Avante prices jump to Sonata levels with redesign: gasoline up $3,360, hybrid up $4,870

Hyundai has unveiled the "The All-New Avante," marking a complete redesign of its popular compact sedan after six years. The new model boasts enhanced convenience and safety features, including a 12.9-inch infotainment system and advanced driver-assistance systems, previously seen in the larger Grandeur.

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We have elevated the product quality and the overall customer experience by one step.

However, the price increase has drawn attention, with the gasoline 2.0 model starting at 23.98 million won and the hybrid 1.6 model at 30.42 million won (before eco-friendly tax benefits). This represents an increase of 3.36 million won for the gasoline version and 4.87 million won for the hybrid compared to the previous base trims. Hyundai eliminated the "Smart" base trim, making the "Modern" trim the new entry point, which includes many of the upgraded features.

When fully optioned, the Avante's price can reach up to 33.23 million won for the premium trim and 36.87 million won for the top-tier Inspiration trim. Even with tax benefits, the hybrid Inspiration trim can exceed 40 million won. This places the Avante's higher configurations within the price range of the mid-size Sonata and even the large Grandeur sedan, leading to comparisons of "Avante prices like Sonata."

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There are talks of 'Sonata-level prices for an Avante purchase.'

Hankoreh reported that a Hyundai official acknowledged the price increase was due to enhanced standard equipment. The company anticipates that most customers will opt for models in the 30 million won range, as fully loaded options are less common. This strategy aims to justify the higher price by offering a more premium experience in the compact sedan segment.

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There were factors contributing to the price increase due to the enhanced basic specifications. Since fully loaded options are not common, we expect purchases to be decided in the 30 million won range.