The launch ceremony was held at COEX in southern Seoul with the attendance of about 200 reporters, Hyundai officials and others.
The LF Sonata, mated with a 2.0 engine and six-speed automatic transmission, is expected to compete with the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Volkswagen Passat, the South Korean automaker said.
Hyundai said it plans to sell 228,000 units of the new Sonata this year, including 165,000 cars abroad - and 338,000 Sonatas in 2015.
Production for the U.S. and Chinese markets will start in May and the first half of next year, respectively.
The fuel efficiency tested by the government stands at 12.1 kilometers per liter of gasoline for the 2.0-liter engine and 11.5 kilometers for the 2.4-liter.
The base vehicle with a 2.0-liter engine and CVVL is priced at 22.55 million won (about $20,800).
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com