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Source: Hyundai to launch Sonata diesel by Jan-Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

CHENNAI: HYUNDAI Motor India (HMIL) is set to beef up its position in the luxury D-car segment in the country by launching a diesel variant of its Sonata Embera. Sporting a 2.0 L CRDi engine, the diesel Embera is expected to be launched around the middle of January, 2007. However, the company is yet to decide on the price tag for the new model.

“The diesel version of Sonata Embera will have a new engine, built on the same category of diesel 1.5 L Verna, which has a refined engine. We expect the new 2 L engine to give us a good platform to promote the Sonata category,” Mr Arvind Saxena, vice president of marketing & sales, HMIL, told ET.

HMIL had launched the fifth-generation Sonata Embera in August, 2005. The car was priced at Rs 13.69 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) in the low-end and Rs 14.59 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) at the high-end.

According to him, the luxury D-segment, comprising Hyundai’s Sonata and Honda’s Accord, does not have a good diesel option. “We believe it will be a good product offering to the market and it will surely be a good option for consumers,” Mr Saxena said.

He further said that the consumers have many petrol variants in the high-end, but not many diesel options. “With Sonata Embera CRDi, we hope to drive this category. While we sell around 40-50 Sonata petrol variants per month at present, we expect the launch of the diesel variant will improve numbers significantly,” he said.

Mr Saxena said that the Verna, which was launched towards the end of September this year, has been received well in the market and is set to clock combined sales of 10,000 units by the end of this month. “As of now, the diesel variant of the Verna sells more,” he added.

ya ya ya... Hyundai should have done this when the car was launched... Not after recieving a blow from the competition...

Emberra sells 40- 50 per month???

I have seen only one sonata emberra... Have seen about ten old sonata's around...

i have never seen new sonata on road !

Excellent. Finally the Laura has some competition in the diesel D Segment. I would expect the price to be in the region of 16 lac rupees for the diesel.

You probably have and mistook it for an Accord. Happened to me a couple of times until I looked closely.

What is this ??

there was talk of Hyundai introducing a V6 diesel engine in the Sonata. Same category as Verna means that it is a let down.

well i doubt the diesel sonata will do any harm to laura sales...there isnt much competition for laura in that diesel segment...and if the petrol version isnt selling at all of the embera..i doubt very much the diesel will sell more than a 100 units a month...

Petrol Skodas havent sold either.

Hyundai may have finally got their cards right by getting in the Sonata Diesel. The CRDis are fabulous engines and the price will be very competitive. Secondly Hyundai spares and service will definately be cheaper then that of the Skoda. If GTOs guess on the pricing of 16 lakhs is right, Hyundai have a winner here. At 16 forget the Laura even the Octy TDi will come under pressure at least the fully loaded L&K

Agree with Danlalan. Embera Diesel will add to another of Hyundai's flops.

well i doubt that...there are way more skoda rs cars sold than the new embera..i guess nobody is as interested in the embera As they used to for the old sonata...same way nobodys interested in the mondeo and the vectra's now...no matter what the manufactures do...

if GTOs guess is right, Hyundai will still find it tough to sell em. the last i remember, petrol Emberas were going for around 11L a piece (if i remember right, pls pardon me if i am wrong). considering that, a diesel sticker price of 14L on road, would make the car irresistable.
and someone informed me, L&Ks arent sold anymore. just the rider petrol and diesel. the lauras have taken L&Ks place. so no fear for the Octi, i guess.
at 16L, i would still prefer the much more sophisticated, Laura, ignoring the silly name, perhaps.

Yeah. The image issues will not go away with the CRDI engine - its still a Sonata and still a Hyundai. Unless they price it at par with the Octi, there wouldnt be many takers (again, its the A.S.S. *only* that would help it sell if priced at 12-13L)

Word is spreading around that Skoda's can be suicidal to maintain , especially their spares price. Hyundai's are right now endowed with better diesel tranny's in the Indian market . Verna's engine is astounding , they should have sharpened the chasis/brakes to suit such a powerful engine . In the case of the new Sonata I dont think they will have that problem , I mean
Looks - ****
Engine - *********************(from the way thinks are going)
VFM - ****(considering maintenance cost)
The only problem I feel they have to rectify is super brand image , Hyundai is always concieved by people as a maker of cheap affordable car , so they are not able to pull in customers to a great extent due to this reason. I feel its time they launch a premium brand . IF they solve this problem the car can literally rock the segment................provided...Honda doesnt play spoilsport by launching 2.2Ctdi, If that happens then its going to be yet another loss for Hyndai. Any way am just waiting to try teir New Gen 2.0lit Crdi.

I differ over here , If you have driven one you will never say this . Another thing is that , the car flopped coz of its reliability /maint. price issue not coz its petrol . I feel there has been no other car that has hit the right chord between ride/handling/looks like mondeo. The slow speed ride may be bad but it more than makes up later on when u thrash her.

I dont think Hyundai 'll do the same mistake again by launching the Diesel version at 16 lacs . And if they do i am sure they will fall way short of their sales target ..
Now if we see the difference between petrol and diesel varient of verna , accent or for that matter any car/brand(other than high end cars) it does not exceed more than a lac .
Since the petrol is priced at Rs. 12.45(ex showroom) ,the best they could do is price the diesel varient at a lac more for Rs. 13.5 lacs .
The Onroad price will then come to Rs. 14.5 lacs(approx) which i think is a fair price tag for a car of its size . But at 16, a big NO .
And they should not forget that Skoda is coming out with a Cheaper version of the Laura in the early 2007 named elegance which 'll cost not more than 15.5 lacs(approx) on the road ... hyundai has a tuff time ahead for sure ...