Buying a family car isn't too different from buying a home in Singapore (save for the fact that it's a diminishing value proposition here in Singapore). In fact, the cost of such a proposition can be equivalent of a small home, depending on just what kind of car you're getting, of course.
Considerations like "Will the car be able to sit the entire family? (Can it room the entire family comfortably?) How will it look like when I drive it to work? (How will my house make me look?) How much does it cost to run? (How much will utilities cost me?) What kind of features does it have? (How big a television and Hi-Fi set can I have?) How big is the boot for carrying things? (How big a wardrobe can I have?)" come to mind naturally. There is, needless to say, the performance element to this as well as we consider the car's driving performance.
Cumulatively, these are a fair number of boxes to check off for a car, especially for a family sedan. But for the new seventh generation Hyundai Sonata (the VIII is a naming reference by local dealer Komoco Motors) that you see here, it has undergone a complete redesign and has been built specifically to check off every single one of them.
Considerations like "Will the car be able to sit the entire family? (Can it room the entire family comfortably?) How will it look like when I drive it to work? (How will my house make me look?) How much does it cost to run? (How much will utilities cost me?) What kind of features does it have? (How big a television and Hi-Fi set can I have?) How big is the boot for carrying things? (How big a wardrobe can I have?)" come to mind naturally. There is, needless to say, the performance element to this as well as we consider the car's driving performance.
Cumulatively, these are a fair number of boxes to check off for a car, especially for a family sedan. But for the new seventh generation Hyundai Sonata (the VIII is a naming reference by local dealer Komoco Motors) that you see here, it has undergone a complete redesign and has been built specifically to check off every single one of them.
Exterior
Taking cue from its bigger brother, the stately Hyundai Genesis, the new Sonata sports a distinctively new Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 fascia that gives it a very sophisticated and stylish appearance like the smartly dressed suit-wearing male K-Drama stars on primetime television.
With premium luxury being the name of the game, the new Sonata drives with a matured, confident stance that lets it stand out in the city. This is highlighted by a single-frame 3D hexagonal grille that's framed by a pair of well-shaped head lights with LED daytime running lights located just above the bumper. Arguably the car's most distinguishing element, this defines its improvement from the fifth generation 'taxis' that ply our roads.
Tacky styling name aside, the actual car has grown 35mm longer and 30mm wider to 4,855mm x 1,865mm x 1,475mm (L x W x H), for greater presence and comfort for passengers.
Interior
Stepping inside, the Sonata's cabin can be best described as clean and simple with the same experience as stepping into a minimalist-styled home interior that's been put together with items from IKEA.
The seats are soft and comfortable, while the interior finish is modern chic. A panoramic sunroof really freshens up the inside of the car while the black and textured accents complete the vibe.
The IKEA-ness of the entire experience comes from the finish of the materials. Intelligent design may have taken away the attention to the hard plastics in and around the dash, but only the most finicky will pick on that.
Stepping inside, the Sonata's cabin can be best described as clean and simple with the same experience as stepping into a minimalist-styled home interior that's been put together with items from IKEA.
The seats are soft and comfortable, while the interior finish is modern chic. A panoramic sunroof really freshens up the inside of the car while the black and textured accents complete the vibe.
The IKEA-ness of the entire experience comes from the finish of the materials. Intelligent design may have taken away the attention to the hard plastics in and around the dash, but only the most finicky will pick on that.
Quality-wise, the Sonata impresses most on the go as the use of advanced manufacturing techniques and advanced high-strength steels have made the car's structure a lot more balanced, lighter, stronger and more stable.
Summing it up in an experience, the car feels noticeably more comfortable the moment you sit in it and drive off.
Summing it up in an experience, the car feels noticeably more comfortable the moment you sit in it and drive off.
The Drive
On the go is where the car's 'premium-ness' really comes to the fore. Keen drivers expecting a ready-to-go perkiness from the Sonata's 2.0-litre MPi engine may want to give this section a miss for the car will appeal to drivers with more utilitarian tastes.
It's not to say that the car is a dull drive, it just gets to speed in a more languid fashion, and prefers to be eased into corners rather than thrown in hard. In the latter situations, the car will remain stable, but the tendency to understeer and shift its weight about freely can be unsettling, especially if there are passengers in the back.
Other than that, on par with many European makes of the same size, the Sonata is exceedingly easy to relax into. The atmosphere is restful with one of the quietest and cosiest cabins around. This is even comparable, if not better, than other cars at higher ends of the cost spectrum. Even at speed, the cabin remains an oasis of calm with occupants cocooned from the roar of the road.
On paper, the Sonata publishes a 12.5km/L fuel efficiency figure. However, that will really depend on just how patient you can be with the throttle, especially with 'Sport' mode just a touch away. As it didn't do much in exciting the engine, we opted to take things a little more chill and cruise around in 'Eco' which yielded, after 200km of city driving, about 10km/L in mileage.
On the go is where the car's 'premium-ness' really comes to the fore. Keen drivers expecting a ready-to-go perkiness from the Sonata's 2.0-litre MPi engine may want to give this section a miss for the car will appeal to drivers with more utilitarian tastes.
It's not to say that the car is a dull drive, it just gets to speed in a more languid fashion, and prefers to be eased into corners rather than thrown in hard. In the latter situations, the car will remain stable, but the tendency to understeer and shift its weight about freely can be unsettling, especially if there are passengers in the back.
Other than that, on par with many European makes of the same size, the Sonata is exceedingly easy to relax into. The atmosphere is restful with one of the quietest and cosiest cabins around. This is even comparable, if not better, than other cars at higher ends of the cost spectrum. Even at speed, the cabin remains an oasis of calm with occupants cocooned from the roar of the road.
On paper, the Sonata publishes a 12.5km/L fuel efficiency figure. However, that will really depend on just how patient you can be with the throttle, especially with 'Sport' mode just a touch away. As it didn't do much in exciting the engine, we opted to take things a little more chill and cruise around in 'Eco' which yielded, after 200km of city driving, about 10km/L in mileage.
Unhurried nature aside, the Sonata is a very competent drive that will let any driver get used to its size and width easily. Get that sorted and the car's a peach to handle round the city with its nice, light steering. And the moment you look beyond the car's performance figures and modest 12.4-second 0-100km/h acceleration, you'd be able to notice just how easy Hyundai has made the car to pilot.
On long drives, cruise control will come in useful. On shorter ones in and about the city, the reverse camera will make parking a breeze while the blind spot detection system comes in mighty helpful, especially when dealing with motorbikes coming in from both the left and right side of the car during peak hours. Additionally, the car's infotainment system, Bluetooth mobile phone pairing, and trip computers can be conveniently accessed via the steering mounted buttons.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that buyers looking for a good-looking, well-equipped, and easy-to-drive family car will be keenly interested in Hyundai's latest Korean star. But the reason why the Sonata will soon be a household name is in experiencing its premium comfort qualities from the inside. This is definitely one where you'd have to drive to believe. And you won't be disappointed.
On long drives, cruise control will come in useful. On shorter ones in and about the city, the reverse camera will make parking a breeze while the blind spot detection system comes in mighty helpful, especially when dealing with motorbikes coming in from both the left and right side of the car during peak hours. Additionally, the car's infotainment system, Bluetooth mobile phone pairing, and trip computers can be conveniently accessed via the steering mounted buttons.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that buyers looking for a good-looking, well-equipped, and easy-to-drive family car will be keenly interested in Hyundai's latest Korean star. But the reason why the Sonata will soon be a household name is in experiencing its premium comfort qualities from the inside. This is definitely one where you'd have to drive to believe. And you won't be disappointed.
