Sonata hoists its flag higher

Styling changes have been subtle, and good.

The cosmetic changes include relatively minor tweaks to the grille, front bumper, front and rear headlights and the exterior mirrors. New additions are different alloys (including a full-sized spare wheel) and front fog lights.

The living quarters have also been attractively jazzed up with a new sound system complete with a touch-screen display in the central console.

Subtle changes rather than a facelift

The subtle changes are very much in line with the new tendency within the car manufacturing industry where models will be around longer but will be tweaked a few times instead of being given a full face-lift during its life span.

To a non-Sonata driver the changes would probably be barely noticeable...a bit like a slightly lighter lipstick colour making your girlfriend look prettier without you being able to pinpoint why that is...

A nicely finished family sedan.

In addition to getting the decorators in, the technical white coats back in Korea also did a bit of fiddling with the 2.4-litre GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) engine under the Sonata's hood so that it now squeezes out an extra 17kW, which raises overall performance to 148kW and 250Nm while managing to keep emissions down to 188g/km which is also a small improvement.

The Sonata's 0-100km/h sprint has also improved by nearly two seconds and Hyundai also claims an improved fuel consumption of 7.9 litres/100km.

The six-speed auto transmission has been retained and the driver has the option of leaving it to do its own thing, or he could take charge of the cog-swapping either by using the gear stick or by playing with the shift paddles behind the steering wheel.

Suspension issues largely sorted

On the road the Sonata's ride remains very much the same. The steering is still a touch vague and light but the suspension feels noticeably tauter and more in line with the German sedans on which the Korean carmaker has set its sights.

It's quite a large car, but nevertheless quite easy to handle even in congested traffic.

The Sonata's suspension and steering set-up has been one of its few minor flaws and Hyundai has overcome much of that by fitting special shock absorbers that vary stiffness or compliance according to road conditions and driving dynamics. Coil springs and stabiliser bars also reduce body-roll and adds a bit more feel to the steering.

The 2.4-engine and the auto transmission work well as a partnership but if the driver opts for manual manipulation and starts piling on the coals the engine noise levels do become a bit gruff because the revs need to get to 4,250 for maximum torque and all the way to 6,300 for maximum power.

Overall the classy Korean is a nicely finished family sedan designed to cruise quietly, smoothly and comfortably on long trips with four aboard and to be easy to manhandle in congested traffic, city streets and parking lots, in spite its size.

The cabin has a good range of creature comforts, and no skimping on the safety aspect.

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What also adds to its appeal is the fact that its sound system now also has a Bluetooth link for a telephone and for streaming music from an iPod. A USB port also allows a cable link to the sound system. To make operations easy for the driver, remote controls for the telephone link have been added to the steering wheel.

No skimping on safety

Other cabin comforts include a fully-adjustable driver's seat, automatic rain-sensing windscreen wipers, a sunroof and seat warmers for the driver and front passenger.

Hyundai has never skimped on safety and the Sonata is equipped with electronic stability as well as ABS brakes with EBD and six airbags which give it a five-star EuroNCAP rating.

While the Sonata is still a way short of the German brands it regards as its main competitors it does represent quite an appealing package in spite of its jump in price (for which one could thank the undulating rand!). The improved Elite sells for R379,900 which includes Hyundai's Triple Care Plan made up of a five-year/150,000km warranty, a five-year/150,000km roadside assistance programme and a five-year/90,000km service plan.

2013 Hyundai Sonata Start Up and Review 2.4 L 4-Cylinder

2013 Hyundai Sonata - blueLink - Test Drive and Progressive Auto Demo - Hilton