With a brand new look, body and drivetrain improvements, a more spacious cabin and a list of standard equipment that puts some higher priced cars to shame, the latest Hyundai Sonata range has freshened its appeal to both family buyers and fleet operators.
Safety has emerged as a strong selling point in recent times and the Sonata is right on the money with a driver's airbag and four wheel disc brakes standard across the three-model range. Two out of the three models are equipped with ABS anti-lock brakes as well.
For 1994, the three Sonata variants (all sedans) are the 2.0 litre four-cylinder GLE and the 3.0 litre V6-powered GLS and Levant. The GLE comes with five-speed manual or four-speed automatic; the V6 models with auto only.
The GLE manual costs $23,490, making it the cheapest new car in Australia to currently have a driver's airbag as standard. The GLS costs $32,490, while the Levant has a price tag of $36,990.
Features and equipment
In addition to the air bag and four-wheel discs, all Sonatas have power steering, tilt steering wheel, driver's seat height adjuster, electric windows, central door locking, drink holders, power radio antenna and electric boot lid release.
As well as ABS, the GLS gets airconditioning, electric exterior mirrors, cruise control, alloy road wheels, a 60/40 split-fold rear seat and tinted windows.
The Levant adds leather upholstery, electric driver's seat, power sunroof and a keyless entry/auto alarm system.
All models feature a four-speaker radio/cassette player, with the GLE and Levant having what is described as a Deluxe version. However I was disappointed with both the reception and range of the unit in the test Levant. It suffered noise distortion at times around town and faded in outer metropolitan areas where other car radios have had no problems. Also on a critical note, I expected the Levant would have provided some interior lighting for rear passengers. A colleague made the comment that he thought automatic control for the air conditioning should be standard on a $37,000 car.
The new Sonata has improved considerably on the previous model's rating in the NRMA's theft scoring system where cars are allocated points out of one hundred for features such as security of door locks, ignition lock and other theft deterrent devices. With its keyless entry/alarm system, the Levant socred 47 points, while other Sonata models are now rated at 37 points. The previous model scored a total of only 19 points.
Body and finish
Though the new Sonata's styling verges on blandness, with many of its features seemingly borrowed from other medium class competitors, I find the overall look pleasant and not unattractive. The heavy slab-sided look of the previous model has gone, replaced by a shape that is smooth and well-proportioned, with plenty of curves and indentations to relieve the larger surfaces.
Standards of finish were a bit of a mixed bag on the test Levant. The paintwork looked attractive and glossy, but a check of paint thickness showed considerable variances, with coverage on the bonnet at the bare minimum of what is considered an acceptable industry standard. Surprisingly, there were also some variations in panel gaps and the sun roof didn't fit flush in one corner. The leather interior of the Levant looked luxurious but squeaked annoyingly when various sections rubbed together.
Comfort and space
Both front and rear occupants should have no trouble with leg room in the Sonata, as it's better than average for this size of car. But the Levant's sunroof robs head room to the point where anybody who's long in the body may not be able to sit up straight without brushing the roof - it's a case of try before you buy in this particular model.
The front seats don't offer a lot of lateral support, but are otherwise comfortable. The multi adjustments for the driver's seat on GLS and Levant models ensures that most occupants of this seat should be able to find a comfortable and suitable position.
Comfort for rear passengers is pretty much as per usual for this class of car - good in the two outer positions but not so good for a centre occupant who is perched high with limited padding. Rear seat cushion width is about Magna/Camry size, but not up to Falcon/Commodore standards.
Though it's not particularly deep, the boot is wide and about average in length, both with the 60/40 split rear seat erect and folded. The rear panel is cut down to bumper level making it easy to load and unload heavy items.
Behind the wheel
The Sonata has a clear instrument layout with equal size speedo and tachometer, separated by an additional automatic indicator to the one on the floor console. Though the various controls are well laid out for easy use, Hyundai does a few things back-to-front. Examples are the air temperature control, window controls and boot release - all work the opposite way to what we are used to.
Also, on the Levant test car, the turn signals didn't always cancel when they should have but this could have been at least partly due to the steering wheel being positioned off-centre.
The Sonata has a reasonably compact turning circle (noticeably smaller than the Magna) and with power assistance for the steering and good all-round vision, it's not a difficult car to park.
On the road
Just about every popular medium car these days comes with the choice of four cylinder or six cylinder engines and the Sonata is competing head on with the likes of the Toyota Camry/Holden Apollo and the Mitsubishi Magna.
In both four cylinder and six cylinder versions, the Sonata is down on power compared to the Toyota and Mitsubishi engines. Among the "fours", the Sonata's engine is smaller (2.0 litre against 2.2 for the Camry/Apollo and 2.6 for the Magna). The sixes mentioned are all 3.0 litre capacity but the Camry in particular, has a more advanced design that puts out about 27 per cent more power than the Sonata.
With this power deficit, the Sonata V6 lags behind the Camry/Apollo and Magna V6s on outright acceleration. However, the Sonata engine produces its maximum torque at a very modest 2400 rpm, providing good response from low speeds and good in-gear acceleration. All round, the Sonata V6 is a steady, satisfying performer, but not an outstanding one.
The test Levant V6 did very well on fuel consumption, using only 9.7 litres per 100 km on highway running and 13.1 in the city and suburbs. Overall consumption was 12.0 litres/100 km.
Detailed comment on the performance and fuel consumption of the four cylinder Sonata will have to wait until a full test can be carried out; a test car we had booked failed to materialise.
Another area where the Sonata V6 seems to be behind the Camry/Apollo and Magna is in noise and harshness. The Sonata is fine in gentle driving or when cruising, but under moderate to heavy acceleration, substantial engine "roar" intrudes into the cabin. It could be a case not so much of the engine itself being harsh, but perhaps engine mounts that don't damp out this harshness effectively, or ineffective cabin insulation.
When it comes to ride and handling, it seems the Koreans haven't yet mastered the art of suspension tuning as well as the Japanese, who in turn, are still learning from the Europeans and our very own local products. The Sonata's suspension specifications read well, with an all-independent system of struts up front and trailing links with upper and lower control arms at the rear, however the on-road results are a little disappointing.
Thanks to the high quality Michelin tyres fitted to GLS and Levant models, road grip is good, but I thought the ride was excessively hard, particularly at lower speeds around town. Overall, the handling could be described as safe, but fairly uninspiring and not up to the standards set by cars like the current Camry and Honda Accord. The steering doesn't do much to help the Sonata's chassis dynamics; I found it lacked a precise, progressive feel and "weighted" up too quickly as you turned off centre.
With four wheel discs and ABS, the test Levant performed well in braking tests. Emergency stops from 80 km/h were executed in short stopping distances with only moderate pedal effort required and without wheel locking or deviation from a straight line. Resistance to brake fade under heavy usage was satisfactory.
Servicing
Service intervals are in line with the industry standard; after the initial lubrication service at 1000 km, maintenance is scheduled at 10,000 km/six monthly intervals, or 5,000 km/three months for vehicles operating under severe conditions. Hyundai warranty, at three years/100,000 km, is one of the best in the business.
Summary
Though the new Hyundai Sonata isn't as well sorted in the ride and handling department as contemporary Japanese models, nor as well insulated against noise and harshness intrusion into the cabin, it still represents a large step forward over the previous model.
The new Sonata not only looks better and drives better, it offers buyers more interior leg room and boasts an array of standard equipment that's virtually unmatched.
From a personal viewpoint, I could probably forego the Levant's leather trim, electric driver's seat and power sunroof and go for the $4500 cheaper GLS, which still provides you with ABS brakes and a driver's airbag.
Alternatively, the GLE is remarkable value if you're happy to swap the power of a 3.0 litre V6 under the bonnet for a more docile 2.0 litre four cylinder engine.
