Hyundai unveils trump card

The Hyundai i45 should sell well in the important fleet market. Photo / Supplied

Hyundai battled through 2009, a dreadful year for the New Zealand motor industry, to increase its sales by nearly 7 per cent in a market that fell by 28 per cent.

It broke the 5000 unit mark for the first time and took fifth place in the passenger-vehicle market, a result that came as no great surprise to those in the industry who have seen the Korean company determinedly claw its way up the ladder.

Two years ago it was in seventh place and not too many years before that, languished among the "others", the ones that weren't in the top 10.

The question then became how Korea's largest carmaker would maintain its momentum this year? Part of the answer was revealed with last week's launch of its i45 mid-sized sedan, a replacement for the Sonata. Hyundai will use the wickedly sleek sedan to carve into the important fleet market. It'll also court private buyers, who are active in the hotly contested mid-size marketplace. The company plans to sell 1000 over the next 12 months, at retail prices that range from $42,000 to $52,000.

The launch comes on the heels of the company's ix35 SUV, which replaced the popular Tucson.

Sonatas sold reasonably well as fleet vehicles, but Hyundai expects the i45 to do much better thanks to its modern styling, level of equipment even at the entry level, and a choice of two responsive four cylinder engines.

On the other hand, the i45 lacks both a wagon version and a diesel, both important to fleet buyers. However, the company says another model coming later in the year will address both potential sales squashers.

The lineup includes four models with two Theta II four cylinder engine choices. The entry-level car has a lively 2.0 litre that produces 122kW at 6200rpm and 198Nm of torque at 4600rpm. The other three use the 2.4 litre four offering 148kW at 6300rpm and 250Nm at 4250rpm.

Both offer good fuel economy and reasonably low CO2 emissions. The 2.4 emits 188g of CO2 per kilometre and the 2.0, 8g less. The bigger engine burns 7.9 litres of petrol per 100km overall and the 2.0 uses 300ml less per 100km.

Standard equipment across the range includes alloy rims, Electronic Stability Program, ABS braking, six airbags, a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters on the steering column and cruise control.

Interior dimensions compare well with rivals such as the Mazda6, Toyota Camry and Ford Mondeo. The car feels spacious in both the front and rear and luggage space is a useful 523 litres.

The base 2.0 and 2.4 are most likely to find favour with the general fleet market, while the more expensive 2.4 Elite and Elite Limited will likely find their way to management and private buyers.

The only difference between the Elites is a panoramic sunroof on the Limited that increases the price to $51,990 from $48,990.

On the road, the i45 rides comfortably on all surfaces and handles competently. It's a car that can gobble up distances or wheel around happily in the CBD or suburbs.