Hyundai Motor Co.’s Sonata has been named the best car of the year by two Chinese car publications, industry sources here said Wednesday.

The Sonata, Hyundai Motor’s flagship mid-size sedan, was selected as 2011 car of the year by Auto Sohu, one of the most influential automobile Web sites in China with 70 million daily visitors, according to the sources.

Based on Internet polls and expert advice, the Chinese media picked the Sonata as last year’s best car, citing the sedan’s stylish exterior design tuned to the tastes of Chinese buyers, and its improved durability and safety.

The Sonata beat out the Benz S Class, BMW 5 series, Audi A7 and Toyota Camry, the sources noted.

The Sonata also received top place in the 2011 best cars of the year in a survey by Chinese automobile magazine Qichezu, said the sources.

The model won the highest points among 29 new cars released last year after being driven for 1,000 kilometers.

Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s leading automaker, released the new Sonata in China in April last year, and has sold an average of 10,000 units each month since September, said the company. 

(Yonhap News)