Test drive Hyundai Sonata
Test Drive

Test drive Hyundai Sonata

The new Sonata is like an enlarged Solaris: similar body lines, the characteristic shape of the radiator grille, the bend of a thin rear pillar. And this similarity plays into the hands of the novelty.

"Is that a turbocharged Sonata GT?" - the young driver on the Solaris first filmed us for a long time on a smartphone, and then decided to talk. And he is not alone. From such a scene, marketers will cry, but the interest in the new Hyundai Sonata is obvious. Not having time to appear, it is already perceived by the owners of budget Hyundai as a symbol of success.

We haven't performed Sonata for five years. And this despite the fact that in 2010 there were three of them on the Russian market at once. The YF sedan took over the powers of the outgoing Sonata NF, and in parallel, TagAZ continued the production of cars of the old generation EF. The new sedan looked bright and unusual, but sales were modest, and in 2012 it suddenly left the market. Hyundai explained this decision by a small quota for Russia - Sonata turned out to be very popular in the USA. As an alternative, we were offered the European i40 sedan. In the same year, Taganrog stopped the release of their "Sonata".

The i40 changer looked more modest, was more compact and tougher on the go, but was in good demand. In addition to the sedan, we sold an elegant station wagon that could be ordered with a diesel engine - a bonus for Russia is not at all necessary, but interesting. Globally, the i40 was not as popular as the Sonata and left the scene. Therefore, Hyundai has castled again.

Test drive Hyundai Sonata

The decision is partly forced, but correct. Even because the name Sonata, in contrast to the faceless index, has a certain weight - at least three generations of sedans with this name were sold in Russia. The Korean automaker understands this - names have been returned to almost all models. Also, Hyundai could use a model-sized Toyota Camry, Kia Optima and Mazda6.

The Sonata is built on the Optima platform, but the outwardly similarity of the cars can be traced only in the spread of the lanterns and the convex hood. The car began to be produced back in 2014, and this was seriously updated. The Koreans did not limit themselves to the appearance - the suspension was revised. In addition, the car body was stiffened to pass the small overlap crash test conducted by the American Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Test drive Hyundai Sonata

Sonata - as if increased in size Solaris: similar body lines, a characteristic radiator grille, the bend of a thin C-pillar. And this similarity clearly plays into the hands of the novelty - the owners of "Solaris", in any case, have an ambitious goal. The car looks elegant - LED strokes of running lights and fog lights, patterned optics, lights evoke an association with Lamborghini Aventador, and the headlights come with characteristic moldings, like on the Sonata YF.

The interior is more modest: an asymmetric panel, the required minimum of soft plastic and stitching. The most advantageous interior looks in a two-tone black and beige version. The Sonata's competitors also have scattering of physical buttons on the console, but here they look old-fashioned. Perhaps this is due to their silvery color and blue backlighting. The multimedia screen, due to the thick silver frame, tries to be a tablet, but it is still "sewn" into the front panel, and does not stand alone, according to the new fashion. However, before the restyling, the interior was completely nondescript.

Test drive Hyundai Sonata

The new Sonata is the same size as the Optima. The wheelbase in comparison with the Hyundai i40 has increased by 35 cm, but the legroom for the rear passengers has become noticeably more. The space in the second row is comparable to the Toyota Camry, but the ceiling is low, especially on the versions with a panoramic roof. The passenger can shut himself off from the outside world with curtains, fold back the wide armrest, turn on the heated seats, adjust the airflow from additional air ducts.

See the trunk release button? And it is - well hidden in the logo. It is necessary to press an inconspicuous section in the body color at its top. The spacious trunk with a volume of 510 liters is devoid of hooks, and the massive hinges can pinch the luggage when closing. There is no hatch in the back of the rear sofa - one of its parts will need to be folded to transport long lengths.

The car greets the driver with music, obligingly moves the seat, helping him to get out. Almost premium, but the Sonata's equipment is a bit odd. For example, there is a wireless charger for a smartphone, but there is no car park available for Optima. Automatic mode is available only for the front power windows, and heated windshield is not available in principle.

At the same time, the list of equipment includes ventilation for the front seats, a heated steering wheel and a panoramic roof. A detailed Russian navigation "Navitel" is sewn into the multimedia system, but it does not know how to show traffic jams, and the base of speed cameras is clearly outdated: almost half of the indicated places do not have them. An alternative is Google Maps, which can be displayed via Android Auto.

Test drive Hyundai Sonata

Sonata is obedient - it keeps a straight line on a bumpy road, and with excessive speed in a corner, it seeks to straighten the trajectory. In any case, a rigid body is a definite plus for handling. The cleanliness of feedback on the steering wheel is not so important for a large sedan, but you can find fault with noise insulation - it lets the "music" of the tires into the cabin.

Test drive Hyundai Sonata

We are supplied with cars in Korean specifications and do not adapt the suspension to Russian conditions. The top version on 18-inch wheels does not like sharp joints, but it is quite capable of driving on a country road without breakdowns, although the rear passengers shake more than the front ones. On 17 disks, the car is a little more comfortable. The version with a two-liter engine is even softer, but it rides worse on a good road - the shock absorbers here are not with variable stiffness, but the most common ones.

In general, the base engine is more suitable for driving around the city, and not for the highway. Hyundai engineers sacrificed the lightness of the car in order to create a strong and safe body. Acceleration of the 2,0-liter "Sonata" turns out to be smeared, although with patience, you can drive the speedometer needle far enough. Sport mode is not able to radically change the situation, and before overtaking a truck in the oncoming lane, it is better to once again weigh the pros and cons.

Test drive Hyundai Sonata

A more powerful aspirated 2,4 liter (188 hp) for the "Sonata" just right. With it, the sedan goes out of 10 seconds in acceleration to "hundreds", and the acceleration itself is very confident. The benefit in the consumption of a two-liter car will be noticeable only in the city traffic, and it is unlikely that it will be possible to seriously save on fuel. In addition, some of the options are not available for such a "Sonata". For example, 18-inch wheels and leather upholstery.

Automakers complain that they cannot make prices attractive without Russian production. Hyundai did it: Korea-assembled Sonata starts at $ 16. That is, it is cheaper than our localized classmates: Camry, Optima, Mondeo. This version with halogen headlights, steel wheels and simple music will most likely go to work in a taxi.

A more or less equipped sedan will be released more than 100 thousand more expensive, but there is already climate control, alloy wheels and LED lights. The 2,4-liter sedan looks less attractive in terms of price - $ 20 for the simplest version. We will not have the turbocharged version that the person in Solaris wanted: Hyundai believes that the demand for such a Sonata will be minimal.

It is still vague about a possible registration at Avtotor. On the one hand, if the company continues to hold such prices, it will not be needed. On the other hand, the sedan is unlikely to receive options like heated windshield. Hyundai likes to experiment with the model range: they tried to sell the American Grandeur from us, recently they imported a small batch of new i30 hatchbacks to test customer interest. Sonata is another experiment and it could be successful. In any case, the Korean company really wants to be present in the Toyota Camry segment.

Test drive Hyundai Sonata
A typeSedanSedan
Dimensions: length / width / height, mm4855/1865/14754855/1865/1475
Wheelbase, mm28052805
Ground clearance, mm155155
Cargo space, l510510
Curb weight, kg16401680
Gross vehicle weight, kg20302070
engine's typeGasoline 4-cylinderGasoline 4-cylinder
Working volume, cubic meters cm19992359
Max. power, h.p. (at rpm)150/6200188/6000
Max. cool. moment, Nm (at rpm)192/4000241/4000
Drive type, transmissionFront, 6АКПFront, 6АКП
Max. speed km / h205210
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s11,19
Fuel consumption, l / 100 km7,88,3
Price from, USD16 10020 600

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