Sonata a tad light for title fight

This classy Korean collects drooling touches and admiring looks wherever it goes.

And make no mistake, this classy Korean collects drooling touches and admiring looks wherever it goes. What's more, it has impressed the South African motoring Media enough for it to become one of the 10 finalists in the running for the coveted South African Car of The Year Award.

Not that it had an easy ride to get there either because the Sonata 2.4 GLS Automatic Exec enters the final straight for the title in the company of fine machinery such as Volkswagen's much-talked about (but as yet unproven) Amarok 2.0 BiTDI 4x2 DoubleCab, the big-selling VW Polo TDI, BMW's impressive 530d, the Honda CR-Z hybrid (which has just been voted Car of the Year in Japan), the nippy new Opel Astra 1.4T plus a few other impressive newcomers.

Fine wheels

The Hyundai-Kia sales figures continue to increase in this country and with good reason - the Koreans are producing damn fine wheels and their confidence in their products are reflected in the peace of mind inclusives the sixth-generation Sonata comes with such as a five-year/150 000km manufacturer's warranty, a five-year/150 000km roadside assistance service as well as a five-year/90 000km service plan.

And, to rub further salt in the opposition wounds, the top of the range model (there are only two choices) sells for only R1 less than R300 000 and for that you get a serious value for money package.

The car comes standard with wall-to-wall luxuries and safety gear such as ESP, brake assist, six airbags, aircon, a classy audio system with AUX/iPod/USB connectivity, cruise control, electric windows and mirrors, huge double-stage sunroof and rear park assist.

The car comes standard with wall-to-wall luxuries.

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I recently spent a couple of weeks scooting around the Boland (mainly to seek out some bargain wines and foodie goodies for the festive season) which gave me ample time to evaluate the Sonata's dynamics, performance, fuel consumption, passenger comfort and whatever else helped to elevate it into the company of the SA Car of the Year finalists.

I was particularly keen to see whether the Sonata was worthy to arm-wrestle classy campaigners such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3-Series and Audi A4 and even to see if it can go round for round with the Citroen C5, VW Passat, Mazda6 and Honda Accord.

So, does it shape up to the opposition? The short answer is YES and NO.

The Sonata scores very well for its snazzy looks. The low-down, coupe-like crouch, big broad rubber, upmarket presence and "newness" certainly sparked off quite a bit of neck-twisting and even cell phone snaps.

Quick 'n slick

I loved its six-speed automatic transmission. It's quick, it's ultra-smooth and it offers the choice of "leave-me-alone-to-do-my-own-thinking," a tap-tap a la manual mode using the auto selector as a gear lever, or the driver can play Formula One by shifting between cogs using the paddles on the steering column.

The smooth box is linked to 2.4-litre engine which Hyundai says will produce 131kW and 228Nm and move the comfortable four-seater from 0-100km/h in 11.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 208km/h which is not nearly as exciting as its sporty looks.

The writer did do battle with finding radio stations and then “saving” the settings, but that’s probably due to being a Luddite when it comes to settings that any teenager can handle with ease.

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I must confess I found the engine a little sleepy and lacking in urgency. And when you do stomp on its tail it kicks up quite a noisy fuss as the rev counter moves towards the red.

I also found the steering a little light and lifeless and not as direct as I had expected. In fact, the whole handling set-up was a let down.

It is here where the Sonata doesn't quite match the high standards of the Germans. Moreover, to add insult to injury, its sister equivalent, the new Kia Optima, has just been launched internationally and is heading for local shores - and the word is out that it is prettier and better, particularly in the handling department where the Sonata loses brownie points.

The Optima also has some additional fancy brag equipment which the Sonata doesn't have, but, even more importantly, it is understood that it will go on sale for less than the Sonata which should give the German's a few more bad dreams.

Not too happy getting slung around corners

But back to the Sonata and its not so refined dynamics. Hyundai has fitted the Sonata with Amplitude Selective Dampers which, in theory, should automatically adjust the damper settings according to road conditions.

When you are trundling along at Sunday Grandma and Grandpa scenic drive speeds the car wafts along quite comfortably, but if you push it a bit, particularly when the road surfaces become a little uneven, the suspension thumps and bumps and actually becomes quite intrusive.

Like your boot.

The Sonata is also not too happy about being flung into tightish corners at a fair lick and it tends to lean and wobble a bit and holding a fast line through a corner is not a relaxed or easy business.

But for this, I really liked most of the rest of the Sonata package.

The cabin is a neat, eye-pleasing and keyless environment and there is a comforting logic about the lay-out of the dials and switches.

I did do battle with finding radio stations and then "saving" the settings, but that's probably due to being a Luddite when it comes to settings that any teenager can usually cope with.
I was also surprised to note the old Merc-style foot-operated handbrake.... Come on Hyundai, it is 2010 and handbrakes nowadays should be a simple one finger operation or otherwise just a short lever on the driver's left.

Hey, there, good looking

To summarise: the Sonata is a classy good-looker, well priced and backed by impressive warranties and service plans. It is well-equipped, the cabin is comfortable and spacious, the boot is nice and big and the ride is comfortable - but unfortunately the droopy engine and dynamics are not yet quite up to the standards set by the Teutonic Three and some of the other competitors in this segment.

However, as a handsome, value-for-money car that will give its owners years of peaceful sleep the new Sonata is a big step in the right direction for Hyundai - and it's a damn snazzy purveyor of good wines to boot - though you should consume them only after parking for the night - got it?!

Specifications.

Hyundai Sonata 2010 commercial