Hyundai Sonata 2.0

After returning the disappointing Ford Focus, I was given the 2009 previous gen Sonata. Frankly, I wasn’t too happy. My former boss had one and my initial thought was why? Why would anyone who could afford the (superior) Civic or Altis opt for the Sonata? I know I am being unfair to the Sonata but until then I was not convinced of its quality. Until two weeks ago.

My sister had a second generation Sonata back in the late 90s, it was crap. My regard for Sonatas remained low since then.

Two weeks ago I was somewhat forced to eat my words. The car wasn’t that bad looking from the outside save for the twin exhaust pipes. It wasn’t as good looking as its D segment peers, the Accord and Camry but one certainly won’t feel embarrassed to be seen in a Sonata.

What impressed me most was the ride. The steering was firm and the engine was smooth. Like the Focus it does 2750 rpm at 110km/h but unlike the Focus, the Sonata’s engine sound and wind noise was quite inaudible.

I like the front aircon vents, it is placed slightly lower so it doesn’t blow into your face. It doesn’t have a rear blower though, something I find necessary for the Malaysian climate.

The rear legroom is huge but thigh support on the rear seats is a bit lacking. Front seats are comfortable but adjustable manually (I prefer electric seats). Like the rear legroom, the boot is also huge; a family of 5 would have more than enough room to load the boot with their suitcases and other stuff for that balik kampong trip. There is also enough in car storage space to make me happy.

I am not I fan of the wood-like dash and steering and I also find the audio controls on the steering is a bit too low making adjusting volume and switching channels a bit difficult. The car has a talking reverse sensor which can be amusing to some but may be annoying to others.

Overall, I am quite impressed with the Sonata; it changed my perception of Hyundai and would definitely consider becoming an owner one day.