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| 2015 Hyundai Sonata |
It's the seventh generation of the Hyundai Sonata, the family car that originally confirmed this manufacturer might eventually be a force in the industry. That original Sonata, introduced in 1988, was one of those true, rare, contradictory products, full of both good news and bad news. Good news: Leather interior, only a few hundred bucks extra! Bad news: Smelled like fish.
Hyundai, along with its corporate cousin Kia, has upgraded both its products and its savvy for the U.S. market with stunning speed. The Sonata improved with every iteration until generation six, when the car finally could match midsize competitors like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu in every area. And it finally exceeded almost all of them in styling.
That car also upped Sonata sales to about 200,000 a year, a very healthy number, and Hyundai said it could have done better if it had the construction capacity. Even now, the thoroughly modern Montgomery, Ala., plant where Hyundai took us to introduce the 2015 Sonata is working beyond capacity: three shifts, 2,500-odd employees and 231 robots, building most of the U.S. Sonatas and a lot of Elantras on the same assembly line.
So what's new? Outside, everything; not one body panel or sheet of glass is carryover. The styling mandate, according to the design team: “An athlete in a well-tailored suit.” Well, maybe. To us, the 2015 model -- outside, anyway – is, at best, a lateral move, with the oddest feature being a piece of bright metal trim that forms a “C” from the top of the side windows, across the bottom, leading all the way to the headlight. It's sort of a Chrysler touch--and that's not a compliment. Even Chrysler got the styling exactly right with the new 200.
On the Sonata Sport model, another swash of bright metal appears beneath the two doors, just above the rocker panel. Hmm. Did we miss the “chrome is back!” memo? Anyway, the styling is not a negative, but it doesn't advance the cause like the last generation did.
Inside, no such complaints. On the Limited in which we spent most of our time, the fake woodgrain looks far better than the real black woodgrain on the new Genesis, which resembles spray-painted plywood. Instruments and controls are correct, plug-in ports are accessible, the optional navigation system is friendly, and seats are supportive and quite comfortable.
How does it drive
About like you would expect: Even the sportiest Sonata Sport model is hardly a canyon-carver, but Sonata owners probably don't spend much time at the drag strip or local SCCA autocross. Handling is moderately crisp, the ride is quite good and soundproofing is excellent. That was the biggest revelation from driving the Limited on a lot of different road surfaces: The car is just plain silent.
Our Limited was loaded, with good-looking alloy wheels and P215/55-R17 radials – we saw Hankook and Kuhmo tires on the various models. Balance was good, braking firm and repeatable, steering a little numb but not objectionable.
Do we miss the old V6? Frankly, yes. The 2.4-liter, 185-hp engine that most Sonatas will come with, including our Limited, is pretty leisurely at every speed, and the reasonably smooth six-speed automatic isn't a lot of help. That said, the 29 mpg in combined mileage will probably be enough of a tradeoff for most buyers.
The Sport is offered with a 2.0-liter turbo engine that has a claimed 245 hp, but it seems like less than that, especially mated to that six-speed auto. Surprisingly, the most fun model to drive is the Eco with the 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder, which has just 177 hp, but it's mated to a dual-clutch, seven-speed automatic, giving it a lot more punch than you would expect. There's no hybrid now, but stay tuned.
2015 Hyundai Sonata price and specification
On Sale: Summer 2014
Base Price: $21,960
Drivetrain: 2.4-liter, 185-hp, 178 lb-ft inline four; six-speed automatic transmission
Curb Weight: 3,252 lb
0-60 MPH: 9 sec (est)
Fuel Economy (EPA city/hwy/combined): 25/37/29
Our Limited was loaded, with good-looking alloy wheels and P215/55-R17 radials – we saw Hankook and Kuhmo tires on the various models. Balance was good, braking firm and repeatable, steering a little numb but not objectionable.
Do we miss the old V6? Frankly, yes. The 2.4-liter, 185-hp engine that most Sonatas will come with, including our Limited, is pretty leisurely at every speed, and the reasonably smooth six-speed automatic isn't a lot of help. That said, the 29 mpg in combined mileage will probably be enough of a tradeoff for most buyers.
The Sport is offered with a 2.0-liter turbo engine that has a claimed 245 hp, but it seems like less than that, especially mated to that six-speed auto. Surprisingly, the most fun model to drive is the Eco with the 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder, which has just 177 hp, but it's mated to a dual-clutch, seven-speed automatic, giving it a lot more punch than you would expect. There's no hybrid now, but stay tuned.
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| The interior of the new Sonata |
2015 Hyundai Sonata price and specification
On Sale: Summer 2014
Base Price: $21,960
Drivetrain: 2.4-liter, 185-hp, 178 lb-ft inline four; six-speed automatic transmission
Curb Weight: 3,252 lb
0-60 MPH: 9 sec (est)
Fuel Economy (EPA city/hwy/combined): 25/37/29
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