Car Review: two thousand fifteen Hyundai Sonata Two.Four Limited

2015 Hyundai Sonata Two.Four Limited

Cabin-wise, the fresh Sonata provides a spacious, calming and high-end environment in which to while away the kilometres.

2015 Hyundai Sonata Two.Four Limited

While it’s not slow, the base powertrain on the Sonata does lack drama when compared to its rivals.

2015 Hyundai Sonata Two.Four Limited

2015 Hyundai Sonata Two.Four Limited

The exterior look of the redesigned Hyundai Sonata Two.Four Limited is more conservative when compared to its more swoopy predecessor.

Yet again, Hyundai ups the stakes in the family sedan war

Overview Mid-sized family sedan with luxury pretensions

Pros Sleek, comfy, roomy, loaded

Cons Average power from base four-cylinder

Local Pricing & Incentives

• 2018
• 2017
• 2016

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What would I switch? AWD would make a good option

Over the past six generations, Hyundai’s mid-sized Sonata family sedan has morphed from cheap and crappy to cheap and second-rate, cheap and reliable, inexpensive and competitive, and inexpensive and well-contented, ending with stylish, competitive and desirable. With the brand-new, seventh-generation two thousand fifteen model, Hyundai is aiming for affordable luxury, at least with its high-end Limited trim level.

If it was possible to drive for a distance at a stable speed with your eyes closed (professional drivers only; don’t attempt this at home), I could make the argument that Hyundai has succeeded with the attempt — the front-wheel-drive Sonata Two.Four Limited tester is ridiculously quiet and sleek in operation. It’s only when the standard Two.4-litre naturally aspirated Theta II four is given a healthy prod — such as merging onto the highway from a brief on-ramp — does the engine betray its number of cylinders and its output with an average-for-a-family-sedan one hundred eighty five horsepower and one hundred seventy eight pound-feet of torque. It’s not that the car is slow; it just doesn’t have the sort of snap one might reasonably expect after shelling out $32,999 for the upscale-minded Limited.

Cabin-wise, the fresh Sonata provides a spacious, calming and high-end environment in which to while away the kilometres.

To have your cake and get to eat it, too, you need to fork over another $1,800 for the Sport Two.0T Ultimate model, which gives you all the deluxe features of the Limited as well as the joy engine, a zingy 245-hp Two.0L twin-scroll turbocharged four-cylinder, mated to a six-speed manumatic finish with spanking paddle shifters. So, it’s not like the company is leaving its customer base stringing up.

But, if a sport sedan is not part of your plan and your preference is to take a drive on the mild and comfy side, there’s very little to complain about the Limited trim. And, like I said, it’s not that the models fitted with the Two.4L are slow, just a little too average for my liking.

Now, the car’s dynamic can be tweaked slightly via three available drive modes that tie together the engine, transmission and the Motor-Driven Power Steering (MDPS). For enhanced fuel efficiency, Eco produces the softest throttle response and recalibrates transmission response to upshift earlier. Sport increases the powertrain responsiveness and provides a stronger steering weight. Normal splits the two, balancing throttle response, gear switches, and steering weight. Bear in mind, tho’, that the three modes are rather nuanced in their differences, so punching the Sport mode isn’t going to convert the car into a BMW five Series, nor will Eco make it a Prius.

While it’s not slow, the base powertrain on the Sonata does lack drama when compared to its rivals.

While the base powertrain lacks the drama to go with its sophistication, the all-new chassis is certainly worthy of kudos. A giant increase in the amount of high-strength steel noticeably improves rigidity, permitting Hyundai’s engineers greater plasticity in tuning the suspension with the goals of improving the car’s road manners and achieving reductions in noise, stimulation, and harshness. Their efforts have paid off handsomely as the Sonata has a very cosseting rail while still providing good road feel. Steering feel has been improved thanks to a more rigid steering column and subframe bushings, subject to which mode is selected to modify the MDPS.

Depending on the trim level, the Sonata is loaded up, with a total menu of driver assistance technologies, including a Forward Collision Warning system, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, a lane departure warning system and more. In the case of the Limited tester, all of the above are standard and, in stronger traffic situations, fairly useful.

Admittedly, it took me several days to begin appreciating the two thousand fifteen Sonata’s substantial exterior redesign. I was a gigantic fan of the previous generation’s swept back, aerodynamic look, what Hyundai termed “fluidic sculpture.” It was an avant-garde design that caught a lot of rival automakers flatfooted, forcing them to step up their game with their family sedans.

With the fresh model, termed “fluidic sculpture Two.0,” Hyundai has taken a slightly more conservative treatment with the car in order to bring it closer in line with the sport/luxury-oriented Genesis sedan. Oh, the two thousand fifteen is still a remarkable car, with clean lines, distinct fender flares and bold hexagonal grille, it’s just not as effortless to pick out of a crowded family sedan lineup as last year’s model.

2015 Hyundai Sonata Two.Four Limited

Cabin-wise, the Sonata provides a spacious, calming and high-end environment in which to while away the kilometres. It’s effortless to see efficient ergonomics were stressed as the primary controls are laid out logically and well marked. The Limited’s large, eight-inch touchscreen displays the usual items, the best being a very clear and readable navigation map. Hyundai makes much of the car’s irregularly shaped steering wheel with enlargened rim thickness and ergonomic grip rests, citing its enhanced feel. To me it’s just a steering wheel, but it does feel good in my palms, which, I suppose, is the point.

A shout-out is warranted for the sedan’s rear-seat accommodations. Even with the front seat set for my 6-foot-2 framework, I had more than enough legroom and headroom in the back row in which to open up out. In fact, in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency lists the two thousand fifteen Sonata as a “large” car for its interior volume.

Albeit the fresh Sonata did not instantly deepthroat me away as did the debut of the previous model, the more I drove it, the more struck I became with the myriad improvements. Those shopping for a roomy, convenient and well-engineered family sedan will find Hyundai has upped the stakes in this segment. And by not providing it due consideration in favour of the usual suspects — Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, etc. — is to do the Sonata a serious disservice.

The exterior look of the redesigned Hyundai Sonata Two.Four Limited is more conservative when compared to its more swoopy predecessor.

Type of vehicle Front-wheel-drive mid-sized sedan

Engine Two.4L DOHC four-cylinder

Power 185 hp @ 6,000 rpm; one hundred seventy eight lb.-ft. of torque @ Four,000 rpm

Transmission Six-speed manumatic

Brakes Four-wheel disc with Six pack

Natural Resources Canada fuel economy (L/100 km) 9.8 city, 6.7 highway

Standard features (Two.Four Limited) Dual-zone automatic climate control, 8.0-inch colour touchscreen display with navigation system and rear-view camera, heated and ventilated leather front seats, power driver’s seat, rear heated seats, Bluetooth, LED daytime running lamps, heated steering wheel, proximity keyless entry with push-button ignition, rear parking assistance sensors, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual chrome harass outlets, panoramic sunroof, Infinity AM/FM/SiriusXM/CD/MP3 audio system with nine speakers and outer amp, side-window sun shades, HID headlamps with High Rafter Assist, LED tail lamps, automatic trunk lid, blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control system with forward collision warning, lane departure warning

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