2015 Hyundai Sonata: Refined aesthetics, quiet efficiency

The 2015 Sonata’s styling is less spectacularly fluidic and more refined.

When will Hyundai stop surprising us?

In 2009 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Hyundai Motor startled the world by unveiling the sixth generation Sonata with a spectacular Fluidic Sculpture styling that set it far apart from its more prosaic competitors.

In 2010, Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (Hari), the exclusive Philippine importer and distributor of South Korea’s biggest automaker, launched the new Sonata here to vie with the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

The sixth iteration of the Sonata not only looked dramatically different, it was also the first midsize executive sedan powered by a range of four-cylinder engines.

For fuel efficiency and environmental reasons, Hyunda eliminated the preceding Sonata’s six-cylinder powerplant in favor of a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter DOHC engine, a turbo four, and a gas-electric hybrid.

The upgraded 2.4-liter Theta II engine

Over here, HARI offered the 2.4-liter variant only.

PIZAZZ. But surprisingly enough in the years that followed, the daringly designed Sonata did not sell as well as expected. Perhaps it was because the Philippine midsize sedan market was not ready for the extreme pizazz of Fluidic Sculpture and preferred the conservatively styled offerings of well-established brands.

Now Hyundai has sprung another surprise by rolling out a totally different seventh generation Sonata, toning down the swooping silhouette and outré exuberance with calmer and more refined aesthetics.

The 2015 Sonata debuted at the New York Auto Show last year and was launched by Hari at its Christmas party for the media at the Mall of Asia last month.

At the back, a smart hands-free trunk opening system and rear combination lamps

Hyundai calls the 2015 Sonata’s fresh new conservative look Fluidic Sculpture 2.0, which is part of the Modern Premium mantra that should appeal to a broader demographic—or in other words, sell more briskly than the flamboyant outgoing model.

Hyundai retained the preceding model’s basic proportions and sweeping roofline, then used advanced high-strength steel to increase torsional and bending stiffness, reduce NVH (noise, vibration, harshness), and improve ride quality. Yet the advanced high-strength steel is lighter in weight, making the Sonata one of the lighter cars in its class.

SOLID. You can sense the sturdiness of the high-strength steel when you open and close the doors, which shut with a solid, Teutonic-like thud. It helps the Sonata to damp bumps and be more settled at any speed. If you don’t know it yet, Hyundai Motor’s supply chain spans raw material steel to end-product cars via Hyundai Steel and its affiliate, Hyundai Hysco.

More legroom and hip room in the rear since the 2015 Sonata is now longer and wider.

Since the cabin is larger because the new Sonata is longer, wider and taller, passengers are accommodated more comfortably, especially those on the back seat who get a bit more knee room and hip room.

Rear ingress/egress for taller (6 feet and above) passengers is slightly inconvenienced by the sloping roofline, however.

To enhance handling and stability as well as riding comfort, the wheelbase was stretched, and the front (MacPherson strut) and rear (dual multilink) suspension systems were revised.

The flat underbody and carefully crafted panels have improved coefficient of drag from the previous model’s 0.28 to just 0.27.

CUES. The fit and finish inside and outside match the materials in quality and refinement. Following the design cues of the Genesis, Hyundai’s larger premium sedan, the cascading center stack of the previous Sonata has been replaced with a wide, flat center panel that adds to the impression of spaciousness.

(Incidentally, the Sonata and the Genesis won the 2014 Good Design Awards from the United States and Europe’s oldest and most prestigious architecture and design awards program that is organized globally every year.)

For 2015, the Sonata has toned down its exuberant looks for a neater, more mature composition. PHOTOS BY AIDA SEVILLA-MENDOZA

A 4.3-inch LCD touchscreen doubles as a rear parking camera display. The manual tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel is multifunctional with audio, cruise control remote, and hands-free Bluetooth. Numerous storage bins and cupholders add to the cabin’s convenience factor.

Although the doors’ center trim and the center console are covered with artificial leather, the steering wheel wrap and seats are of genuine black leather. The well-bolstered front seats are not only fully reclining and power adjustable with memory, they also have a cool ventilation system.

The 60:40 split-folding back seat has a center armrest. The rear door windows have manual side curtains while a rear power sunshade folds downward automatically when you shift into Reverse, then goes up again when you change gear.

SMART SYSTEM. Luggage capacity is generous at 16.3 cubic feet and expands when the rear seat is folded down. The trunk opens automatically when anyone with the key stands behind the car for more than three seconds.

The smart system also applies to the pushbutton engine start/stop, panoramic sunroof, and hands-free Bluetooth connectivity.

The six-speed, front wheel drive automatic transmission has been reworked for quicker, more muted gear shifts.

An integrated driving mode system allows you to choose Eco, Normal or Sport to suit your mood or road and weather conditions. Each driving mode adjusts the throttle delivery, transmission shift points and power steering assist.

Upon engine ignition, the default mode is Normal which offers little difference from Sport while Eco is simply tepid.

The Theta II 2.4-liter, 16-valve twin cam four-cylinder engine with Dual Continuous Variable Valve Timing (D-CVVT), Mechanical Valve Lash Adjuster (MVLA) and Variable Intake System (VIS) is basically the same as before, producing 176 bhp at 6000 rpm and 228.57 Nm at 4000 rpm max torque. But the engine has been massaged to be more responsive in lower rpm situations.

DAMPERS. This time, the steering assist is motor-driven power steering (MDPS), and the chassis is fitted with Amplitude Selective Dampers (ASDs) that adjust mechanically according to changing road conditions for a smoother, more compliant ride.

The ASDs contribute a lot to making the new Sonata an incredibly quiet car with hushed damping and a well-controlled ride quality. Wind and road noise are so minimized that the only sound that can intrude is the chirping of the Blind Spot Detection alarm when you change lanes abruptly.

The Sonata may not be as sporty to drive as the Mazda6, but it more than compensates with its solid build quality, smooth, quiet ride, fuel efficiency, roomy, classy interior, spacious trunk, tech and convenience kit—plus safety features like six airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, Static Bending Lights, antilock braking system, rear parking camera, front and rear parking sensors, Blind Spot Detection, High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps, disc brakes on all four 18-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, puddle lamps, and Electric Parking Brake with Auto Hold.

Bottom line, the 2015 Sonata has moved up to a more refined, upscale level, prioritizing quiet efficiency over sporty performance, and evolving into an impressive Modern Premium sedan well worth its P1.898-million retail price.