2015 Hyundai Sonata - TestDriveNow.com First Look

2015 Hyundai Sonata – First Look:

Who has the highest brand loyalty in the biz? That’d be none other than Hyundai which makes the success of this next generation Sonata even more crucial in preserving that hard earned title and to keep their customers coming back.

When a car buyer visits a Hyundai showroom, 6 out of 10 times they drive off in either an Elantra or a Sonata and it’s this car which has become the brand ambassador. It debuted in 1998 but really took off in 2010 when Hyundai introduced its fluidic sculpture design which put the rest of the midsize segment on high alert. And after 4 highly successful model years, it’s time to reboot the Sonata for 2015 featuring a more restrained fluidic sculpture 2.0, a sharper focus on vehicle dynamics and Hyundai’s signature class-above level of amenities.

An overhaul of the trim levels and a brand new powertrain smartly address an even broader audience. Shoppers desiring a more conservative outward appearance will appreciate the non-Sport models while those with a racier heartbeat will flock here. The newly named Sonata Sport is available with either the bread and butter 2.4-liter engine or with the performance oriented 2.0-liter turbo as I have here. Both receive numerous enhancements directed at improving efficiency as well as responsiveness. Slotted where a V6 might be offered by the competition, this twin-scroll turbo-4 now makes 245 horsepower and 260 pounds-feet of torque – both of those numbers are down from the 2014 model yet the engine modifications result in a more urgent feeling takeoff and a 2mpg improvement in around the town mileage, now rated at 23mpg city/32mpg highway. The 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters remains.

The biggest nick against the previous car’s drivability was in its artificial, disconnected steering. That issue has been successfully addressed in this Sonata and in particular in Sport models by strengthening key components, adding a faster processor and calibrating it for a much more enjoyable and organic feel.

During this one day media introduction, my drive time in the Sonata Sport 2.0T revealed a car that has truly honed its craft. Not only is the steering significantly improved, but the body’s increased rigidity and new and improved suspension produce a Sonata that drives more precisely, arbitrates the balance between ride and handling with greater astuteness and does so with a heightened sense of luxury and quietness. This Sport model also contributes larger brakes, its own unique motor driven steering setup, a rear diffuser and quad exhaust, while inside there’re sport bolsters for the front seats, mechanical gauges, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, unique shifter, aluminum pedals and special trim. Drive modes consist of Eco, normal and Sport.

Who doesn’t want more rear legroom in their family sedan? This Sonata has actually grown out of its midsize classification into a full-blown large car with its bigger back seat while maintaining its supersized trunk.

The new Sonata is longer, wider, taller and heavier than the outgoing car. A reimagining of the interior is another area where the Sonata takes a big leap forward with a new center stack layout, simplified controls and of course, lots of new features all executed with greater quality. The $4,950 Ultimate Package added to my tester invites the full arsenal of Hyundai’s latest driver assistance features like forward collision warning, smart cruise control and rear parking assist in addition to a plethora of luxury-level features and the latest generation navi system with advanced features like Apple Car Play and Google’s Android Auto. Blue Link Connected Care – an OnStar-like emergency assistance service over a 3G connection – is also included free for 1 year while more in depth packages cost $99 annually.

A base Sonata SE stickers for $21,960 while this Venetian Red Sport 2.0T Ultimate carries an MSRP of $34,335. With a price advantage over its competitors, a better model mix and new layers of refinement the 2015 Sonata will continue to gobble up market share.

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