RON A HIGHER NOTE

The current Sonata is on its last bars, but a new one has already been written. It’s longer, better orchestrated and more involving, but is it good enough to be top of the pops?

‘The Sonata goes from being the smallest to the largest in the class.’

‘The new Sonata’s dynamics are so much better that you’ll spot the differences within 50 metres of driving.’

It was once the king of the nascent luxury car market, loved for its flamboyant looks and inviting interiors. It even matched the old Accord in one of Autocar India's comparison tests and at one point outsold its Japanese rival by more than three times.
Clearly, the Hyundai Sonata was music to the ears of the well-heeled when it was launched in 2001 — but now it's struck some discordant notes. The Sonata has virtually disappeared from the sales charts, has been comprehensively beaten in comparison tests by the Toyota Camry and particularly the new Accord, and has failed to appeal to that small but important rich clientele which is becoming more demanding than ever. Discounts are huge and resale values have tumbled into the basement.
There's no doubt that Hyundai's flagship is slowly sinking and there's not much the company can do to keep its shiny grille above water. Except bring out an all-new model. And this is exactly what it plans to do.
The timing couldn't be more important. To regain lost glory, Hyundai needs to roll out the new Sonata — fast. But before it can do that, the Korean company needs to exhaust the 200-odd 'kits' from which the current model is assembled. So if you calculate the rate at which the Sonata is presently selling, the new model is likely to be in showrooms by July this year. But will it set off the fireworks?
If you were to meet the new Sonata at a party, you wouldn't recognise it. It looks nothing like the car we know. Gone is the extravagant styling, in its place a less contrived, understated shape. Ornate Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz design cues have been dropped in favour of a clean, sober look — and a very familiar one at that. The jewelled, four-barrel projector headlights are inspired by the Audi A6's slim lamps, and the smooth profile, with its politely bulging wheel arches and gently curved greenhouse, gives the Sonata a distinctly Teutonic feel. The flashy grille and hood ornament are out, replaced by a concave hood dome and tapering grille, the only part that is distinctly Hyundai. For the rear, Hyundai has turned to Japan for inspiration, particularly the Honda Accord. But for the sharper edges and angles, the tail-lamps are straight off the Accord.
The Sonata's handsome, neat lines reveal very little about its Korean origins. It has the same 'international' style that characterises the Camry and Accord. It's inoffensive, unadventurous and designed to appeal to customers in the key markets of Europe and America where brash designs don't work. But they do work in India and ironically, the distinctive styling of the earlier Sonata — seen as the car's main strength — is now missing.
In a class where size does matter, the Sonata has gone from being the segment runt to the segment giant. Large enough to be classified a 'large car' in the USA -- a class up from the Accord and Camry — it now measures 4798mm by 1829mm, height going up to 1473mm, even though ride height is actually lower. To increase interior space, the wheelbase has been increased, and the wheels pushed out toward the corners. The Sonata is now almost as large as the vast Skoda Superb, which further strengthens its case. Weight is up by 40kg to 1481kg (4-speed Shiftronic auto), a result of the increase in size and higher safety levels.
Inside, it's the same story as the outside and the interiors are simple with a two-tone dashboard divided by a brushed metal-finish strip. It lacks the richness of the earlier car and the plastic quality is surprisingly poor for the segment. The plastic casing which surrounds the audio system is badly finished; it looks like it has been banged into place and didn't look like a part of the smooth dash. Other plastic bits like behind the armrest are tacky too, and look like it they have popped out of a Funskool mould.
The switchgear quality and feel are quite acceptable though. The sculpted silver surrounds of the air-con knobs look quite classy, and the straight-cut rectangular air vents feel nice to operate. The instrument dials look nice as well, with a chrome bezel on the central speedo. There's reasonable storage space too, with a useful slot under the audio system; plus, the door pockets are fairly large and there's the usual set of cup-holders between the front seats and the utility box under the armrest.
Where the Sonata really scores is on passenger space. The front seats are large and generous with sufficient travel for Gulliver himself. There's a transformation at the rear too. We have criticised the current Sonata's back seat as being too firm and lacking in legroom, but the new model will give the Camry, the current back- seat champion, a run for its money. We were deeply impressed with the overall comfort at the rear: seat height, under-thigh support and backrest angle were spot on. There's good legroom and width too and all this stacks up to give the Sonata the most comfy back seat in its class. And in India, where owners will be chauffeur-driven for 90 percent of the time, this is a big victory. Some conveniences are missing, though. There are no air-con vents for the rear seats. No rear reading light, for example, and you don't get a remote for the music system, a feature that strangely neither the Camry nor the Accord have.
We tested the base 2.4 model, which was pretty well equipped for an entry-level variant. The long equipment list included serious safety features: Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), ABS and EBD, and six airbags. The top-of-the line LX model gets more kit like auto-dimming mirrors, a power sunroof and sportier suspension with 17-inch alloys.
It's the way the new Sonata drives that is the biggest revelation. Dynamically, it is clearly a generation apart from the current Sonata. The base model no longer gets the old 2.0-litre engine but a new ‘Theta’ 2.4-litre motor, which produces a healthy 160bhp, making it — on paper — a more promising performer than both the Camry and Accord. This all-aluminium engine has balancer shafts and continuously variable valve timing, a silent timing chain, stainless steel exhaust manifold and hydraulic mounts.
Mated to a four-speed automatic (there's a five-speed auto option and a manual as well), the refinement of the new engine is impressive. It's inaudible at idle and when you build up the revs there's a muted hum from under the bonnet, the engine making its presence felt only when you near the redline. While the redline is marked at 6500rpm, the Sonata's four-speed tranny automatically shifts up at 6000rpm, even in manual mode. The Sonata didn't feel incredibly quick, and we feel the Accord would still have a performance edge. Still, on the city streets of Singapore, there's an abundance of power, delivered in a seamless manner. Unlike the anaemic 2.0-litre engine of the earlier Sonata, which is hampered by poor throttle response and a weak bottom end, the new motor with its extra 400cc is sprightly and energetic. The four-speed auto 'box is quite average and reasonably responsive to kickdown. The manual mode works well but it doesn't shift down as quickly as you would like, a tad frustrating when you want to drive with any degree of enthusiasm. There’s also a six-speed manual in the line-up on the other engines.

Replacing the top-of-the-line 2.7 V6 is an even bigger motor, a 3.3-litre; the first of Hyundai's all-aluminium Lambda family, it comes with DOHC 24-valve CVVT tech and a Variable Intake System (VIS) and develops a whopping 220bhp. The big news is the 2.0 common-rail turbo-diesel, the first in a Sonata, and surely a motor that will be offered in diesel-crazy India.
Hyundai's traditional weakness has been the chassis, which has never really matched the competition, especially European rivals, but the company claims this has been sorted out. The Sonata uses double wishbones up front and a five-link setup at the rear which, mated to a stiff chassis, promises a quantum improvement in ride and handling.
The smooth, well-manicured streets of Singapore make it difficult to assess the true depth of a car's dynamic capabilities, but so much better are the new Sonata's road manners over the previous car that you'll spot the improvements within 50 metres of driving. The steering feel is much more linear and lacks the vagueness of the earlier rack. Also gone is the fidgety suspension, largely responsible for the earlier Sonata's unsettled ride. The new Sonata has a more planted and solid feel, which we imagine will make it a good cruiser.
Then there's the price. Hyundai will peg the new Sonata at a mouth-watering price and seriously undercut its rivals. But despite that, the new Sonata will have its work out when it comes to India. Brutal price cuts failed to prop up the Sonata's flagging sales, and worse, tarnished Hyundai's image, proving price isn't everything in the upper crust of the market. A good product is, however, and for Hyundai's sake, we hope the Indian car buyer will realise that's that the new Sonata really is.
HORMAZD SORABJEE

Price Rs 18.54-19.69 lakh (ex-Mumbai)
Power 143.8bhp
L/W/H 4815/1795/1505mm
Wheelbase 2720mm
Kerb weight 1425-1500kg

Price Rs 15.12-17.45 lakh (ex-Mumbai)
Power 221bhp
L/W/H 4830/1820/1465kg
Wheelbase 2740mm
Kerb weight 1530kg

NEW HYUNDAI SONATA
How much?
Price Rs 14 lakh (est)
How big ?
L/W/H 4798mm/1829mm/1473mm
Kerb weight 1481.43kg
Wheelbase 2728mm
Engine
Layout 4-cylinder, 2359cc ‘Theta’,
16-valve DOHC with continuously
variable valve timing (CVVT)
Max power 160bhp at 5800rpm
Max torque 22.95kgm at 4250rpm
Specific output 67.82bhp/litre
Power to weight 108.0bhp/tonne
Torque to weight 15.49kgm/tonne
Installation Front, in-line front-wheel drive
Gearbox
Type 5-speed manual
4/5-speed Shiftronic automatic
Suspension
Front Independent, double wishbones with coil springs, gas-filled dampers, anti-roll bar
Rear Multi-link independent with coil springs, twin-tube gas-filled dampers, anti-roll bar
Steering
Type Power-assisted rack and pinion with rpm sensor
Brakes
Front 280mm ventilated discs
Rear 262mm solid discs
Wheels and tyres
Size 16/17x6.5-inch
Tyres P215/60 R16/P225/50 R17
Made of Steel/alloy

WHAT TO EXPECT
Tailor-made and very competent rival to the Indigo, Accent and the Ikon.