2010 Hyundai Sonata Overview Change Vehicle

This 2010 Hyundai Sonata overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2010 Sonata, and includes Hyundai Sonata safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

Last year, the Hyundai Sonata got a comprehensive interior makeover and a revised exterior. Automotive enthusiasts waxed poetic about the Sonata’s interior improvements and applauded Hyundai’s efforts to offer such an impressive set of standard features. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to learn that the only news to report for the 2010 Sonata is the loss of a V6 engine option for the entry-level GLS model and the loss of the manual transmission for the sporty Sonata SE.

For 2010, the Hyundai Sonata is available in three trim levels – the base GLS, the sporty SE and the luxurious Limited. All 2010 Sonatas come with Hyundai’s generous five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

The Sonata GLS comes with full power accessories, keyless entry, air conditioning, heated power mirrors, a tilt steering wheel and cruise control. It also has a respectable audio system with six speakers, satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary jack. Options include Bluetooth, a power sunroof, a power eight-way driver’s seat, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, automatic headlights, and a trip computer. If you want alloy wheels, you’re out of luck as the GLS comes only with 16-inch steel wheels with gray plastic wheel covers.

The mid-level SE is the sporty member of the Sonata family and comes standard with a sport suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels and performance tires. A rear spoiler is tacked onto the trunk, too, just to make sure everyone else knows it’s sporty, and the SE gets fog lights just like those fancy European sport sedans. Equipment levels mirror the GLS model’s standard and optional features, plus an automatic transmission, leather interior accents inside the cabin. Optional equipment includes Bluetooth, HomeLink, a power sunroof, an Infinity stereo system with a six-disc CD changer and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

The Limited is the top-of-the-line model. It comes with all of the SE’s standard features plus two-level heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control and leather upholstery, and special 17-inch alloy wheels. The standard Infinity sound system provides you with terrific tunes, while wood-grain interior accents and an auto-dimming rearview mirror cap off the Limited’s standards. Bluetooth, a power sunroof and a Limited-only touch-screen navigation system with voice recognition are all available.

A 175-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is standard on all Sonatas. This year, Hyundai offers a version of this engine that meets the government’s Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) standards. As a result, the PZEV engine loses a coupe of ponies and registers at 168 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the GLS, though you can opt for a five-speed automatic transmission. The SE and Limited come standard with the five-speed automatic transmission.

A 3.3-liter V6 engine that delivers a respectable 249 horsepower is available on the SE and the Limited. The five-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission is matched to this engine giving you the option of switching it into manual mode.

Sonatas equipped with the manual transmission – all 10 of them – are estimated to get 21 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. With the far more common automatic transmission, the same 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine is rated to get 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. Surprisingly, the optional V6 doesn’t deliver much of a dent in gas mileage at 19 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.

There’s nothing new on the safety roster for the 2010 Sonata, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Sonata has offered a healthy slate of standard safety features for the past couple of years and this year is no different. Standard fare includes stability and traction control, six airbags, active head restraints and antilock brakes with brake assist.

The 2010 Sonata gets a Good rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for its performance in the offset frontal crash test and for the rear-impact injury protection assessment. Performance declines from there. The car receives an Acceptable rating for side-impact results, and a Marginal rating for roof strength. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the 2010 Sonata its top rating of 5 Stars for the protection it offers in frontal- and side-impact collisions. The Sonata receives a 4 Star rating for its resistance to rollover.

According to Consumer Reports rates 2010 Hyundai Sonatas with a four-cylinder engine higher than those with a V6 engine. The former should return better than average reliability, while the latter is expected to perform at an average level. J.D. Power and Associates says the Sonata’s long-term dependability should be better than average.

The 2010 Hyundai Sonata is a car that continues to represent a good value. That said, we want more. The 2010 Sonata is a nice car. A nice car, like a nice girl, or a nice boy, is never the one you want to hang out with for very long. We can imagine that in this ultra-competitive midsize sedan class, it’s hard to find your groove, but it can be done. The Ford Fusion has proven that in a few short years. What the Sonata needs to stand out from the crowd is a bolder look, additional features and better performance. So, even though this year’s Sonata is fine, here’s to wanting more and hoping that next year the Hyundai Sonata gives us more.

By Courtney Messenbaugh