Wednesday, October 01, 2014

Sonata Struts a Mature Look, Attitude: Hyundai Sonata Enters its Seventh Generation



Hyundai Sonata design was barely recognized by consumers 10 years ago.

Today, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata is turning heads and buyers into Hyundai showrooms.

For 2015, the Korean automaker adds more technology and sophisticated styling to its popular 5-passenger Sonata 4-door sedan.

Hyundai designers term their new styling concept, Fluidic Sculpture”, says Jon Kull, general manager for Shaffer Hyundai in Merrillville. “Sonata’s refined look has helped the brand climb in market share and popularity."

The midsize 2015 Hyundai Sonata comes in SE, Sport, Sport 2.0T, Limited and Eco models.

According to Kull, Sonata is Hyundai’s volume car in our region. “The 2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport is the best bang for the buck and our most popular model.”

The 2015 Sonata lineup is powered by four-cylinder engines, managed by either a 6-speed automatic or 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Bookending Sonata’s power train is a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with 177 horsepower and turbocharged 2.0L that builds 245-hp.

Hyundai’s 2.4L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder remains Sonata’s tried and true engine choice with 185-hp for fuel economy of 24 miles per gallon in town and 35 mpg on the highway.

ROAD TRIP TASTE

I tested the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Limited on a 115 mile road trip across Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive through Northwest Indiana bound for the Burger Barrel Drive–In on Hwy. 12 in White Pigeon, Michigan.

Their road food and hospitality is exceptional. So is the new Hyundai Sonata.

The 2015 Sonata boasts a larger footprint that translates to Best-in-Class total interior volume. By EPA standards, the increased cabin space categorizes Sonata as a ‘Large’ car.

Cabin access is greatly enhanced with doors that open wide for easy entry and exit with no wheel well bulge to hinder the process.

I noticed a big improvement in cabin noise isolation over the previous model as road and engine sound is damped to near hushed tones.

Back seat leg and knee room comfortably accommodates two adult riders or a trio of child booster seats.

When unoccupied, the 60/40-split back seat can fold into the passenger compartment to expand the trunk’s 16.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

A stylish hands-free Smart Trunk feature, standard on Limited, opens the trunk with a person’s close proximity to the rear lid. A series of audible tones create a countdown so as not to open the lid inadvertently.

And because safety is always in style, the 2015 Sonata introduces a rear view camera, blind sport detection with lane departure warning as well as forward collision warning and rear cross-traffic alert to the model line.

Heated front and rear seats are standard on Limited. Ventilated front seats and heated steering wheel are available.

The 2015 Hyundai Sonata is on sale now priced from $21,150 to $28,575.


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