Australia: The Sonata has suffered the same upshot as the Kangaroo Island Emu and Tasmanian Tiger. On the other hand, i45 with its pouncing looks, gets on track to overtake the Honda Accord Euro, Mazda 6, Subaru Liberty and Suzuki Kizashi.

Those who plump for the Active model will obtain six airbags, stability control, 16 inches alloy wheels, LED tail lights, fog lamps, auto headlights, rear seat air outlets, steering wheel controls, cruise control and a six-speaker sound system with a USB port which is compatible with an iPod.

The Elit model benefits full leather support, climate control, 17 inches alloys, rain-sensing wipers and rear parking sensors.

The Premium version rolls up with 18 inches alloy wheels, a panorama sunroof, and an up-sized subwoofer audio system with six-stack CD player multi-line display of audio.

All Australian-bound i45 features a 2.4 litre petrol engine sending 148kW of power and 250Nm of torque to the front wheels, at the outset.

According to CNET Australia, Hyundai has unveiled the i45's hybrid and turbo versions at the New York Auto Show this year.

The i45 range is now on sale with the Active model selling for AU$ 30,990 (automatic) and AU$29,490 (manual). The automatic version of Elite is worth AU$34,490 while the Premium costs AU$37,990. All the prices are inclusive of government service tax, but excludes dealer and statutory charges.