2018 HYUNDAI SONATA
Hyundai brings quality, safety with new offering
The quality is there.
Hyundai has been building and selling cars in North America for so long—it tied Honda in J.D. Powers’ initial build quality back in 2004—it seems silly to have to say so, but the South Korean automaker with the best warranties on the planet backs them up with some of the best cars. I was reminded of this when I spent an altogether pleasant, if not particularly exciting, week in the company of a 2018 Sonata. Quiet, strong, safe, roomy, technologically advanced, and more fuel efficient than some folks’ hybrids, the Sonata consistently ranks right up there with cars like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, which tend to hang around long enough to become part of the family. OK, technically, the Sonata is a step or two behind the 2018 Camry and Accord, both of which this year benefitted from clean-sheet redesigns, meaning more advanced metallurgy that undergirds lighter, stronger platforms, which translate into quieter, eter, better bet handling machines, but the Sonata costs less le and is so good at what it does that the differences d are not that big. Clearly the Sonata Son is the value leader in a hypercompetitive, p if shrinking, segment. With cheap gas apparently a permanent fixture, Americans are opting for the flexibility, comfort and interior volume of midsize SUV over traditional midsize sedans, even very good ones, like the Camry, Accord, Mazda6, M Chevy Malibu, Nissan Altima and an today’s topic, the Alabama-built Sonata. Son Taken as a whole, the niche has seen something s around a 20 percent drop in year-ove year-over-year sales. As a perhaps irrelevant and potentially dead wrong aside, one might add that this trend is exactly what the oil companies want. Jacking prices back up over four bucks a gallon runs the risk of reigniting the public’s thirst for fuel efficient vehicles, which would hasten the oil industry’s demise. If the plan is to run out the clock and use as much as possible of that trillions of dollars of inventory still in the ground, high gas prices are bad for business. That’s just one old guy’s opinion, so take it for what it’s worth.
Built for the open road
Rolled out in 2015, the seventh-generation Sonata has many endearing features. Sprung softly and well insulated from noise, vibration and harshness, the car has a near-luxury feel. Handling is firm and predictable, but hardly sporty, which is probably exactly what buyers are seeking. Rolling down an interstate highway it’s as peaceful as me napping through a Cowboys’ game.
The cabin is big and comfortable. Materials have a nice feel, fit and finish are above average, and the package is well designed. We found the gauge cluster easy to read and especially appreciated the controls. Instead of fussy, multiple-screen touch controls, which can be aggravating and distracting, Hyundai employs a nice row of well-labeled, large buttons.
Speaking for geezers everywhere, I wish to cast a vote in favor of big, easy-to-read con-
trol buttons, and for knobs, real knobs, for the radio. I get all the digital entertainment I need just trying to post my blog and read my e-mail.
For 2018, Hyundai made the Sonata a real looker. Everything from the A-pillars (the ones around the windshield) forward was redesigned. The new look is bold, muscular and sleek.
Affordable
In general, Sonata prices start around $1,500 to $2,000 less than Camry and Accord, and remain there throughout the model tree. What one will actually pay in this market is beyond me. My best advice: bargain hard. Don't leave until you have heard at least three offers.
The Sonata comes in SE, Eco, SEL, Sport, Limited, Sport 2.0T, and Limited 2.0T trims. The $22,935 SE includes a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, automatic headlights, and a blind-spot monitoring system. The $24,585 SEL comes standard with a proximity key and push-button start, a power driver's seat, heated front seats, and a USB port for the rear passenger compartment, making it perhaps the value leader in the segment.
Unlike Toyota, Hyundai charges for a suite of driver assist safety features. Necessities such as automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control come as part of a $1,000 Tech package. Move up to a $2,900 ultimate package and you get goodies like an eight-inch, touchscreen navigation system, wireless phone charger, rear side sunshades, automatic high beams and a heated steering wheel, which is wonderful early on a frosty mornin'.
Three engines
Three engines are available: a 178-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter, a 185-hp 2.4-liter, and a 245hp turbocharged 2.0-liter. The smaller turbo is reserved for the Eco trim and is bolted to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The 2.4-liter comes with a six-speed automatic. The 2.0T, available only on the two top-of-line models, this year gets a new eight-speed gearbox.
Critics are generally unimpressed the smaller turbo, but the 2.4-l engine seems to be up to the task. Our tester, of course, was a 2.0 Limited with the Ultimate Package. With freight, it stickered out at $31,310, which is pretty inexpensive for a fully loaded sedan.
Pushed—briefly, officer, just briefly—on the back roads, the powertrain was quick and responsive and seemed to always find the right gear ratio.
Where the car really won our hearts was on a road trip. Keeping up with traffic on I-30, with an occasional high-speed excursion to slip through the trucks, the car delivered a consistent 35 mpg. With its size, and comfort, it is a wonderful road car.
Warranty
Hyundai and its corporate cousin Kia cover their vehicles for 5 years/60,000 miles. That includes 5 years/unlimited mileage of roadside assistance coverage. The powertrain is covered for 10 years/100,000 miles and corrosion protection is 7 years/unlimited mileage.
Bottom Line: I worry about the residual values of any midsize sedan, because I think manufacturers will feel pressured to drop excess inventory on rental agencies, but if your plan is keep the car for a long time, with the right deal you can't go wrong on a new Sonata.