The 2011 Hyundai Sonata is already riding the waves on a sea of accolades, and Hyundai isn’t resting on its laurels. The assembly lines are gearing up for the new turbocharged and hybrid versions of the swoopy sedan, while the normally aspirated versions continue to walk off the lots.
Hyundai is so chuffed with the success of their new baby that they have provided Leftlane with a well-equipped Sonata SE for us to sample over the next year as a long-term test vehicle. During that time, we will file monthly updates, travel distances long and short, maintain it and constantly monitor the general state of being that results from our one-year-affair with the Sonata.
For now, however, we decided to give you our initial impressions – those gleaned after a week and about 600 miles of day-to-day driving.
What is it?
The sixth-generation of Sonata, it is Hyundai’s largest selling midsize ride, although its interior is classified by the EPA as that from a full-sized vehicle. A five-seater, our SE model slots directly in the middle of the lineup, although it is the most powerful for now, producing 200 horsepower.
It replaces the respectable but ordinary outgoing Sonata and adds a dose of style and refinement, as well as strong specifications.
What’s it up against?
Previously, the outgoing Sonata could only be considered a second-tier player. Never sexy nor refined enough to be considered a neck-and-neck contender with the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry , Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu , it was nonetheless a good overall candidate in the mid-size segment. And it was getting better. Jump forward to the 2011 model and you’ll see the transformation from ho-hum duckling into an outright cover girl. Yes, that metaphor mix was intentional.
Somewhere along the way to the 2011 model, something happened at Seoul and Ulsan, South Korea, where Sonatas come to life.
An infusion of passion, perhaps coupled with an alignment of the stars and a sudden desire to burst out from the pack of also-rans has occurred. We like the results.
Any breakthroughs?
How about a break away from the pack rather than an outright breakthrough? With this new Sonata, and the new technology available as a result of direct injection and other emerging ideas, Hyundai has decided to forego a V6 engine offering in favor of a hopped up four banger.
With the upcoming turbo-boosted engine as well as the hybrid version, Hyundai is trying to convince the public that less is definitely more. When you consider the right-size pricing, that manages to squeeze things like the Navigation and Sunroof package and all the technology that goes with it into a $2,600 price point, we think that’s a breakthrough, too.
How does it look?
Fluidic-Sculpture is the new language at Hyundai and it will be the face of many of the new vehicles to come out of the California design center. As we reported at launch, Hyundai is pushing further than any skeptics thought possible. And this applies to more than just the Hyundai brand. Across the hall of the design center in SoCal, Kia ’s band of artists are hard at work readying their new designs, as well.
The raked-back grille leads off the swoopy shape that doesn’t look too far off from Mercedes-Benz CLS four-door coupe. Squint a bit and you get a glimpse of a style that reminds us of a manta ray with the scooped out mouth area and the headlamps resembling eyes that lead you inward towards the grille. Look closely on the sides to see the sign of a Zorro-like detail line that runs the length of the Sonata.
We can’t deny the fact that Ford ’s kinetic themes are ever present in the shapely Sonata – but the overall look is definitely Hyundai’s own.
We are still amazed that it shares the same drag coefficient (0.28) as the Koenigsegg CCX , which costs about $625,000 more than the Sonata SE
And on the inside?
By contemporary standards, a handsome interior that uses leather and a technical fabric seat covering that should wear for a long time. The sport seats in front, while not in the realm of Recaro, offer good support and mild bolstering that will keep you in place during long hauls. An abundance of buttons cover the centerstack, but in reality it is not overly crowded like some other vehicles on the market.
A telescoping / tilt steering wheel with all the redundancies necessary are all that’s located in front of the driver. Beyond that lies a tach and speedometer with an e-meter poised between them. This meter monitors your driving habits, letting you know whether your size 11 dog is too heavy on that go pedal. An attempt at behavior modification, we found that it actually works.
In the tuneage category, Hyundai has decided to stay in-house. Their new Dimension audio system is included standard in our SE, and features an AM/FM/XM tuner, with CD and MP3 player capabilities. An optional Infinity 400-watt system is on offer on certain models for those needing more dBs to make their ears bleed. Standard Bluetooth keeps things hands free, while proximity keys with push button starters keep the key fobs in the pocket.
Finally, everyone who has ever taken a look in the rear seat area of the Sonata could not believe the size of the cabin and the rear seat legroom that comes with it. Hyundai calls it a midsize vehicle. The EPA says “not so fast” and calls it a full-size automobile. Attention Hyundai: This is a major plus! Market it!
But does it go?
Armed with nothing more than a 2.4-liter Theta II four-cylinder engine, the Sonata SE is at the top of the power food chain, as far as non-turbocharged models are concerned. In the horsepower arena, the SE slots in at 200 horsepower versus 198 in the GLS and Limited versions.
With its direct injection and variable valve timing, the torque rates at 186 lb-ft., versus 184 lb-ft. in the GLS/Limited models. Credit the freer-flowing dual exhaust for the increase in horsepower and torque. We’ll take t hem. Weighing in at right around 3,200 lbs., the EPA rates the Sonata at 22 mpg in the city and an impressive 35 mpg on the highway. We’re certain to test this highway fuel economy during our evaluation.
Although a six-speed manual transmission is available, making for a shift-it-yourself sedan, we think your money is better spent on the six-speed electronic automatic. The in-house developed transmission, with an overdrive lockup torque converter, features a ShiftTronic manual shifter mode, complete with steering wheel-mounted paddle shift levers. The shift-it-yourself mode allowed for downshifts while in the normal automatic gate. After a few seconds it reverts to normal mode. Or throw it into the sport gate with +/- indicators and operate it with the shift stick or again with the paddle shift levers.
The MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension on the SE is improved over the GLS and Limited versions through the use of stiffer springs and shocks and a 24 mm stabilizer bar in front. Dampers unique to the SE, with monotube shocks and a 17 mm stabilizer bar in the rear, help the Sonata track flatter than its cushier stable mates. Hyundai claims a 20-percent increase in roll stiffness. We can feel the difference over the other setup, but didn’t notice any undue harshness as a result of the beefing up. Our SE is equipped with 225/45R18-inch low profile Hankook tires all around. We’d like to see a higher grade of tire come standard than these budget-grade offerings.
All Sonatas have a motor-driven, electric power, speed sensitive steering system. There appears a certain on-center vagueness with the steering, which we will get checked at our local Hyundai dealership. Otherwise, road feeling is transmitted nicely through the steering column for a very direct driving feel. The ride is as quiet as most every other car in this segment. Let’s call it Camry quiet.
Why you would buy it:
These guys are on a roll and you would be a fool to not at least consider it.
Why you wouldn’t:
You think of a car as an appliance, and if Sears sold them in the Kenmore section of their local stores, that’s where you would buy one.
Leftlane’s bottom line:
No longer are Hyundais appealing primarily because of their rational low price and high feature content. With the introduction of the Sonata, Hyundai has shown that it can inject passion into a point A-to-point B family sedan.
We will live with the Sonata SE through the next four seasons. Along the way, we will travel on road trips, around town jaunts and to dealer service appointments. During that time, we will report to you the highs and the lows of ownership.
Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
2011 Hyundai Sonata SE base price, $22,595. As tested, $26,015.
Navigation and Sunroof package, $2,600; Floor mats, $100; Destination, $720.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
