First Impressions
When a car is as good as the new 2011 Hyundai Sonata (view photos) is, professional writers nitpick it to ensure that a review contains a least a little bit of criticism. Well, that’s what happens with me, anyway, and that’s how it is with the new Sonata, a truly fantastic family sedan with only a handful of minor flaws. Cutting to the chase, there is a single deal-breaker with this stellar new Sonata, and that’s the amount of road noise that enters the car, mainly from the rear of the cabin. Otherwise, we can’t recommend this Hyundai heartily enough.
This review is a follow-up to Nathan Adlen’s experience behind the wheel of a Hyundai Sonata Limited, which he test drove in the Denver area. This time around, we examine the sporty model, the Sonata SE, on the highways and byways of Los Angeles and Ventura counties in Southern California.
Pricing, Trims and Options
As Nathan detailed in his review, the all-new 2011 Sonata is available in GLS, SE, and Limited trim levels. Of the three, the Sonata SE ($23,315) is the car aimed at people who like to drive, and it gets specific hardware changes such as stiffer springs, monotube rear shock absorbers, a thicker rear stabilizer bar, and 18-inch hyper silver alloy wheels wearing wider and lower profile 225/45 tires. The SE also makes a bit more horsepower and torque, thanks to its freer-breathing dual exhaust system, but the effect is surely negligible with just two more ponies and two more pound-feet of twist. The SE is also the only Sonata equipped with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Slotted between the GLS and the Limited, the Sonata’s SE adds a standard 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift gate, a dark chrome grille treatment, chrome door handles, fog lights, and automatic headlights. Inside, fake leather decorates the door panels, the door release pulls are chrome, and leather wraps the steering wheel and shift knob. Seats feature leather bolsters with dotted cloth inserts, and the driver’s seat features 8-way power adjustment. Key standard features carried over from the GLS include heated power mirrors, power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, air conditioning, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, a trip computer, and both iPod and USB connectivity.
A single option package is offered on the Sonata SE, the Navigation and Sunroof Package for $2,600. As you might imagine from the title, it contains a navigation system and a power sunroof. It’s also got Dimension premium audio speakers with a subwoofer and external amp, and a complimentary 90-day subscription to XM NavTraffic, XM NavWeather, XM sports and XM stock.
Additional accessories can be added to the Sonata SE, and they range in price from the $35 iPod Cable to the $250 Electrochromic Rear Mirror with a compass and Homelink programmable garage door opener. Fully equipped, a Sonata SE costs $26,590. You read that right. And yes, that’s the sticker price, not a negotiated transaction price.
Interior Features
Let the nitpicking begin. The 2011 Hyundai Sonata is not a quiet car, and we suspect the SE’s wider, lower-profile rubber contributes to the din more than the standard tires on the GLS and Limited models. It’s also worth mentioning that the engine features a grumbling note at idle and under acceleration, one that’s noticeable inside the car but gets louder when lowering the windows in a drive-thru. That’s the direct fuel-injection system, and the sound is normal. Not particularly refined, we’ll grant, but normal.
Our test car had the optional Navigation and Sunroof Package, and the Sonata’s navigation system takes a very long time to boot up. It’s helpful to remember that, until the Genesis sedan arrived a couple of years ago, Hyundai didn’t even offer navigation in any of its models. Behind the technology curve already, Hyundai definitely needs to work on the speed with which the Sonata’s navigation system prepares itself for active duty.
We also thought the center console storage area forward of the shifter, as well as the exposed upholders, could use covers of some sort to give the cabin a finished appearance coupled with the ability to hide valuables, like a 64GB iPod Touch that might be connected to the sound system via the optional iPod cable.
Speaking of the sound system, we frequently found ourselves fuzzy about the Sonata’s control layout, even after a week behind the wheel. When consulting the mix of buttons, touch-sensitive navigation screen keys, control knobs, and that Volvo-esque human pictogram to execute common and simple tasks with the stereo and climate systems, we often performed the gesturing equivalent of a double take before figuring out where the function we wanted was located, and how it worked.
Another gripe pertains to the front passenger’s seat. Unlike the driver’s seat, this chair does not offer height adjustment. Unlike the rear bench, this cushion does not offer adequate thigh support. The result is that the front seat passenger feels like he is sitting on the floor, and the low position of the seat can make it difficult to enter and exit the vehicle. At a minimum, Hyundai needs to add a manual lift for this seat, immediately.
Finally, we wish more of the Sonata Limited’s features could be had on the Sonata SE, or that Hyundai offered a Sport Package for the Limited that turned it into an SE with all the goodies. Want full leather? That’s only on the Limited model. How about automatic climate control with rear seat vents and heated front and rear seats? Limited only. The 400-watt Infinity audio system and HD radio technology is reserved for the Limited, too. Yeah, a Sport Package needs to be added to the Limited’s option list, or a Luxury Package to the SE’s menu.
Safety, Quality and Reliability
The 2011 Hyundai Sonata’s (view photos) safety package is comprehensive, including dual front airbags, dual front side-impact airbags, and side-curtain airbags for all outboard passengers. Antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, along with traction and stability control, are also included.
As this review is written, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not performed crash tests on the new Sonata, however, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which typically performs crashworthiness tests that exceed government standards, has established crash-test performance ratings for the car, giving it a Top Safety Pick rating. This means it received a Good rating in the offset frontal crash test, a Good rating in the side-impact crash test, a Good rating for rear impact crash protection, and a Good rating in the roof crush strength test.
Because the Sonata is a completely new vehicle with a new powertrain, reliability predictions are based upon recent performance by Hyundais in general. Or so J.D. Power and Associates posits, claiming the Sonata is expected to be slightly better than average in this regard. Consumer Reports does not provide a predicted reliability rating for the redesigned Sonata.