2018 Hyundai Sonata is one of the most comfortable sedans in its class

Test drive the Hyundai Sonata 2018

You will not believe, but in just a few days of testing new models Hyundai Sonata (2018) I began to consider this Korean sedan as my best friend. This comfortable nagrany car in the best way proves that appearance sometimes deceives us. Yes, the Sonata gives you more sensations than its design.

What is this car?

Hyundai Sonata is a modest four-door midsize sedan is a native of Korea. It is the quintessence of the achievements of the Hyundai company over the past 10 years in the automotive arena. In the end, the sedan can easily match with such icons of the market, like the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry.

In our country this sedan are just starting their journey, because a few years Hyundai Sonata is not officially sold in Russia, despite the fact that in some countries the sedan is sold out like hotcakes. For example, according to Hyundai, the Sonata sedan is the fourth best selling car brand after Solaris (on international markets, the model is called Accent), Creta, Elantra.

Specifications that matter

The cost of a sedan in Russia starts from 1 275 000 rubles. The basic version (grade Primary) Hyundai Sonata is equipped with 2.0-liter 4-cylinder inline petrol engine power 150 HP (maximum torque of 192 Nm, available at 4,000 rpm) which is mated to a automatic 6-speed transmission. The Comfort package with the same characteristics is already 1 425 000 rubles. There are also more rich in the basic version of the picking Style, the cost of which in the Russian market starts from 1 475 000.

For those who think that the sedan of this size must have a capacity of at least 180 HP, there are more rich and interesting version equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 188 HP (maximum torque of 241 Nm available at 4,000 rpm).

However, this motor you can see only in richer versions: Lifestyle and Business (1 625 000 1 725 000 rubles, respectively).

Have Koreans and turbocharged engines (1.6 and 2.0 liters). But, alas, in our country officially, these versions are not presented.

The basic equipment Hyundai Sonata (version, Primary) in addition to the usual features include a pretty impressive list of standard options, starting from the system of distribution of brake efforts system emergency braking assistance system at startup on the rise and ending with the control system, tyre pressure and other interesting options of the 21st century.

In richer trim levels, the car literally Packed with a variety of interesting technology that rivals anything the Japanese cars in this class.

For example, in picking a Lifestyle sedan is equipped with led front and rear optics, leather interior, leather steering wheel, rain/light sensor, cruise control, Keyless entry car, push button engine start, Parking sensors in a circle, electronic handbrake, climate control, all heated seats, heated steering, rear view camera, a large colour display in the cabin with built-in satellite navigation with support for Apple Car Play and Android Auto, etc.

It is worth noting that the 2.0-liter, 2.4-liter car, according to factory specifications, and are economical cars. In reality, of course, the real fuel consumption during test drive different. But, most surprisingly, not much.

So, according to the official technical specifications 2.0-liter Hyundai Sonata in the city consumes 10.8 l/100km, on the highway – 6. In mixed mode, the car consumes, according to automobile, just 7.8 liters per 100 km.

In reality, average fuel consumption, which showed a computer after two days of tests on the machine in real conditions, was 9.5 l/100 km, Respectively, in expense was significantly higher, whereas on the highway the fuel consumption was about the same as its stated the automaker.

A second car with a 2.4-liter engine, which we tested, showed slightly different fuel characteristics. So, according to the official specifications, the 2.4-litre version in city mode consumes 12.1 l/100 km highway consumption should be 6.3 liters per 100 km In the combined cycle the car consumes about 8.3 liters.

In real conditions this vehicle we were pleasantly surprised, showing approximately the same values, which is surprising in comparison with the Japanese competitors, which claimed fuel consumption different from the real, as a rule, at times.

2018 Hyundai Sonata

Power:
150 and 188 HP

Torque:
192 and 241 Nm at 4 000 rpm

Drive:
Front

Engines:
4 cyl. 2.0 and 2.4 liter

Fuel consumption (average):
7.8 l and 8.3 l / 100 km

Cost:
from 1 275 000 rubles

What’s new?

The new sedan inside everything is correct and intuitive in contrast to previous less successful generations. In the cabin immediately catches the eye is a large clear screen infotainment system, on which all information is visible from any angle in any weather.

The most interesting begins when you get behind the wheel. You will not believe it, but as soon as I sat in the driver’s seat, it seemed to me that I drive this car over the years. And it’s a given that the last 6 months I tested a lot of cars. And believe me, none of them did not give me that feeling in the first seconds, as this Korean sedan. Strange but true.

Sitting behind the wheel, I immediately noticed a very soft quality leather upholstery. Apparently, Hyundai agreed that the interior comfort in this sedan should be on top. In the end, they admitted that their past generations with the hard leather seats were a mistake.

Because it is a mid-size sedan of business class. This is and must be leather interior. That was before, let’s just forget how terrible dream.

But most of all I was surprised by the build quality of the interior. Believe me, you will not find in the cabin of some flaws and miscalculations. Also you will hardly discover any abnormal gaps in the interior panels. Indeed, everything inside is made at the highest level. Moreover to efficiently and securely.

Management

If you live in a city and rarely drive out of town, where you can drive only SUVs, or visit a racetrack to receive a portion of adrenaline in the weekend, so most of the time in the car you move at a speed from 15 to 100 km/h. Yes, sometimes you probably manage to be dispersed on some ring road and a bit more. But still most of the time, if you live in a city, average speed of driving is poor. In this speed range the Sonata ideal for city driving. Especially if you’re the most important thing is fuel economy. In this case, you only need to turn on the mode “Eco”, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the good fuel economy without any loss of sensations at the wheel. If you need a more dynamic ride, just turn off the eco mode and the car is literally transformed in an instant. Especially to change the responsiveness of the steering and the gas pedal. In the end, this sedan gives you everything that you need in the car for the city.

We would like to mention the various electronic assistants that are working at the highest level and, most importantly, not irritate his obsession. Steering control seems easy and fairly accurate. Including while driving at different speeds, you have a sense of confidence and security, as the machine throws on the road. Even on the track the car behaves quite confident.

While driving is also convenient to use the menus of the infotainment system and menu on the dashboard screen. All information on the displays is easily interpreted. And you do not will need to get used to this menu a few weeks studying a huge guide.

All perceived and remembered from the first time. After a few hours you will travel at the menu as if using a machine for a long time.

But the main thing that makes the Hyundai Sonata is an incredible comfort for this class of car, that has surprised. Sometimes one gets the feeling that sitting behind the wheel of the E-class. It is a pity that the Sonata comes with some three-liter six-cylinder engine. I think that the feeling then would be quite different.

Overall this sedan copes with its task of delivering you from point A to point B. And he does it with maximum comfort for you. Even in traffic jams in this machine so convenient that starting to catch on to the idea that traffic jams no longer irritate.

For those who love fast

For those who don’t like a boring drive 60 km/h, is in the Sonata and hotter regime. We are talking about the “Sport” mode. Want to get enthusiastic feelings from the 2.4-liter motor is paired with an excellent 6-speed automatic transmission? No problem. Do not use the modes “Eco” and “Comfort”. Turn sportregion and enjoy the full power and good torque. Yes, of course, four-cylinder engine won’t send you into space, but after the mode “Eco” you really think that sat behind the wheel of another car. And even you will be surprised what you are capable of 2.4-litre Korean engine.

If for you the main thing – comfort or fuel economy, then do not use the “Sport” mode. You don’t need that.

Competitors

Toyota Camry

The main competitors of Hyundai Sonata is undoubtedly the Toyota Camry and Honda Accоrd. But these “icons” of the world market are more expensive. Unfortunately, the Russian market is not currently presented sedan Honda Accоrd. We will remind, recently, Honda withdrew from the Russian market this model in response to falling sales. So in our market there are not many competitors. The main competitor Hyundai is, of course, the Toyota Camry, which is the sales leader in this segment. There is also the Mazda6. But its sales in Russia leave much to be desired.

Honda Accord

So, the new Toyota Camry in Russia is from 1 399 000 (basic version in the Standard configuration), which is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 150 HP.

Package Standard Plus with a 2.0-liter engine is already 1 499 000 rubles, and in picking a classic need to have to give at least 1 549 000 rubles.

If you want something more powerful, there are several models of the Japanese sedans with four-cylinder petrol engine of 2.5 liter capacity 181 HP

– Standard Plus: 1 623 000.

– Classic: 1 703 000 RUB.

– Elegance: 1 818 000 RUB.

Prestige: 1 930 000 RUB.

– Suite: 2 062 000 RUB.

For those who want even more powerful, there is a 3.5-liter version value of 2 166 000. In the maximum configuration with a 3.5-liter engine producing 249 HP Camry new generation costs 2 341 000.

So, as you can see, pricing Koreans noticeably bypassed the Toyota Camry. There is still a Mazda6 with a starting price tag in Russia, from 1 336 000. For the money available in the basic version of the Drive with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine capacity of 150 HP.

Mazda6

With a 2.5-liter engine of the sedan Mazda6 starts at 1 509 000 rubles. The maximum speed of the Mazda is 1 895 200 rubles.

So, as you can see, most Koreans in the pricing policy in this segment the company competes with Mazda. But, unfortunately, not always the price is the engine of trade. Especially when it comes to Toyota cars.

After all, despite the fact that the Camry costs more, this sedan is an absolute leader in this segment, Mazda’s taking away significant market share. How will the Hyundai Sonata sedan, time will tell. Of course, it is unlikely the Koreans will take some significant share from Toyota. It’s not turned out to make the company Honda, which was forced to scrap sales of the popular when-that in Russia of the Chord. Nevertheless, the Korean sedan still has a chance to increase sales in this segment. After all, the new Sonata really was interesting. But most people in this segment are interested in comfort, which in Korean car spare.

Summary

Externally, all the cars Hyundai has long been look modern and nice. The Hyundai Sonata also looks modern and progressive. But if you compare with the new generation Toyota Camry, Mazda6 and Honda Accоrd, then, unfortunately, the design of the Korean sedan is a bit behind more progressive Japanese. But in Hyundai Sonata the highlight is not in the exterior and in the interior, technical features, cost and of course comfort, which does (and maybe even surpasses the Japanese sedans) is not worse than the competition.

So, here are the main advantages of the Korean sedan:

– Handling

– Economy

Cost

Is a long time factory warranty

Elegance

Comfort

Quality

– Reliability

During the test drive two versions of the car (2.0 l and 2.4 l) I constantly had the feeling of incredible comfort behind the wheel, which is familiar after you test Deluxe car

E-class. I was surprised that such feelings gives me the car is not in the super-premium segment.

In General, the Koreans surprised me. Yes, the appearance of the Sonata does not give any special excitement, but her elegance is undeniable. And sitting behind the wheel, it is impossible not to mention the incredible ergonomics of the car.

Yes, someone will say that the interior is the same Mazda6 is much more elegant. And I’m not going to argue. As they say, tastes differ. I personally liked the interior of the Korean sedan for its simplicity, for his comfort. Yes, Mazda do the interior more stylish and beautiful. But the interior of the Mazda6 didn’t give me such comfort and convenience. Perhaps it was due to the fact that not all features in the Mazda was comfortable during movement. In the Sonata I was driving just about anything, because to use all the features convenient. Probably in a modern car is the most important thing.

My whole life is attracted to cars that give driving an incredible feeling and driving experience. And I must admit, the Korean sedan I was pleasantly surprised. Even more than the Camry and Mazda.

And you know why? The Hyundai Sonata has made me feel like driving the most relaxed, comfortable and cozy. But it’s worth it.