2015 Hyundai Sonata SE 2.4

[regfootball]

-coming up-

[caddycruiser]

Should be interesting...

 

Consumer Reports claims it now feels more solid and better assembled and refined, but with a drabber appearance. I see them daily with a Hyundai store across the street from work and the 2015 definitely doesn't give the same styling affect as previous models, and they all look basey with smaller silver painted wheels.

 

Improved driving dynamics alone should be key.

[regfootball]

"Don't buy the hype"

[ocnblu]

Hyundai is far from perfect.

[regfootball]

Far. Will try to write this up soon when I get home.

Edited July 13, 2014 by regfootball

[regfootball]

http://www.cheersandgears.com/topic/57966-2011-hyundai-sonata-gls-se-and-2010-hyundai-tucson-gls/?hl=sonata

 

 

never did finish those

[regfootball]

TESTED 2015 Hyundai Sonata SE sedan 2.4 automatic, with popular equipment package MSRP $23,315

 

HIGHS-

 

Remade shape is less fishy, if less flashy

Lots of features, warranty, and space for the dough / great value

Remade interior is not as cheesy as the pictures might suggest

Assembly quality and fitment and gaps of things like the dash are impressive

Another legitimate alternative to cars like the Camry and Altima

Pleasant personality

Easy to drive and good visibility out of

Nice gauges and readouts

Eco and Sport mode nice options for driving economically or aggressively

Slightly increased fuel economy

Should allow Hyundai to maintain its market presence

Well, probably better than a Camry.  Technically, I wouldn't call it a 'bad car'

 

LOWS-

 

Remade shape is in fact, less flashy and a bit clumsy

To me, the interior dash design reminds me a bit of my 89 Taurus SHO dash (evoking 89 design is not a complement)

Revised powertrain not impressively powerful in any rpm range.  Really have to gas it to get some oomph.  Neither a sensation of torquey or revvy.

Powertrain NVH is not great compared to the competition.  Engine vibration particularly apparent at idle at stoplight.  Always an engine buzz somewhere.

Lumpy / inconsistent padding in seats

Interior materials / plastic look ok when new in the showroom but really are a bit below par for the class.

Road noise is not isolated as well as others

Ride and suspension quality not as good as others.  Feels dated, honestly.

Braking and steering quality not as good as others.  Not good for road feel or steering feel.

Definitely not sporty in any way, and really, not cushy or luxurious either

A very very faint suspicion that overall quality of the car is just not up to par, and that any beauty is skin deep

In the end analysis, Hyundai / Sonata in my mind is still 'faux'.

Bluntly put, a bit 'UNREFINED'.  Ocassionally feels crude and primitive.

 

SUMMARY

 

While still possessing the qualities to holds it own the showroom, I don't believe this car will be anything but midpack or lower in the midsize class.  Car and Driver's paid trio of puff pieces this month stop short of being overly positive, and its probably all there because of payola.  Really Car and Driver should have told the truth that these cars are warmed over versions of the 2011-2014 that sold on price and looks.  There really is not a substantial improvement in refinement to the vehicle that the Car and Driver article suggests.  And that is amazing that Car and Driver would be puffy like that.

 

Still, from the standpoint of consumer getting so much in return for what they pay, this car holds it own.  I'll give the car a "C" for now due to its value, kit, and warranty for the money and if I get a chance to drive the sport or eco 1.6 and if it changes my mind, maybe I will move it up.  As it stands, the only cars in the segment that based upon my drives that I think this is actually better than is the Camry, and i am not even sure on that.  This must mean that the optima is not great either (i have never driven one).  This car to me is still bested a bit by the Accord and maybe even the Altima (and it wasn't going to take much IMO for any new car to beat those two overheralded piles).  The Fusion, Passat, 6, are way far ahead of this.  I bet the new 200 is way better than this too.

 

The number of cars I could recommend before this are numerous.  I can't say it's a bad car really, but with such strong competition, I can't say its one of the better ones either.  Unless you like the styling or are drawn to the stuff for the price, or both, you can find better.

Edited July 14, 2014 by regfootball

[regfootball]

Now that I think about it. I had the car in standard drive the whole time. Maybe I needed to have it in sport mode to see if it really helped acceleration.

[regfootball]

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/14/2015-hyundai-sonata-recall-wiring-harness/

 

2015-hyundai-sonata-recall-wiring-harness

Edited July 14, 2014 by regfootball

[caddycruiser]

Sounds like Hyundai...is still Hyundai.

 

All the features in the world, a la power folding mirrors or heated rear seats, on $2x-k sedans still don't mean the proper attention was paid to engineering and refinement. They are solid for build, generally, and look nice (except for the new Sonata, I see them daily across the street being prepped, test driven, etc. and they are so drab and dull now), but then you drive and go...did they miss a step?

 

Same theory with the new Genesis. Very impressive car, well done visually, etc. Yet they contracted Lotus to do the suspension because decades later, despite making such strides, Hyundai/Kia still cannot come up with an effective in house ride/handling/steering engineering group. They are always missing something here, for no reason.

 

Too bad the new one looks so drab. Seeing them side by side next to the last gen, it's just drab.

[regfootball]

you're spot on.

 

They also had a new Genesis on the lot, i looked it over a bit.  It looks nice, but it still looks faux to me and no wow.

 

It's like audio equipment or TV's, you could get a sony, samsung, or a marantz, or onkyo.  Or you can get 'seiki' or 'coby'.  Hyundai is like Coby to me.

Edited July 15, 2014 by regfootball

[caddycruiser]

you're spot on.

 

They also had a new Genesis on the lot, i looked it over a bit.  It looks nice, but it still looks faux to me and no wow.

 

It's like audio equipment or TV's, you could get a sony, samsung, or a marantz, or onkyo.  Or you can get 'seiki' or 'coby'.  Hyundai is like Coby to me.

 

All the flash, a decent rep and good warranty...but...you drive and if you appreciate cars in any way, or compare, you go..."but..."

 

Hyundai and Toyota buyers are similar, once they are in, they are in and don't really care.

[David]

 

you're spot on.

 

They also had a new Genesis on the lot, i looked it over a bit.  It looks nice, but it still looks faux to me and no wow.

 

It's like audio equipment or TV's, you could get a sony, samsung, or a marantz, or onkyo.  Or you can get 'seiki' or 'coby'.  Hyundai is like Coby to me.

 

All the flash, a decent rep and good warranty...but...you drive and if you appreciate cars in any way, or compare, you go..."but..."

 

Hyundai and Toyota buyers are similar, once they are in, they are in and don't really care.

 

Summed up perfect, these buyers could care less about the driving and only about point a to b transportation that is reliable and cheap.