Today we’re back with an owner’s review of the Hyundai Sonata 2.5. Hyundai launched the Sonata in mid-2021 in 2 variants, a 2.0 liter and a 2.5 liter, which this particular car is. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine produces around 180hp and 232Nm of torque, and this engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The Sonata is a D-segment midsize sedan and competes with the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, but due to the significant price difference, the Sonata has been very well received in the market.
Purchase Decision
The owner wanted to buy a sedan specifically as he had SUVs but had always kept a sedan. He was previously driving the Camry and initially was looking for a higher model Camry to buy, and he almost bought one. When the Sonata came out, he was really impressed by the feel and drive, and it was Rs. 4 to 5 million cheaper than the Camry. He decided to buy the Sonata, and the total money he spent with taxes and registration was Rs. 7.6 million for the 2.5-liter variant.
Salient Features
The Sonata has many features, including front bi-projection LEDs in the front headlights and a continuous led tail light. The interior has leather treatment all around with a panoramic roof. It has a fully digital instrument cluster with an infotainment touch screen, steering controls, dual-zone climate control, electric seats, electronic parking brake, auto cruise control, etc. Safety features include 6 airbags, parking sensors, ABS brakes, traction control, Hill assist control, etc.
Suspension
The overall suspension is very soft and comfortable, and the car drives smoothly but when the owner compares it to the Camry, the shocks are not as soft and smooth on rough roads and potholes compared to the Camry. Otherwise, the suspension response is great within the city and on roads.
Fuel Average
Within the city, if the car is driven in normal traffic, it gives the owner around 9 to 10 km/l, and if driven at constant speeds, it can go up to 12 km/l as well. On highways, the fuel average is very impressive; if driven around 120 km/h, the Sonata’s average can go up to 14.5 to 15 km/l which is quite efficient for a car of this size.
AC Performance
The Ac performance is good overall; it comes with dual-zone climate control and also has vents for the rear passengers, so overall cooling and throw is satisfactory. However, as faced in other Kia and Hyundai cars, the AC blower makes a strange, very irritating noise.
Issues
Despite the Hyundai Sonata being a high-end sedan and relatively new, the owner has faced a list of issues in the car. When he bought the car, the company told him that the car does not need hi-octane and could run perfectly on standard fuel. The owner put in standard fuel, and after 14000 kms, all of a sudden, the warning lights popped up and the car couldn’t go over 10 km/h.
On taking it to the dealership, he got to know that the Throttle body was damaged because of bad quality fuel. The second issue he faced after some time was that the car started catching rust on the underside of the doors. The owner drives the car in Lahore, and there are no signs of rust there, but the Sonata’s doors got rusted, and the company had no valid reasoning for it.
Another issue that is pretty common in Sonatas is the Pirelli tyres which swelled up after some time. The company stated that it occurred as it is a low profile tyre and sensitive to potholes, but many cars come with low profile tyres and don’t face this issue.
Maintenance
Following the bad experience with the dealership, the owner does not maintain the car through Hyundai, rather buys parts from the company and gets it changed from a workshop.
As per the owner, other than oil change, there is no other maintenance. Parts prices are a bit high; filters cost around Rs. 7 to 8,000, and the oil costs around 5,000 which makes the routine maintenance cost around Rs. 12,000 rupees every 7,000 kilometers.
