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High safety standards
As for safety, you can be sure that Sonata has a very high level since it is a major model for the US market where safety standards are stringent and even independent organisations conduct comparison crash tests for consumer information. For the Sonata, a Cray supercomputer was used to simulate all sorts of crashes and then to make sure the bodyshell would withstand them. In particular, there are special members on the floorpan to maintain rigidity during a collision so that the cabin integrity is not compromised. Impact bars are also installed in the doors and of course, there are the usual crumple zones front and rear.

New-generation airbags are provided for the front occupants and these have more ‘intelligent’ operation. They deploy with lower force levels in accordance with the severity of the collision and additional sensors are fitted to determine if the passenger has a seatbelt on. Additionally, to save repair costs, there is also a sensor in the front passenger’s seat which detects if there is actually a person on it. If not, the airbag will not deploy during an accident. In most other systems, both airbags will deploy regardless of whether someone is in the passenger’s seat… and airbags are fairly costly items to replace.

ABS is standard for the all-disc brake system. It is an original factory-fitted system and comes with the additional feature of Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) which adjusts the pressure to the front and rear axles depending on the number of occupants as well as the weight inside the boot. With this feature, braking performance is claimed to be better with a shorter distance possible.

The technical literature also mentions a Traction Control system as being an option for the Sonata but it is not clear if this will actually be available on the CKD models. It’s essentially another chip added to the management system which can work with the ABS and engine to reduce torque on any wheel that is slipping during hard acceleration.

Generous feature list
“Lower price but more goodies” is the best way to describe the Sonata. This is a common strategy of newcomers which need to draw buyers from the more established and trusted rivals. In the Sonata, it’s the little things that impress. For example, there’s a ‘battery saver’ which detects when the lights are on if you’ve switched off the engine and automatically switches them off – no more flat battery again! And in the spare wheel, there is a moulded tray which is for stowing odds and ends.\

Another nice touch is the use of pneumatic struts for the bonnet and bootlid. You may think this is no big deal and may not even realise that many cars use fluid-filled struts but by having gas-filled struts, the chances of leakage is non-existent.

Storage space is also plentiful within the cabin, besides the 430-litre boot (said to be larger than that of the Honda Accord). There are lots of little spaces to keep things like sunglasses (above the mirror) and even parking tickets (behind the driver’s sunvisor). Cupholders are provided for front and rear occupants and there are also additional 12V power sockets (one in the cabin and the other in the boot) which can be used to keep the cellphone charged or to power the GPS unit.

It’s interesting that Hyundai’s designers have always chosen to locate the switch for the bootlid/fuel lid release on the driver’s door. This has been the case since the first generation Sonata of the early 1990s and is a departure from the usual position of being in the narrow gap between the seat and door sill.

For the driver, the instrumentation is comprehensive and includes a tripcomputer . The seating is “upper class” and adopted from the Grandeur XG version which is the Hyundai flagship. It’s claimed to have US technology which is more commonly used in European luxury sedans.

Korean style?
The appearance of the Sonata does not mimic Japanese or European models and it would seem like Hyundai has developed a style which can be regarded as ‘Korean’. The side profile has some cues from the Elantra but the front end is bold and distinctive, with a large chromed radiator grille. The ovoid headlamps, a variation of the Mercedes C-Class lighting units, are eye-catching and said to also provide strong illumination.

With sales of the Elantra having turned out to be exceptionally good, OH is now optimistic that the new Sonata will also be well received and is expecting to sell almost as many each month as the smaller model. With its pricing, it is likely that not only will the obvious rivals in the same executive class face a strong challenge but also the Japanese ones in the 1.6 – 1.8 litre range. Don’t be surprised to see Hyundai becoming a major player in the non-national segment before long!