Hyundai decides to give BMW a run for its money with Sonata N Line
Hyundai Sonata N Line: Hot rod Hyundai?
Price: $33,300 as tested. No options on test vehicle.
Conventional wisdom: Motor Trend says, “The Sonata N Line goes, steers, stops and rides in a way that is well beyond what is expected …” but notes, “Weak points? Not many. The dualclutch transmission occasionally gives you a nice thump … and the gray-ongray interior is a bit bland.”
Marketer’s pitch: “Longer. Lower. Wider. And meaner.”
Reality: So mean it could kinda stand some therapy.
Catching up: While I have your attention fixed on sedans — after the Kia K5 fought to the top against the Mazda6 and VW Passat — here’s a faster way of moving the family around.
What’s new: The whole new model. Hyundai redesigned its Sonata (alongside Kia’s twin K5, which I’ll be referencing throughout) for 2020.
The N Line, however takes the Korean sedan and goes full tilt with it. I’d been looking forward to this since I had a chance to test a Limited a year ago. This time, I had it in the driveway the same week as a hybrid BMW 5 Series sedan, the perfect comparison.
Up to speed: Where the other Sonatas are powered by a 1.6-liter turbo four, the N Line gets a 2.5-liter turbo four boasting 290 horsepower, a bumpof more than 100 horses.
So this one arrives at 60 far more quickly, 5.3 seconds to 60 mph, according to Motor Trend.
Unfortunately, the model tested was front-wheel drive, and this much horsepower makes the front end feel like it’s going to separate from the rest of the vehicle during hard starts.
On the road: That much pull also turns hard starts into a raucous affair, sending the sedan left and right and taking away much of the control of the vehicle. This is a natural force of physics with any vehicle under hard acceleration, but the N Line Sonata really enhances it.
The front-wheel drive also makes cornering a real challenge at the vehicle’s limits. It’s quite responsive under more restrained driving conditions, though — going right whereyou point it and feeling highlymaneuverable.
Shifty: Where K5 drivers will enjoy not just a shift lever but also a silver T-bar lever that’s beautiful and responsive, the Sonata has a push-button transmission a la Honda or Acura. Paddle shifters offer shift capability for the 8-speed gearbox, but that’s not as much fun.
Unfortunately, turning the vehicle to Sport or Sport Plus modes means shifting is a real requirement, as the vehicle stays in lower gears for an uncomfortably long time. Click, click, click. Bor-ing.
But if that’s the boringest part of a Sonata, we’ve come a long way.
And for a dual-clutch
transmission from a Korean brand, it was exceedingly smooth. They’ve had their jerkiness issues, but I didn’t notice it all week.
Driver’s Seat: When I wrote about the Sonata Limited, I mentioned that “comfort comes standard.” It must be an option in the N Line, because these seats are super firm. Now maybe it’s not fair that I had a BMW 530e that same week, but I think the N Line seats are tough on their own merits. I feel like I’m back in the Mazda RX-8.
Controls and digital dial gauges are easy to read and nicely arranged, and turn red in sport mode.
Friends and stuff: The rear seat offers snug headroom and foot room, and legroom is a little better in comparison. The seat slants OK, but the headrest tilts oddly back.
Cargo space is a healthy 16 cubic feet.
Play some tunes: The 10.25-inchtouchscreen for the navigation runs very horizontally, so it’s not as big as all that, but it is fairly nice to operate. Buttons allow for switching among modes, and avolume knob helps, but lack
of a tuning dial is a pain. Some days, I just can’t decide, so I want to switch from station to station and see what’s there.A pair of arrows means a long ride from Sirius 105 down to 31. Get those presets marked, but still — fussier than it was, to save the cost of aknob.
Sound from the system is pretty good, maybe a B+ or an A-.
Or don’t: The exhaust sound is really cool, in any mode.
Keeping warm and cool: Dials control the temperature, and pretty chrome toggles adjust the fan speed and source, with a small digital display.
Fuel economy: I averaged about 22 mpg in a highspeed round of country-road driving. Feed the N Line whatever.
Where it’s built: Montgomery, Ala.
How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Sonata’s reliability will be a 3 out of 5.
Next week: So is a BMW 530e really worth double?