(November 30, 2009) A new four-cylinder engine will help power Hyundai’s drive towards becoming the fuel economy leader when it launches in the company’s most popular car, the 2011 Sonata, Hyundai says.

Hyundai unveiled the engine, which is built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama, at its Hyundai America Technical Center in Superior Township, Michigan, where it engineers, designs, tests and certifies vehicles sold in the U.S.

The 2.4-liter Theta II GDI engine features gasoline direct injection (GDI) technology which operates with greater efficiency using less fuel, creating fewer emissions and delivering improved throttle response, all while making more power than a traditional port-injected engine. In the all-new 2011 Sonata, consumers can expect an estimated best-in-class fuel economy of 35 miles per gallon in highway driving (EPA certification pending).

“At Hyundai’s core is a promise to deliver unparalleled quality and value to our customers,” says Hyundai Motor America President and CEO, John Krafcik. “Leading the introduction of this technology in our most important, highest volume product, the all-new 2011 Sonata, demonstrates our commitment to delivering products that excite and reward Hyundai owners.”

The Theta I-4 engine family is a proprietary design, engineered in Namyang, Korea, and currently in production for applications all over the world at volumes exceeding 2 million annually. The new Theta II 2.4L GDI engine is a derivative of the Theta with major upgrades in technology and architecture. It delivers an estimated 200 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque.  The most significant technology in the new engine is direct injection.