We spend a week in the even more impressive redesigned midsize sedan from Hyundai
Pros:
Quieter interior
Improved rear seat room
Better steering feedback
Cons:
Styling more prosaic
Handling still not sporty
Less impressive interior
2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport
The 2015 Hyundai Sonata sports (pun intended) all-new sheetmetal and a new interior with more rear seat headroom as well as upgrades to its steering, suspension and body structure.
It's also over an inch wider and longer with an increase in wheelbase of 0.4 of an inch.
Exterior
Outside, the boldness of "Fluidic Sculpture" 1.0 has given way to what Hyundai describes as the "maturing of a brand."
Much of the sleekness of the old model, including the chrome "sabre line" between the hood and fenders, remains, but those touches are toned down. The grille is more upright, the side sculpting is less pronounced and more horizontal, while the rear three-quarters is more rounded and less coupe-like.
Sport models like our tester feature a bolder grille treatment, twin exhaust outlets, as well as a bright lower chrome strip that runs between the wheel wells.
Interior
Inside, the twin-cockpit interior has been eighty-sixed in favor of a horizontal motif. The fit between the various surfaces remains outstanding and there are some nice touches including a stitched hood over the instrument cluster, but when compared to the outgoing model some of the door and lower dash trim appears plasticky.
The gauges and intuitive controls are large, easy to read, and within easy reach of the driver, while the switchgear is buttery smooth. The new center stack is slightly angled toward the driver and the display screen and instrument cluster are on the same plane. In addition, there are buttons for all the main touchscreen functions and they're grouped in infotainment and HVAC clusters.
The cabin retains its airy feel with an EPA passenger volume of over106 cubic feet – 2.3 more than the outgoing model - plus 16.3 cubic feet of cargo volume making Hyundai's offering the only midsize sedan classified by the EPA as a Large Car. Front seat occupants will find firm, supportive seats that are nicely bolstered to provide excellent lateral support. There's an inch more legroom in back and the more gently sloped roofline makes ingress and egress for rear seat passengers easier.
The view from that seat out the front and sides is excellent while the driver's line of sight out the rear three-quarters is also improved, thanks to a larger window in the C-pillar. A rearview camera is also standard on the Sport model.
Under the hood
The only engine offered for the 2015 Sonata Sport is an all aluminum 2.5-liter direct injected inline-4 with variable valve timing that generates 185 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 178 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm.
It's mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode capability.
As with the outgoing model, fuel economy is one of the new Sonata's high points. The Sonata Sport tester we had is rated by the EPA at 24/35/28 city/highway/combined mpg, while our observed fuel economy was an excellent 34.5 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg city driving.
Note: Standard on the Sport 2.0 T is the company's Theta II 2.0-liter direct injection turbo delivering 245 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque that has been de-tuned for 2015. According to Hyundai, the engine compensates for the loss of horsepower and torque with a more usable torque band.
On the road
The new Sonata's ride is much more compliant, while routine handling feels even more controlled. Tossing it into a corner elicits very little body lean. The steering has been given more weight and is much more direct with very good feedback and there's no longer a dead spot on-center.
Tossing the Sonata into a corner elicited no drama whatsoever yielding very little body lean. On the highway, the Sonata's suspension soaked up both minor pavement irregularities as well as most large bumps. The body is not affected by crosswinds and the improvements made to the steering make for effortless freeway cruising. Braking performance was excellent and it's easy to modulate the brake pedal. There's also plenty of feedback through the pedal to the driver.
Finally, overall cabin noise is much improved for 2015. Although you can still hear some tire noise at highway speeds over rough road surfaces, engine and wind noise have been reduced even further making the Sonata one of the quietest vehicles in the midsize class.
Pricing
2015 Sonata pricing starts at $21,960 (including freight and handling) for an SE model equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission which works out to $185 less than a comparably-equipped 2014 model. Prices can top out at close to $35,000 for a fully-optioned Sport 2.0T equipped with the Ultimate Package (panoramic sunroof, lane departure and forward collision warning, rear parking assist, smart cruise control, Infinity audio, heated and ventilated front seats, etc.) as well as various other tchotchkes.
Our Symphony Silver Sport tester had an MSRP of $23,175. That $2,025 premium over a base model adds 17-inch alloy wheels, the revised front and rear fascias, a power driver seat with lumbar, the 5-inch color touchscreen with rearview camera, heated front seats, Blue Link telematics and automatic headlights. $125 for carpeted floor mats and a destination charge of $810 brought the grand total to a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $24,110.
The Bottom Line
So what's the bottom line to all of this?
There's a lot more to like about the 2015 Sonata. Handling has improved, there's much more feedback through the steering wheel and the interior is as quiet as any midsize sedan we've tested On the other hand, at least in our opinion, the interior doesn't look as up market as the previous generation while the exterior styling has gone from absolutely striking to being just a couple of notches above average.
But those admittedly personal styling gripes aside, the latest Sonata has matured to the point where, overall, it's one of the best midsize offerings and should be a consideration for buyers that's right up there with the Accord, Camry and Fusion.
