
The side treatment avoids the all too common wedge look with an almost horizontal beltline riding above softly shouldered fenders and door panels. Mirrored Z-seams where the end corners of the bumpers meet the quarter panels add interest, while blacked-out window surrounds play down the tall side glass.
Extended C-pillars shorten the deck lid, which itself presents a rounded, gently sculpted profile vaguely reminiscent of the much maligned posterior of today's BMW sedans. The flat-flanged rims on the up-level 17-inch wheels suggest a high-end European import more than an affordable Asian nameplate.
The taillight outlines repeat the headlight shapes and bookend a broad, trapezoidal license plate inset. Again, there's a hint of other cars' architecture, most notably current Camry and Accord models. Sporty, California hot rod-idiom dual exhausts mark the V6-equipped versions.
The Hyundai Sonata hasn't yet found its signature design cues, but its designers are looking in the right places.
