an annual footrace from Squaw Valley to Auburn, California that celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2017. The race is held on a 168.4 mile course that includes 11,000 feet of climbing per day.
The Hyundai Genesis Coupe GTC was named after its 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. It had a horsepower of 274 and could reach top speeds upwards of 175 mph.
The Hyundai Santa Fe was one of the first crossover SUV models to hit the market in the early 2000s. The Santa Fe came with seating for seven people and a motor that had 195 horsepower and 265 lb.-ft. of torque.
The Hyundai Sonata was named after a mountain in Korea’s Chungju region. The Sonata is Hyundai’s largest passenger car in the U.S. with a total vehicle sales of more than 425,000 units since 1983.
Hyundai is the third-largest manufacturer of automobiles in South Korea behind only GM Korea and Renault Samsung Motors.
The Hyundai Tucson was one of the first compact SUVs to be introduced to the American market in 2002. The Tucson had seating for five people and a motor that had 159 horsepower and 173 lb.-ft. of torque. The Tucson was discontinued in 2006 due to low sales numbers.