Hyundai Sonata Complete Review

Products like this sixth-generation Hyundai Sonata (codenamed YF) reflect the brand’s current standing. Still good value, still has that long warranty, but now with attributes that appeal not only to the value conscious. Things like quality, class leading figures and design flair were almost never spoken in the same sentence as “Hyundai”, but the YF changes this. We drive Hyundai’s eye opener in Muscat, Oman.
have a feeling that Malaysia could be the most challenging market to sell cars in, if you’re not local, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW or Mercedes-Benz. Now, let’s spare a thought for Hyundai.

Your much improved cars are now either on par or class leading in certain areas, mature markets like North America have warmly embraced them, and even highly critical European and British journos have acknowledged and endorsed them. Your brand is huge in rapidly booming and increasingly influential markets like India. On the flip side, in the ASEAN region’s most affluent and sophisticated country, your cars now outsell old favorites like the Corolla, Lancer and Sunny. It seems that you’re capable of winning over every type of market, but not this tiny country called Malaysia.

The reasons behind this scenario needs a thesis of its own, but it is a fact that our proud market discriminates against Korean marques. And to overcome this “handicap” Hyundai are expected to match their Japanese rivals in technical spec, beat them in equipment AND come with a sticker price from one segment below. It’s an unenviable task, and if I were president Chung Mong Koo, I’ll just shrug shoulders and say that Malaysia isn’t worth the effort, as our tiny volume can easily be recouped by an i10 promotion in India!

Thankfully, that was just me daydreaming. Hyundai is not just still here, but is bringing us new cars like the new Tucson and Sonata YF that will manfully take on the field with the above mentioned conditions. It has all the required ammunition, and as we found out in Oman, could deliver a knock out blow to not only the competition, but Malaysia’s perception of Korean cars.

First of all it looks special. The large saloon market is one where car makers tread with caution, where buyers are slightly older (and more conservative?) than the C-segment. You don’t want to make a car so radical looking that it will scare off your target market (you don’t find Honda trying its spaceship cabin on the Accord, for instance). Which is why we salute Hyundai for making such a bold and distinctive looking Sonata, which is the first in its segment to take on the “four-door coupe” style.
When that’s mentioned, our minds link to the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Volkswagen Passat CC. Casey Hyun, Creative Design Manager in charge of the YF project (and a regular reader of this blog!) tells us that while the team was inspired by the CLS, the Passat CC “absolutely had no bearing on the Sonata’s design”. Work on the YF started in 2006, a year after the Merc debuted but long before the VW was launched.
The static appeal is amplified once you step inside the Sonata. The curvy dashboard has a hint of GM’s “double cockpit” style and it’s all very sleek. Of all the colour combinations we saw in Oman, I liked this pictured grey tone the best, which blends nicely with the subtle lashings of chrome and silver as well as the piano black glossy trim. Hyundai Sime-Darby has ordered an all black scheme; while that’s a safe choice, I personally reckon that it won’t bring out the various elements as well as this picture does.

The slim center console features a top display shared by the stereo and climate control, which employs a humanoid shape inspired by Volvo. However, unlike the Volvo’s simple operation (press head, body, leg or combo to direct air accordingly), you’ll need to toggle Hyundai’s human till you get the mode you want.

All the buttons are laid out neatly (and stylishly), unlike the Accord’s all-in-one pack. The twin-pod chrome ringed instruments are easy to read and look good, and there are two subdials within the meters. Quality is good as well; the main dash moulding and door caps are in soft plastic and the panels are joined tightly. After the flamboyant exterior, the cabin doesn’t disappoint; there’s certainly more flair here than in the Camry or Accord.

I took the chance to lounge at the back when I wasn’t driving and lounge is the correct word. The Sonata’s 2,795 mm wheelbase is only 5 mm shy of the Accord’s and the Hyundai provides similar amounts of legroom, which translates to “more than enough” – no problems even if those in front have long legs. The two-section sunroof and rear air-con vents mean that the ambiance here is second to none in its class. The Hyundai’s seats are well shaped and comfortable too.

Compared to the boat like NF, the new Sonata has much firmer suspension (front MacPherson struts, rear multi link) and good body control. Body lean is not an issue here and you don’t drastically feel the car’s weight shift during fast lane changes – things that can’t be said about the NF, which I revisited recently. Oman’s smooth roads didn’t tell us much about the Sonata’s ride comfort; our test car had 18-inch wheels, Malaysian spec cars will wear 17-inch rims with 215/55 rubber.

The NF wasn’t one to be hustled around, but it was comfortable and refined, and its 2.4-litre Theta engine/four-speed auto pairing competent and unobtrusive. In the YF, the engine is the latest Theta II family of 2.0 and 2.4-litre powerplants. We only drove the 2.4 in Oman, and this unit puts out 176 bhp and 227 Nm of torque, which compares well with the Accord 2.4′s 178 bhp/222 Nm and shades the Camry’s 165 bhp/224 NmLike the Accord’s K24A, it needs a persistent right foot to get going at low revs, although the Theta II differs by being less charismatic and characterful than the Honda unit, without any high rev flourish. It may feel a bit generic, but it’s no less competent. This Dual CVVT (intake and exhaust) engine’s combined fuel consumption is 8L/100 km or 12.5 km/l.