If you are a Sedan (Salon) car lover, then look nowhere as the specs of this tinted luxury vehicle will make you hold water in your mouth till the morrow.
Release in the last quarter of 2017, the 2018 Hyundai Sonata is not a full redesign, but this quiet comfortable sedan has significantly improved in looks, interior feel and driving dynamics.It is still mid-pack in many ways, but it’s hard to beat its value in features for the dollar and class-leading warranty coverage.
According to Cars.Com, “The mid-size sedan was once the bread and butter of U.S. car sales”. That was especially true for Hyundai and its Sonata, which put the brand on the map in the U.S. Now, even scrambling to offer more SUVs, Hyundai hasn’t forgotten the Sonata sedan, which has been updated for 2018 as it faces new competition.
While the Sonata’s features for the buck helped the 2015 beat nine rivals in Cars.com’s $27,000 Midsize Sedan Challenge, just a couple of years later, it finished mid-pack versus eight rivals in the 2016 Midsize Sedan Challenge.
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| Photo Credit: Cars.Com |
A higher-mileage turbo 1.6-liter Eco model was rumored to return late year year as a 2018 model, and updated 2018 versions of the Sonata hybrid and plug-in hybrid will be arriving later this year.
Hyundai said one of its design goals was to recapture the magic of the swoopy 2011 Sonata. Its design raised the bar among then-appliance-like family sedans, but it was dialed back for 2015. For 2018, the front end is new from the windshield forward, and the lower side body and rear end are redone, as well. A new version of Hyundai’s cascading grille — shaped to echo the pouring of molten steel — takes the Sonata’s face in a more vertical direction, accentuated by vertical LED daytime running lights and stronger sculpting in the hood. A lower bumper that Hyundai calls a “catamaran” design pulls the eye down and away, while reshaped headlight pods stretch up and away. Reshaped LED taillights extend a character line running from the front wheel, while the lower rear bumper echoes the catamaran look, including dual chrome exhaust tips for the Sport and turbo 2.0-liter models. The overall effect may not be “wow,” but it is stronger and more upscale than before.
The front seats were quite comfortable as the miles rolled up; they’re bolstered well for winding roads. The top Limited trim’s leather looked and felt good, and the SEL’s standard cloth is also of good quality, with interesting shaping and stitching (and the cloth was not unwelcome on a hot desert day).
The rear seat is comfortably padded and roomy, if not a match for the limo-like backseat of Volkswagen’s Passat. The Sonata’s coupelike roofline left enough headroom for a 6-foot-2 adult. The rear seat folds in a 60/40 split for extra cargo space in addition to the large, 16.3-cubic-foot trunk. That rivals the 2018 Accord’s 16.7 cubic feet and beats the redesigned Camry’s 15.1.
The interior was impressively quiet, with little intrusion of engine or road noise in the city, on the freeway or even on the rough asphalt of rural desert roads.
Open-air fans take note: Gone for 2018 is the available panoramic moonroof that gave the Sonata’s interior a wide-open, airy feel. It’s been dropped in favor of a smallish (and cheaper) conventional rectangle.
The Sonata already combined a smooth ride with competent handling. Now, the 2018’s upgraded rear suspension links and bushings improve dynamics while retaining a smooth ride and balance reminiscent of a premium car. Increased component stiffness and new tuning also deliver better steering response and on-center feel. The Sonata is no sports car, but it felt agile and confident while carving up twisting mountain roads.
But if you enjoy driving and are OK with a mileage drop to 23/32/26 mpg, your choice should be the 245-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that powers the Sport 2.0T and Limited 2.0T. Also a carryover engine, for 2018, it’s mated to a new eight-speed automatic with manual mode and paddle shifters. A 34 percent greater gear ratio spread versus the former six-speed is a better fit for the turbo, giving it both more punch off the line and quieter high-speed cruising. Downshifts were quick and positive, and the middle ratios were well-spaced. It’s a good mating of performance and value — though if you want more zip and are willing to pay for it, the new Camry, for example, offers a trim with a 301-hp V-6 that delivers comparable fuel mileage. The Fusion offers a thirstier but much sportier 325-hp, 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 with all-wheel drive.
The Hyundai multimedia system is fast and among the most user-friendly ones you can get; it’s equal to or better than anything in this class. Either touchscreen is clear and sharp, and the Sonata has standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. A convenient device bin on the front console has USB connectivity and 12-volt power. A wireless charging pad is available, and a USB connection has been added for the rear seat. For 2018, Sonatas come with three years of free Hyundai Blue Link service for remote starting, locking and cabin conditioning via smartphones or smart home speakers (such as an Amazon Echo). Models with navigation also get free map updates for three years. These free services are a value boost from the 2017, which had just a three-month free trial followed by costly subscriptions and updates.
Value is a core part of Hyundai’s brand image, and while the Sonata might be just mid-pack in some ways, it’s a leader in bang for the buck with its reconfigured pricing and trims for 2018. The SE model’s price rose $100 to $22,935, including destination, but now includes standard blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. It still undercuts rival starting prices like the 2018 Camry ($24,390) and Accord ($24,445). At the top end, a check-all-the-boxes Sonata Limited 2.0T got a price cut of $1,900 from 2017, down to $33,335 with destination. That flies well under the fanciest versions of those rivals.
Culled from Cars.Com
