WASHINGTON — The last Sonata was a stunner when it came out in 2011. For 2015, Hyundai toned down the styling, keeping it handsome with a more conservative look to better fit in the mid-size sedan market.
The styling outside might not be as flashy as before, but the interior has been reworked and is really the star this time. The interior is very upscale if you choose the fully loaded $32,510 Sonata Limited. It includes a black-and-brown that really works, and the wood trim is a nice touch. The leather seats are heated and cooled and are nice for about four hours, after which I wished for a bit more padding.
There seems to be more space than the last Sonata and plenty of room for the family. Taller rear-seat passengers need to watch their heads getting in the car; the sweeping lines slightly hinder the door opening.
Hyundai has made a name for itself by loading its cars with many features for a decent price, and the new 2015 Sonata is no different. My tester had several of the options packages including the $3,500 Tech package with a large panoramic sunroof, NAV with Infinity sound system, a heated steering wheel and more. It also had the $1,550 Ultimate package, with some neat safety features such as lane-departure and forward-collision warning systems. The package also included smart cruise control, which adjusts your speed based on the cars around you and works very well. My only nitpick is the annoying blueish light that’s around the sunroof controls.
I spent 767 miles with the Sonata during a long road trip in the rain and snow of Western Pennsylvania and came away impressed with its quiet ride, which allowed my two children to sleep most of the way. The Sonata delivers a nice ride and the cool HD headlights kept the road well-lit. It’s not really sporty handling, but for a mid-size sedan it does OK. It handles large bumps well and it’s a good road-trip car as well as a daily driver.
The fuel economy was very good for a trip in holiday traffic and weather. I managed 31 mpg and made the 340-mile trip on one tank with plenty of fuel to spare. On the return trip, I got it to 34.8 mpg in eco mode, but it did seem to really zap the power. Again, I was impressed that for the entire week it averaged a solid 33 mpg, and the fact that it runs on regular fuel is a real plus. It has the base 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine with 185 hp — just enough for most situations. If you need more power, choose the optional turbo engine.
The 2015 Hyundai Sonata is now a true force in the mid-size sedan market — maybe not as stylish outside as the past, but the refinement inside and out makes a better all-around car than before. With a price starting at around $21,000 and many trim levels and packages, there is a Sonata for most sedan buyers. You really need to drive this new Sonata before you choose your next family car.
Editor’s Note: Mike Parris is a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association. The vehicles are provided by STI, FMI or Event Solutions for the purpose of this review.
Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.
