Hyundai Sonata offers luxury features at economy price

srobertson

We had a fun day last Sunday in a new Hyundai. That's more than just a silly limerick. Hyundai rhymes with Sunday, and we really did have a fun day testing a new 2004 Hyundai Sonata.

I borrowed a 2004 Sonata recently, picked up three friends and drove up to the wine country west of Ste. Genevieve. It was a cold, blustery, rainy day, but we felt safe and cozy, thanks to our anti-lock brakes, traction control, and some excellent government crash test results.

A little history

Established in 1967, Hyundai Automotive Group includes Kia Motors Corp. and over two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Employing nearly 50,000 people worldwide, Hyundai vehicles are sold in 166 countries through 4,504 dealerships and showrooms, the newest of which is located in Cape Girardeau -- Wieser Hyundai.

The original 1989 Hyundai Sonatas were a big improvement over the Excels of that era, but their build quality and unrefined power trains couldn't compete with what was available from other automakers. 1995 gave us the second-generation Sonata with better fit and finish and a remarkable 10-year, 100,000-mile power train warranty, and Hyundai reported a 25-percent increase in sales that year. But 1999 was the year that a truly competitive car emerged with modern styling, improved power trains and noteworthy advances in sound deadening and ride quality. More upgrades in 2002 gave us the classy Sonata that you are reading about today.

Initial impression

Sonatas have many features found only on more expensive cars, but you may have to do a little digging to see some of them. For example, the Sonata's hood is supported by gas struts -- not a cheap metal rod. The trunk lid rides on articulated hinges that permit the lid to swing up past the vertical position but will not crush packages in the trunk. The trunk's interior is nicely trimmed, offers a spacious carrying capacity, and has one of the lowest and widest openings in the business. The alignment of the doors, hood and trunk is exemplary. Inside, the attention to detail and the choice of quality materials is evident. When I slipped into the soft, contoured, leather driver's seat and admired the beautiful leather-wrapped steering wheel and the shapely dash I was impressed. Between the front bucket seats lives an elegantly chrome-accented center console with leather-wrapped gear selector. There are power accessories everywhere, including 12-volt outlets for the electrical gizmos that are so important to our modern lives. The dash sports a high-power CD sound system, and an automatic climate control system. More leather adorns the rear seats, which split and fold flat for cargo, and give access to the trunk. An armrest folds out between the seats and also reveals drink holders. The rear seating area is inviting as the front. This is an economy sedan? On the road I'm running north on Interstate 55 at 70 mph, and this little sedan is loaded with four full-size men. I expect the Sonata to feel mushy and overweight when we cross the bridges and overpasses between here and Perryville, but I am wrong. I expect the engine to labor and the automatic transmission to downshift on the upgrades in order for the cruise control to hold the preset speed, but again I am wrong. I expect the Sonata to dart around when we are hit by the strong crosswinds, and I expect to hear distracting road and wind noise at this speed. Wrong, wrong. We arrived at our first winery, and when the doors opened we realized that it was about 10 degrees colder than Cape Girardeau. Yet I had not touched the automatic climate control. After enjoying lunch and sampling the winemaker's art, the second driver slipped behind the Sonata's wheel and we were off to another tasting. He could find nothing to complain about, either. And so it was with all the drivers É we all enjoyed this car. It was comfortable, quiet, smooth and stylish. The rain came down hard on the way home, yet the Sonata was composed and confident. The multi-speed wipers did their job quietly and the smooth 2.7-liter V6 engine provided all the performance needed. Hyundai gives their Sonata an impressive 2,000-pound tow rating -- more than enough to pull your watercraft or ATV out to the boonies.

Making new converts

With an impressive powertrain warranty (10 years/100,000 miles) an almost irresistible price ($22,034 as equipped), excellent fuel mileage figures of 27 highway and 19 city, and various financial incentives (check with your dealer), Hyundai is making new converts and keeping old ones. For the second year in a row, the Sonata was selected by U.S. consumers as the top rated entry mid-size sedan, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout survey.

Steve Robertson of Robertson's Creative Photography is a car enthusiast and former staff writer/photographer for the Southeast Missourian.