The Drive

The 2009 Hyundai Sonata can be had with either a 2.4 litre four-cylinder petrol engine, or Hyundai’s new 2.0 litre Common Rail Direct injection turbo-diesel.

The petrol engines are available with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed Selectronic automatic, with Hyundai Intelligent Vehicle electronic control, while the diesel mill can be paired with either a six-speed manual or a four-speed Selectronic automatic transmission with HiVec.

We tested the six-speed manual Sonata SLX CRDi, and the manual transmission was a delight to use, with smooth changes and a light but strong clutch feel.

While the Sonata offers the requisite punch to comfortably overtake, the small 2.0 litre diesel, developing 110kW at 3800rpm and 305Nm at between 1800-2500rpm, while feeling strong low down (low-end torque), ran out of puff toward the higher middle part of the rev range. But that’s diesels in general really.

It’s a nice unit though and with long legs for country touring. It’s certainly worth a close look by buyers who may have otherwise been considering a “six”.

On the fuel economy side, sixth gear and the small diesel ensured that any 100km/h freeway cruising would see the factory quoted 6.0 l/100km consumption achieved without breaking a sweat. (Of course, breaking a sweat wouldn’t really help on that score…)

Still, for the extra $2500 to get yourself into the diesel, and the higher cost of diesel fuel these days, you’d want to spend a lot of time on the freeway to make it worthwhile.

According to the boffins at Hyundai, the Australian-delivered 2009 Sonata benefits from suspension tuned specifically for our roads. It works well and goes about things without jarring, soaking up most secondary surfaces without complaint. For a family car where comfort is valued more highly by the majority of buyers, I’d say Hyundai has got the equation balanced about right.

For the money, and for its purpose, the Sonata glides along both freeways and mottled suburban streets as well as many of its mid-size peers, bettering some carrying ten grand (or so) more on their stickers.

Still, a hot handler it aint, with the steering feeling somewhat remote and the front end a little too eager to understeer, the Sonata - for now, at least - remains the slow and steady family hauler and less the “let’s go the back way home” pleasure-seeker.

At idle, the diesel drone of the CRDi is evident inside, though it’s pleasingly quiet at cruising speeds. For wind and road noise though, another tick - the Sonata does an admirable job of ensuring the radio is the most obvious sound in the cabin.

The Verdict

Perhaps I’ve been a little tough on the Sonata. With this car, you need to remind yourself of the value of the package. For a smidge over $30,000, you get a lot of car: one with the space and versatility of a traditional Aussie family ’six’, and, in the diesel, with the fuel economy of a small ‘four’.

At that price, its only real competitor is the Holden Epica - itself a rebadged Korean car. Of the two, I’d lean towards the Sonata without hesitation.

It’s a plenty decent drive if you’re looking for a mid-size sedan that will move you from A to B in comfort and without fuss - and let’s face it, that will satisfy a lot of family buyers. With pleasing-enough but somewhat anonymous lines, good economy and low maintenance costs, it’s a ‘win/win’ choice.

It might not have ‘aspirational’ written on it, but Hyundai’s Sonata has been improving with each model and represents solid buying value. If the factors I’ve mentioned above tick the boxes for you, you’ve found a winner in the Sonata.

Mike Likes

• Smooth transmission
• Stylish dash
• Low-end torque
• Reach-adjustable steering wheel
• iPod/Aux/USB Integration

Mike Dislikes

• Styling: not ugly, but not appealing
• Front seats
• Mid-range torque
• Absence of climate control