Topic: Test Drive: 2015 Hyundai Sonata Limited

[Autos_Editor]

Hyundai's redone mid-size sedan does luxury large in the Limited.

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[redman]

"....Hyundai to further develop their suspension chops – an area which this Korean automaker (along with Kia) has had the toughest time decoding"

This is where Hyundai should bring in the expertise of suspension engineering groups such as Lotus who have assisted many other car manufacturers.

[mixmanmash]

This 2015 Sonata is 35 mm longer and 300 mm wider than the 2014 model, and is now officially classed as a large car, even though it competes in the mid-size segment.

300mm wider??? That's almost a foot wider!!  Might want to check that.

Fuel economy is rated at 9.8 L/100 km city, 6.7 city and 8.4 combined.

I think its 6.7 highway.

Sounds like a whole lot of value for the price.  But if I was shopping this class, I would want a manual narrowing my choices to the Accord or Mazda 6.

[toolatecrew]

Was offered a base one of these as a rental. Turned it down flat after one look at the interior. The grey and beige plastics were awful. Maybe I will give it a chance next time to see how they have improved the ride and comfort. Not surprised they have increased the comfort at the loss of some performance. it wasn't much of a performer to start and that's not what sells.

I would suggest that since they are essentially going after "one market" that they save a few $ on the adjustable stuff and put it towards one good sorted out setting. Who needs 3 poorly executed steering modes. Just get ONE right.Same thing with sport transmission modes (especially in a non sporty car).  Once nicely sorted mode is all that is needed.

Impressive fuel economy for that size car.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Wow, that is some seriously impressive mileage there.

I'm assuming the car you had was the 2.4 NA motor...I don't think you specifically tell us in the article.  Were you driving with a purposeful eye towards fuel economy? I can get close to those numbers when driving the Altima economically, but drive 'normally', and I'm usually around the 8.5L/100km combined mark.

[OliverD]

Sounds like a whole lot of value for the price.  But if I was shopping this class, I would want a manual narrowing my choices to the Accord or Mazda 6.

Or the Passat.

The new Sonata looks generic and the performance is mediocre (0-60 mph in 8 seconds for the turbo, which is 1.9 slower than the '11 model they tested).

[Jaeger]

Things I don't like:

Interior - Particularly the puke-worthy fake wood.

Exterior - too generic. Even the Camry is more stylish now.

Engine - now way I would give up that much hp to improve already impressive low end response.

Things I like: suspension improvements.

[Oldsguy]

What's this? Criticism of the outgoing model here? "Unrefined ride and noisy cabin"? I thought it was The Great Leap Forward from the articles I read here when it was introduced? Heresy!!! And the seats "too flat and hard"? "The mysterious science of polished dynamic cohesiveness has eluded Hyundai and Kia"? "The steering lacks feedback" and "has on-center numbness"? Reading between the lines, this is not the puff piece H-K likely expected. Better watch it, or the goodies might stop rolling in if you keep this up.

[EV-Light]

Those wheels...yuck, what were they thinking?
That interior...yuck, what were they thinking?
....I could go on and on. The previous generation looks better and honestly it looks like the new one actually came before the previous generation.

[Oldsguy]

Those wheels...yuck, what were they thinking?
That interior...yuck, what were they thinking?
....I could go on and on. The previous generation looks better and honestly it looks like the new one actually came before the previous generation.

Agree totally. As many said when this was first rolled out to the press, it is a step backwards. Perhaps Hyundai couldn't agree on what other car to copy this time around.

[fixer]

Things I don't like:

Interior - Particularly the puke-worthy fake wood.

Exterior - too generic. Even the Camry is more stylish now.

Engine - now way I would give up that much hp to improve already impressive low end response.

Things I like: suspension improvements.

Even the Camry is more stylish now? All credibility just went out the window.

[EV-Light]

Things I don't like:

Interior - Particularly the puke-worthy fake wood.

Exterior - too generic. Even the Camry is more stylish now.

Engine - now way I would give up that much hp to improve already impressive low end response.

Things I like: suspension improvements.

Even the Camry is more stylish now? All credibility just went out the window.

I have to agree with Jaeger...

[Ex-airbalancer]

I like the new onw, the old one was toyish looking

[fixer]

Things I don't like:

Interior - Particularly the puke-worthy fake wood.

Exterior - too generic. Even the Camry is more stylish now.

Engine - now way I would give up that much hp to improve already impressive low end response.

Things I like: suspension improvements.

Even the Camry is more stylish now? All credibility just went out the window.

I have to agree with Jaeger...

Ugly and totally out of proportion.

[whaddaiknow]

Ugly and totally out of proportion.

Did you just look in the mirror and say that? The amount of vomit coming out of your (virtual) mouth is staggering.
This Camry is a looker.

[hemusbull]

Could be a misprint but anyway, I don't believe this one is "300 mm wider" then 2014.

[EV-Light]

the Sonata looks OK in this pic:

[Northernridge]

^^straight on from the front it's pretty mundane. The design is not growing on me so far. Seems like the last design was striking initially and then maybe ran its course a little too quick while this one is off to a slow start in terms of visual impact.

[Noto]

the Sonata looks OK in this pic:

I was thinking the same thing...so long as we don't all now turn around on the Subaru Legacy thread and say "that Legacy looks like the Sonata."


Personally, my beef with the new sonata is not the outside; rather, the inside looks 10 years old already.  I mean, shyeet.  Those plastics do nothing to help the Hyundai, here.

2015:


Compared to the 2014:


Sure, the old one didn't have an 8" screen, but it had that interesting person shape for the climate control...SOME sort of character!

[dirtyjeffer]

yea, i'm not a fan of new interior either.

fortunately, the Kia Optima still looks good...i know it is pretty much mono colour, but it still looks nice.