Avery postive review from Montreal Gazatte 27 May 2008
Surprise, it's a Hyundai
Revised 2009 Sonata completely addresses the original's weaknesses
DAVID BOOTH
Canwest News Service
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
The law of averages states if you take enough turns at bat, you will eventually hit a home run. The trick, as they say, is to consistently hit them out of the park.
Car design is no different.
Hyundai initially proved it was ready to play in the big leagues when it redesigned its Sonata back in 2005. To that point, Hyundai had been that cheap and cheerful company that made cars that were almost as good as the Japanese brands, but for substantially less money.
That 2006 Sonata was a breakthrough for Hyundai. The company began winning reliability and customer satisfaction studies while performing on par with the big three of the family sedan segment - Toyota's Camry, the Honda Accord and Nissan's Altima.
Oh, there were a few downsides - the base four-cylinder, for instance, had suspension as limp as linguine - but, for the first time, the Korean automaker was playing with the big boys on a level playing field.
But could the automaker back it up?
The short answer is a resounding yes. Though the revisions do not represent a ground-up redesign, the 2009 Sonata is substantially different from the 2008 model it replaces. More to the point, the new Sonata almost completely addresses the original's weaknesses.
For instance, the base four-cylinder has been dramatically enhanced. Along with the addition of continuously variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust camshafts, the 2.4-litre gets a variable intake system. The end result is 175 horsepower where the previous model boasted but 162.
More importantly, the base four now feels on par with the similar-displacement engines from Nissan and Honda. There's 168 pound-feet of torque as well, which produces enough acceleration to make the choice to upgrade to the V6 a luxury rather than a necessity.
Indeed, Hyundai Canada forecasts 80 per cent of new Sonatas will be four-bangers. Helping things along is a new five-speed automatic transmission (a five-speed manual is standard) that shifts smoothly and is better geared than the old four-speed.
Adding to the attraction is the fact Hyundai Canada has reduced the pricing of the base four-cylinder model to $21,995 in response to Toyota Canada's Camry price chop. Luckily for the Canadian distributor, our Sonatas are made in Alabama, so the exchange rate is favourable to the price reduction.
And, mated to the automatic tranny, the four-cylinder Sonata gets a hybrid-like 9.5 and 6.2 L/100 km fuel economy in city and highway driving, respectively.
The V6, though no longer strictly necessary, is no slouch, either. Like the four, it's been upgraded to 249 hp from 234. That still doesn't threaten either the Camry or Accord V6s, but, in everyday performance, 250 hp is seldom felt as lacking.
It's also fairly frugal, the highway mileage increasing to only 6.9 L/100 km, while city driving munches 10.8. In fact, the only downside to the up-level drivetrain is that the five-speed autobox can occasionally hesitate when shifting gears under load. It's almost as if the tranny is taking a gulp before diving into the deep end of the V6's acceleration. Emphasizing that the four-banger will be the go-to model, the V6's starting price of $27,795 is more than that of the outgoing model.
Another big improvement is the suspension calibration, particularly in the base model. In its previous guise, the V6 handled admirably, but the four-banger's suspension seemed under-damped and too softly sprung. Hyundai obviously meant for the four-banger to have a more comfortable, cossetting ride, but it just succeeded in making the base model's chassis feel sloppier.
While the upscale six feels roughly the same, the four's dampers have been substantially upgraded, with even the $21,995 GL I4 feeling stable and competent on a twisty road. As well, Hyundai is now offering both models with an upgraded sport suspension. While it transforms neither the four nor the six into a BMW, so equipped, the Sonata can now be called sporty, something the previous generation could never be accused of.
Nonetheless, the 2009's biggest improvement is inside the cabin. Its decor and build quality are superior to the Camry's and Altima's, and it is now almost equal to the Honda Accord's. The dashboard material, for instance, feels soft, the gauges are chrome-trimmed and the centre stack is much better organized. Compared with the Camry and Altima, the Sonata's interior is - wait for it - elegant.
Yes, I'm surprised, too. Heck, even the very cheapest model gets two-mode seat heaters as standard equipment.
And the Sonata's interior volume is greater than any of its primary competition.
Normally, mid-model refreshes are modest affairs with the addition of a few electronic gizmos and a new front grille. Hyundai's more-than-modest refresh has largely addressed all the original car's weaknesses while maintaining its price competitiveness.
The only thing that's changed is that it's no longer a surprise when Hyundai excels.
