Monday, May 19, 2008
The television commercial touting the 2006 Hyundai Sonata matches it
confidently against the Honda Accord. That's a brash move, considering
the immense popularity of the country's best-selling midsize car.
But after the driving the redesigned Hyundai for a week, the Sonata
represents itself well. The Accord and other well-established vehicles in
the class — Toyota Camry and Chevrolet Malibu — have long histories
and well-proven resale values. Yet, the Sonata is worthy of a carefeul
look, particularly considering its price point, manufacturer's warranty,
standard features and attractive new interior and exterior designs.
My weekly drive was the top-of-the line LX V6 model. The Sonata is also
available in a 4-cylinder model with both automatic and manual
transmission options. But with its bigger engine, the 3.3-liter 235-
horsepower edition, the Sonata is only available in an automatic, and it's
quite impressive. The five-speed automatic is surprisingly quick and
powerful. It zips around slow-moving vehicles and accelerates with
confidence while negotiating freeway entrances or powering up to
interstate cruising mode.
The Sonata maneuvers well and its steering and handling capabilities,
while not exemplary, are certainly above average, particularly since 17-
inch wheels are included. While not extraordinarily quiet, the new
Sonata has improved, lower levels of engine noise and wind rush from
previous editions.
Another reason to consider the Sonata is its laundry list of standard
features: Power windows, locks and mirrors, cruise control, AM/FM MP3
audio system, leather seats and leather-wrapped steering wheel,
heated front seats, keyless entry with alarm, fog lights, and automatic
temperature control, among other items.
Further, the newly designed Sonata is exceedingly comfortable. Its
nicely appointment interior is basic, but spacious. And like the car's
increased horsepower and improved new design, the interior room has
been improved from the 2005 edition with expanded room in several
areas. The trunk, for example, is cavernous, with additional space
available for skis or other long cargo with split back seats are down.
Another nice interior design touch is the teardrop shaped dials on the
instrumentation panel. It gives Sonata a touch of elegance — which is
hardly expected in a vehicle with an out-the-door price of under
$23,000.
The Sonata exterior design update also gives the car a refined look. Its
lines are smartly contoured, resulting in a presence on the road that's
again more dignified than expected from its price category.
And there's one last new item about the much-improved Sonata.
Hyundai will build only the V6 models in the South Korean
manufacturer's new and first U.S. plant in Alabama. The U.S.-based
Hyundai plant is also the manufacturing location for the all-new Santa
Fe, the brand's SUV, which is scheduled for debut in the fall of 2006.
Honda will likely remain the leader of the midsize class and with of
plenty of good reasons. But it's likely the Honda brethren has taken a
look at the Hyundai Sonata. It's a worthy opponent to the longtime
midsize class ruler.
2006 Hyundai Sonata
Safety features – Dual front, front-seat mounted side impact
and roof-mounted side curtain airbags. Antilock brakes.
Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 20 (city), 30 (highway).
Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 5 years/50,000 miles;
Powertrain 10 years/100,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/100,000 miles;
Roadside assistance, 5 years/unlimited mileage
Base price – $22,895.00
James Raia is a Sacramento, Calif., journalist who writes about sports,
travel and lifestyle topics as well as the automotive column, The Weekly
Driver. To read his articles, visit the web site:
http://www.ByJamesRaia.com
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