We are with the expert review of Hyundai Sonata, launched by Hyundai-Nishat Motors in 2021. This is the 8th generation of the car and internationally it comes in 10 variants, however, Pakistan got two of them, i.e., 2.0L and 2.5L. And this under-review car is 2.5L one. The special thing about this car is that it is the only locally assembled sedan in D-Segment.
Exterior
The front of the car is very aggressive mainly due to it shape of DRLs and headlights. The car has Tetra Projection front lights and main feature of the car is huge grille, made with chrome and piano black color. And then there is lower lip, also in piano black colour.
You will find Front Parking Sensors in the bumper.
Coming to side, the most noticeable thing is its two character lines going from front to rear. There is a piano black side skirt, which enhances the overall beauty of the car. Then comes beautiful diamond cut 18-inch Alloy Wheels. However, the quality of the tyres is not that good as expected and they cause a nagging sound. There were some reports about the paint quality, but we think it is not an issue although there is some room for improvement.
The Rear Horizontal LED Taillamps are the best feature on the back of the car. The Sonata comes with Integrated Spoiler with Reverse Camera which enhances the sporty look of the car. You can see combination of Piano Black colour and Chrome in the Diffuser, giving very chic feeling to the car. Then there are also Reverse Lights and Reflectors in the bumper.
You can see a Shark Finn Antenna on the roof with a very well placed High Mounted Brake Lamps. You can open the car’s trunk by pressing Hyundai logo and there is ample space in the trunk. And you can increase it by folding the rear seat. There is a spare tyre with its tool kit in the boot.
Interior of Hyundai Sonata
The entry-exit in the car is very convenient with ample head and leg room, mainly because it is a D-Segment sedan. Two people can sit comfortably on the rear seats because there is an armrest in the middle. You can fold the armrest to adjust a third person but it will not be comfortable for a long journey.
Other noticeable features in the rear of the car is Manual Window Curtains, Automatic Rear Curtain, LED Reading Lights, Rear AC Vents, Fast Charging Sockets and Child ISOFIX Seat Anchors. The Storage Space in the rear doors are quite tricky because you cannot place a regular sized bottle or mug.
The company has offered Smart and Keyless Entry options and if you hold the start button for few seconds, the car will start automatically. The Driver Seat is 8-Way Auto Adjustment with Lumbar Support, while the Passenger Seat is 6-Way Auto Adjust.
Sonata comes in two-tone interior colour i.e., Grey and Camel, which give the whole interior very comfortable and luxury look. The design of the Telescopic Steering Wheels is very beautiful as it is mixed with Chrome and Black colour. And there are well-placed Paddle Shifters, Turn Signals and Wiper Handles.
The controls on the steering include Cruise Control, Audio Buttons, and Voice Command. The location of Electronic Parking Brake, Push Start Button and Meter Lights is quite nonconventional.
The Speedometer or 12.3-inch Information Cluster is extremely stylish. There are four Driving Modes, i.e., Sport, Comfort, Eco and Smart. The meter gives all basic necessary information including Trip, Fuel Average, Mileage, Drive Time, Driving Mode, Distance to End, Instant Fuel Average and others.
Center Console
The dashboard is extremely chic with an 8-inch Floating Screen which goes excellently with the whole interior look. The Infotainment has both Android Auto and Apply CarPlay along with very good Bluetooth Connectivity and sound quality.
You can also use Dynamic Reverse Camera with guiding lines which makes reversing very easy. The car has Dual Zone Climate Control with digital display. The performance of the AC is optimal and we think its cooling is a bit low compared to other cars. Under the AC, you will find Wireless Mobile Phone Charger, then there are Cup Holders and Gear Transmission. The shape of the transmission gear is very different and you can use all functions with a push of a button. It is 6-Speed Triptronic as you can drive this car in both auto and manual style.
In the center console you will find Parking On/Off button, Auto Hold, Camera Button and Driving Mode Control. The armrest is leather padded which has significant space under it. You can find different buttons in the roof i.e., Panoramic Sunroof, Reading Light and Rear Curtain Control. But these buttons don’t have built-in lights making it difficult to use them in the night. Furthermore, the car has Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror and Rain Sensing Wiper.
Driving Experience
This specific one is 2.5L Sonata which produces 180hp and 230Nm of Torque. However, as per our experience the car’s power is optimal, not high not low. The car doesn’t have aggression but the driving is very smooth and comfortable. If you are want to drive it on speed, you can use its Sports Mode but it has a 4 In-Line engine which is not as powerful as V6 engine. As you increase the speed, the engine noise starts increasing which will disturb you during the drive.
The cabin soundproofing is excellent which increases your driving comfort. If you talk about its pick, it is neither underpower nor overpower. The suspension and handling of this car at high speed is excellent, however, its suspension produces another nagging sounds on potholes.
Safety in Hyundai Sonata
The car has multiple safety features which have not been offered in locally assembled sedans. The first one is Head up Display which shows car’s speed on the front screen. Furthermore, it has 6 Airbags, ABS + EBD, Hill Start, and Traction Control meaning the car is loaded with safety features.
Fuel Average
The intracity fuel average of the car is 10-11km/liter, while its long route average is praiseworthy as it gives 15-17km/liter.
0-100
The Hyundai Sonata goes to 100 from 0 in 9.64 seconds.
