Hyundai launches hybrid version of latest Sonata

Hyundai Motor Co. has launched the hybrid version of its latest Sonata sedan to diversify its lineup, the company said Thursday.

The Sonata New Rise Hybrid went on sale earlier in the day in the domestic market with a lifetime battery warranty, 10-year/200,000-kilometer warranty on parts for hybrid vehicles and a guarantee of 62 percent of its value after three years, Hyundai said in a statement. 

The 2.0-liter hybrid sedan mated with a six-speed automatic transmission is priced at 29 million won-34 million won ($26,000-$30,000). It can achieve up to 18 kmpl, it said.

The Sonata New Rise sedan was launched in the local market in early March.

"The flagship sedan and its hybrid model are set to be shipped to the United States and other major markets in the second half," a company spokesman said. 

Its sales rose to 5,414 units in April from 2,879 a month earlier. Sales of overall Sonata sedans, including the midsize sedans sold to taxi companies, increased to 9,127 from 7,578 during the same period, the company said. (Yonhap)