Hyundai Sonata 2026 News

Hyundai has recalled thousands of examples of its Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe, Palisade and Ioniq 9 SUVs, as well as the Sonata sedan.It affects 3445 units for the 2025 model year in relation to a software issue with the digital driver display, according to a notice from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications Sports and the Arts. “Due to a software issue, the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may fail to illuminate the visual vehicle speed, fuel level and other critical safety information,” the notice reads.“A loss of safety system warnings whilst driving, could increase the risk of an accident causing injury or death to vehicle occupants, other road users and bystanders.”A spokesperson for Hyundai Australia said there have been no reported instances of the issue in Australia.The brand will contact owners of affected vehicles to arrange an appointment to rectify the issue via a software update. If the vehicle is Bluelink enabled, the update will be delivered automatically over-the-air (OTA).Hyundai has had a solid start to 2026, with models such as the Kona and Tucson some of the most popular SUVs in Australia currently. The brand recently recalled nearly 5000 examples of its Ioniq and Kona EVs earlier this month. 

The way a car looks can make or break a model, and recently we’ve seen cars such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Tasman receive so much criticism because of their styling that the brands appear to be working on a quick redesign for them. So will the new-look Tasman and Santa Fe translate into better sales? We’ll find out soon, once we see the updated cars and then the sales figures, but in the meantime here are our top 5 car re-designs from the past five years. And by redesign we don’t mean the change in styling, which comes with a new-generation of a car, but the facelifts and makeovers that happened in between.  5. 2025 Nissan QashqaiMost brands update their models over the course of about seven years between all-new generations. Normally these involve tweaks to headlights or taillights and are often cosmetic changes that are easy to fit onto the existing design. So it’s always impressive when we see a striking new look come along such as with the Nissan Qashqai in 2025.The Qashqai received a complete ‘face transplant’ giving it an entirely new look. The smaller plunging grille it had worn for years had been replaced by a gloss black textured one-piece grille stretching the width of the car. 4. 2025 Isuzu MU-XIsuzu’s seven-seater MU-X SUV has spent most of its life living in the shadow of the D-Max ute it’s based on, but a revamp in 2025 saw it lose its goofy grille and gain a menacing new look.Isuzu said the mid-life update came after customer feedback and along with the redesigned face the MU-X also gained a host of new features and safety tech.Isuzu said the restyling incorporated “aeronautical design cues to inject strength and dynamism” while improving aerodynamics.3. 2026 Subaru SolterraSubaru’s Solterra EV was massively overhauled just two years after its launch in 2023 due to strong criticism of its range, power, price and styling. The Solterra returned new and improved in 2025 with a redesign that made the SUV unrecognisable from the front.For Australia the change came even more rapidly, with the Solterra launching here in early 2024 and the updated version having just arrived in early 2026.The new face was just the tip of the huge changes that had taken place, with a larger battery installed for increased driving range and more powerful motors added. Subaru also dropped the price by up to $7000.2. 2021 Lexus ISThe Lexus IS hasn’t been sold in Australia since 2021 but it was in that year that the mid-sized sporty sedan launched locally with a redesign so big that this looked like a new-generation and not just an update.  More aggressive, but more refined the new IS had a wider body, a bigger grille, new headlights and LED running lights and new taillights.1. 2023 Hyundai SonataThe 2023 Hyundai Sonata was hit with a stunning makeover. The facelift took a fairly dull-looking sedan and turned it into a desirable, sleek and modern four door.A new frontal design incorporating a thin LED strip skirting the bonnet edge, large lower grille and a beautifully treated tailgate with restyled taillights completed an exterior design which looked more new-gen than makeover.The updated Sonata’s cabin also received an overhaul with new tech and features.

Sedans aren’t done just yet.Hyundai is reportedly working on a new version of the Sonata sedan, and it has its sights set on the Toyota Camry.Fresh digital renders from ChaFreak on Instagram give us a speculative view on what the new 2027 Hyundai Sonata could look like.It features the brand’s futuristic pixel design, with slim headlights and an angular body with some panel creases and edgy front bumper. It has more of a liftback silhouette rather than a conventional sedan look.There aren't many details about the Sonata just yet, but there are plenty of dots that can be joined.Hyundai is moving towards hybrid, plug-in hybrid and extended-range electric vehicles, so it stands to reason the next-gen Sonata will be available with a number of different power options.Its biggest rival, the Toyota Camry, is only available with hybrid power and a raft of Chinese challengers are fully electric but there are next to no options for plug-in or extended-range hybrids in Australia.Hyundai only offers one variant of the current Sonata, which is the wicked-up N Line version with 213kW and 422Nm on tap.Conventional hybrids rarely bring that kind of performance, but Hyundai could bring some sporty flair to the new Sonata with plug-in or extended-range hybrid power.Extended range hybrids — also known as extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) — use a petrol engine purely as a generator for a battery, with the wheels driven exclusively by electric motors. This is paired with a battery of moderate size, which can also be charged by plugging into a charger.This provides the peppy off the line performance of electric vehicles, but with out the range anxiety and the excess weight of purely electric vehicles.There are question marks on whether Hyundai would bring a new Sonata to Australia, with the current version selling fewer than 400 examples last year.The sedan segment has been given a boost recently with the advent of electric cars, with vehicles such as the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal proving to be some of the strongest sellers.