Hyundai i40 shows what Sonata wagon would be
by Antuan Goodwin
February 17, 2011 4:24 PM PST


The Hyundai i40 features the nose of an Elantra and the body of a wagon, and is about the size of a Sonata. (Credit: Hyundai)

The 2011 International Motor Show in Geneva is still a bit away, but Hyundai has given us our first look at the soon-to-be premiered i40 estate. "Estate," for our North American readers, is how our friends across the pond say "wagon"; and we like wagons.

The i40 was developed with the European market in mind, but shares a platform with the North American Sonata. The i40 will feature, among its power train options, a 1.7-liter diesel engine that emits just 113 g/km of CO2, which is pretty good--best-in-class good, actually.


The wagon form factor offers increased storage space, but will we ever see a North American release? (Credit: Hyundai)

The i40 was developed specifically for the European market and will debut in the wagon form factor shown here. Although the vehicle's face looks a good deal like the new Elantra compact, the i40 is actually based on the same platform as the North American Sonata. So, the i40 seems to be the closest look so far at what we could expect from a Sonata wagon. Unfortunately, the chances of our ever seeing a Sonata wagon on American shores are slim to none at this point, but we can still dream, can't we?