 |
| 2006 Hyundai Sonata (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123) |
The engine in my tester was a 2.4-liter with 162 horsepower. Ordering your Sonata with this engine means you don't mind giving up a little performance to save on fuel. The 4-cylinder is a little weak off the line, though it accelerates progressively quicker as the revs climb- right to the redline. The acceleration of the 4-cylinder Sonata is fitting of its mature character -- this car would seem out of place being in a hurry. The peaky powercurve is amusing; flying along really uses the upper part of the tachometer, while shifting the gears yourself and hearing the engine at full volume makes you grin when you wind it out. It is very smooth, and makes a nice sound during high-rpm operation, though it'll perhaps be a tad loud for some. The soft bottom end acceleration was appreciated while driving in slow traffic, with very smooth and consistent throttle take up. The manual-mode shifts are very smooth, and the gear ratios are very tall. In fact, second gear takes the car over 120 km/h -- meaning adequate get up and go for passing, despite not having a hugely powerful engine. A 235-horsepower V6 is also available if you want your Sonata to go as quick as it looks, but a manual transmission is unavailable with that engine. (Note to self -- call Hyundai and ask for a V6 6-speed model.)
On the road, the ride is comfortable and smooth. The weight shifts easily from side to side over uneven surfaces -- it feels light-footed, almost. The little bit of tire noise simply makes you appreciate how well the multilink
 |
| 2006 Hyundai Sonata (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123) |
suspension works well at keeping the bumps under the struts and out of your spine. It's pretty grippy too: throw the Sonata a corner and it just chews right on through it. The balance of comfort and grip is well done. The car put a grin, not a yawn on my face in the backroads. The performance element of the Sonata is definitely present -- a grin while accelerating and a grin while cornering -- not all of the cars in this price range are this fun. The Sonata brushes off speed with ease and composure. The brake feel is just about perfect and very linear, as well as easy to modulate. The nose dives a fair bit under hard braking, but the marvelous suspension maintains a tight grasp on the road.
Graduates can take advantage of Hyundai's graduate rebate program, whether they have graduated within the past 4 years, or if they will be graduating within 4 months. This takes $750 off of the sticker price. Save even more by switching your own gears. Hyundai's grad rebate program is one of the most competitive available -- they seem to understand that not everyone goes and buys a car within a year of graduating, unlike Honda who only offers a grad program if you've graduated within the past year.
This new Sonata is very valuable in terms of its quality, features and especially its room. It is a car you (or your family) can grow in to easily. It has all the standard features you need, a great ride, a fun attitude and it's great to look at too. The four-cylinder model starts at under $22,000,
 |
| 2006 Hyundai Sonata (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123) |
with a well-equipped V6 model coming in around $28,000. A base Accord starts at over $24,000. Even with all the options, its hard to get the Sonata's sticker to go over $30,000. Price out a similarly equipped Accord V6 and you'll be shelling out another 3 or 4 thousand dollars. It seems fairly obvious that on its own, the Sonata is a competent car. Despite its bold, mature looks, the car looks even better on paper beside its major competitors, and I've driven most of them. It stands up tall and proud with the big players in its market, and has a warranty and dealer service ratings that are hard to beat. You don't need to be a genius to understand why this car, I believe, is the best way to spend your money on a new 4-door. The 100,000 km warranty is tough to match, Hyundai has fantastic dealer service ratings and their commitment to quality is apparent in every inch of this new Sonata. The major competitors can cost thousands more when equipped similarly. Their combination of competitive pricing combined with a competitive warranty and a competitive grad rebate program means you'll have a tough time justifying giving Toyota or Honda a few thousand more for a similar vehicle.
I think I've done my good deed for the day, and saved anyone reading this a few thousand dollars. Thank me later.
