Hyundai Sonata Poised to Pass Accord in U.S.

Road Rage: The redesigned Sonata is set to overtake a perennial best-seller on the American road.

Hyundai’s popular new Sonata is on track to overtake the Honda Accord later this year in monthly U.S. sales according to recent dealership figures, reported Chosun Ilbo.

In August 21,399 Sonatas were sold in the U.S., just 1,107 less than the Accord. The gap narrowed considerably since July when Sonata sales of 17,836 units was 5,100 less than the Accord. Accord sales had been sliding as its current model has aged over the past three years. Accord sales fell from 39,726 units last August to 23,032 this July and 22,506 this August.

The Sonata’s swift gain presents a surprising turn for the two models that are longtime leaders in the U.S. mid-size sedan segment. In 2008 only 117,000 Sonatas were sold compared with 373,000 Accords and 437,000 Toyota Camrys. Sonata’s surge has been powered by glowing reviews and the introduction of a sleek new 2011 model in April.

In recent months Hyundai has been struggling to keep up with the exploding demand, forcing some customers to wait up to two weeks for delivery from Hyundai’s Alabama plant. Hyundai will shift production of its Santa Fe SUV to the Kia Motors’ plant in Georgia to boost production capacity for the Sonata to over 300,000.

The demand for Sonata is expected to keep growing in the U.S. with the introduction in October of a high-performance version with a 2-liter turbocharged engine and in November of a hybrid that will get about 68 miles per gallon.

LOS ANGELES