2020 Hyundai SonataBrian Harper / Driving NEW ORLEANS It might seem that the entire buying public has abandoned the automobile in favour of crossovers and SUVs, but of course, that is not the case despite GM and Ford all but giving up on products that used to be their bread and butter. Sure, all-wheel-drive rigs have certainly taken the wind out of the car market, but there is still a solid following for the sedan, the coupe, and the hatchback.That Hyundai hasnt lost interest in chasing its share of the automobile segment is very much evident in the new, eighth-generation Sonata, its nearly full-sized (4,900 millimetres long) family sedan. The 2020 Sonata has shucked the latent styling conservatism of its predecessors, showcasing Hyundais sensuous sportiness design philosophy with a look that is sleek and indeed sensuous. Longer, lower, wider ironically a page from Detroits 1960s design philosophy the four-door is clearly set to challenge the market domination of the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Nissan Altima.As one of Hyundais first and most successful nameplates, the companys design team wanted the Sonata to be special and memorable in all attributes, particularly styling, active safety and leading technology. Styling sees inspiration from the stunning Le Fil Rouge four-door-coupe concept shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the new Sonata profiling a similar coupe look, one that has worked so well for German automakers.The exterior exhibits what Hyundai calls performance-led proportions. That said, the Sonata which is just arriving at dealerships now is very much a family sedan, its powertrains competitive with those of its main rivals, albeit not class-leading. During the 2020 calendar year, though, Hyundai will bolster the model lineup with both a hybrid version, as well as a performance-oriented N Line model with 290 horsepower. For now, two engines are offered. The base Preferred 2.5L is powered by a normally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder that turns out 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The other three models Sport, Luxury and Ultimate get turbo power in the form of the Smartstream 1.6 turbocharged and direct-injected inline-four. This new four-cylinder trades horsepower for low-end grunt (and better fuel economy) 180 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 195 lb.-ft. of torque starting at 1,500 rpm. In both cases, the engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, one that uses shift-by-wire technology to eliminate the need for a physical gear lever. Furthermore, four different drive modes Smart, Normal, Sport and Custom make slight alterations to steering effort and engine/transmission mapping.Our 500-kilometre route first in a topline Ultimate model and then a Sport started at Hyundais manufacturing facility in Montgomery, Alabama, headed south through Mississippi to the Gulf Coast before making a hard right and following the coastline into New Orleans. The drive was mostly interstate highway, reinforcing the companys desire that the Sonata be treated as a family sedan. The speed limit on a good portion of the journey was 70 miles per hour, or 112 km/h, with much of the American pre-Thanksgiving traffic moving along at 10 to 20 km/h over the limit. Not only was the 1.6L turbo-four more than capable of keeping with the flow and easily accelerating up to speed when merging, it proved remarkably fuel-efficient. Just before running into rush-hour traffic on the outskirts of the Big Easy, the indicted fuel economy readout was registering a parsimonious 5.8 L/100 kilometres, the final reading pulling up the hotel still a thrifty 6.1.Hyundai notes the Sonatas smoothly efficient shape results in a coefficient of drag of just 0.27, with a flat under-floor covering and a range of body enhancements, such as small fins across each taillight that help improve fuel efficiency. The cabin was sufficiently quiet for the most part, with minor wind noise sneaking in at higher speeds. Hyundai engineers designed the Sonatas suspension to provide a quiet, solid ride at highway speeds, concentrating of chassis rigidity and improving response. The sporty-ish driving dynamics make the 2020 model more nimble than the outgoing car.The Sonatas interior, notably the Ultimate, has a rich ambience that matches the sedans exterior design. Sliding behind the wheel, the slim, full-width dashboard is dominated by a customizable 12.3 inch digital instrument cluster, and above the centre stack, a large, 10.25-inch high-definition touchscreen provides easy interaction with the infotainment system. This screen can also split to allow audio and navigation to be displayed simultaneously. All Sonata models, except the Preferred, include five years of complementary BlueLink services. Audiophiles will appreciate the 12-speaker Bose Premium sound system. Audio and EQ adjustments are made automatically, depending on the cars speed, while Boses Centrepoint surround technology and
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Hyundai Sonata