Three to Watch From the Frankfurt Motor Show

First up today is the introduction of the new Hyundai Sonata (2011 model pictured left, as shown at the Korean unveiling), which is scheduled to hit these shores early in 2010. The current Sonata is a key cog in the Korean car maker's lineup, selling at least a few more units in August than any other Hyundai except the Elantra. It's a solid midsize sedan that's just a tad smaller than the Chevrolet Malibu or Toyota Camry in terms of things like size, fuel efficiency, sticker price and, until now, styling. Which certainly isn't to say the next Sonata will feature better styling, but it will at least have more of it.

Hyundai says the new exterior design is an example of "fluidic sculpture," and the result is a pastiche of the Honda Accord, Toyota Solara and Toyota Camry. The face of the vehicle is especially, uh, interesting, but I know design is subjective and one thing's for sure: The new Sonata will be hard to ignore when you see it coming.

It will also get a full helping of gadgetry and other accoutrements, including a three-piece panoramic sunroof, heated rear seats, a nav system and an OnStar-ish tracking system on the odd chance it's ever stolen. The next Sonata will even be built in the U.S., in the same Alabama plant now building the current one.

Now, Hyundai has continued to grab sales and market share in this country in recent months — sales were up 47 percent in August and the company gained another .4 points of the market — thanks to strong new entries like the Genesis and Elantra Touring. So I'm thinking that the combination of inertia, an entry that's newer than the competition and an all-around improved package will mean more good news for Hyundai.

And if I'm saying the future Sonata will be a hit, the news about the MAZDA2 is probably best described as a sucker punch aimed right at the Blue Oval. It turns out that Mazda has decided to bring its popular-everywhere-else-in-the-world compact to the U.S. toward the end of 2010. The thing is, though, it's built on the exact same platform as the new Fiesta, and not in the same way a Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse share a platform. What I mean is, while the GM products have common underpinnings but are well-differentiated and compete for different buyers, the MAZDA2 and Fiesta will mostly battle it out head to head. Which was probably a surprise to Ford execs who expected the Fiesta to hog all the compact glory — and sales — when it reaches the U.S., also late in 2010.

It's true that Ford already has a nice head start on the Mazda, with the much-hyped Fiesta Movement marketing campaign and just a lot of good buzz in general, but you can expect the MAZDA2 to get a lot of play as a smaller version of the already-well-accepted MAZDA3, which, in turn, basks in the halo of the MAZDASPEED3. In other words, the MAZDA2 will come to market with its own built-in "ZOOM-ZOOM" audience base and will undoubtedly take some sales from the Ford.

Then there's the new Saab 9-5. While we still don't know who will end up controlling the OEM, we do know the next 9-5 is a make-or-break vehicle for the brand. On the "make" side of the ledger, the car is about as all new as possible considering it's still built on a GM platform that was first introduced in 2003 (and, to be fair, updated in 2008). It will also benefit from Saab's long experience with small-displacement turbocharged engines, which should be a particularly strong selling point in today's market now that they'll be wrapped in the 9-5's updated body.

On the "break" side of things, well, it's still built on a GM platform that was first introduced in 2003. I'm also not as keen on the exterior styling as other critics have been: It's got a nice profile and a good look from the C-pillar on forward, with an aggressive stance, but the rear looks a bit too Toyota-ish for my tastes.

Admittedly, win or lose, the role of Saab in the U.S. market per se won't be a big one. However, there are growing noises about GM keeping a stake in the company after all, and this has to be considered in light of the coming sale of Opel. I mean, General Motors does need some kind of European peg on which to hang its global aspirations, so European-based products with good prospects and a GM connection, like this 9-5 and the new Opel Astra, for example, have to be considered positive marks for the General.

And you know what they say about "What's good for General Motors."

Select photos courtesty of Hyundai Motor Company, Mazda Motor Corporation and Saab Automobile