Car Reviews 2026 Hyundai Sonata

With the all new Sonata, Hyundai took a long hard look at the competition and came up with something far better than the old Sonata. Gone are the bland looks, and in their place is a design that could well have a three pointed star on the nose. But the new Sonata has one big flaw that may well hurt sales in the higher spec models. I’ll come to that later, but first, the good news. The new Sonata (known in some markets as the Hyundai i45) has a six-speed automatic gearbox standard across the range. ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, and ESP, and iPod compatibility are also standard. Surprisingly it’s the 2.0 litre entry level Sonata that stands out when driving on the road. On higher profile 16-inch wheels the ride quality is very good and the car is very stable when cornering. Even on gravel roads the ride is surprisingly good, which shouldn’t be too much of a surprise as the Asia Pacific models we were driving on the launch have Australian specific suspension settings. Move up to the higher spec models and you not only get lower profile tires on 18-inch wheels, but also an adaptive valve damping system. This produces a very European-like ride, which means that when you encounter a rough road surface the ride quality really is too rough. The 2.4 litre engine though, has a much easier time of motivating the Sonata. The 2.0 litre engine, with only 163 horsepower feels strained when called upon for hard acceleration, and the 198 horsepower 2.4 litre engine is much more relaxed. Inside the Sonata, like the outside, things have ascetically improved. There are more soft touch materials and the front seats are quite comfortable for long journeys. While the entry level model already has a good level of specification, in the higher spec models you get a Smart Key with keyless start, an extra amplifier for the stereo and heated seats in both the front and rear. The last may be seen as a gimmick in countries where it never really gets cold, but could well be the make or break point on a sale in colder climates. Hyundai has long passed the point where you would never admit to actually owning one and indeed has virtually become an aspirational brand. The new Sonata will do nothing but help that image, especially since the bland styling of the previous model is long gone. Category:Home › Home • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 2 • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 1 • Should the crew of the Sea Shepherd board whaling ships? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 13 • Grandparents: Can blogging chronicle your genealogy? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 12 • Are teachers unions the cause of public school problems today? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 11