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Hyundai Sonata sedan scores for safety, pricing and warranty
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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PETIT-SAGUENAY, Quebec -- A quick run eastward from Quebec City to St. Simeon along the St. Lawrence River in Canada's French-flavored province of Quebec shows off the high-speed stability and interior isolation achieved in a remake of Sonata, mid-size flagship sedan from the prolific Korean automaker, Hyundai.
Then turn north on a twisty 2-lane route following the Saguenay River across fir-covered mountains to La Baie, and the Sonata prototype -- equipped with a new V6 engine and sophisticated suspension components -- plays with nuances of the road, hugging tightly over bumps and dips and dancing through curves in a manner which inspires driver confidence.
At a roadside rest stop near Boilleau, a product planning manager out of Hyundai's California Design Center pointed out fine points of bold styling devices incorporated into the shapely profile of Sonata.
"Note the new belt line in body-color molding and those strong horizontal character lines etched into front and rear fenders," Jim Park said. "We sought a bold look with unusually smooth overall forms contrasted against definitive creases and crisp edges."
Sonata measures wider by two inches over the former version, and the broad but thin egg-crate grille in a smoothly tapered prow accents the spread.
With a high wrap of dark windows and a low ring of curves carved into doors, the car seems to hunker down against the ground, setting up a slinky stance which looks elegant and dressy but also active and even aggressive -- and clearly different from the typical sedan coming from other Asian automakers.
Sonata also puts more headroom in a spacious cabin dressed with a high content of favored features for comfort and luxury, along with industry-leading safety systems including front and side air bags plus a device which automatically turns off passenger-side air bags whenever a child or infant's seat is placed in the right front bucket.
This interpretation feels far more substantial than the previous Sonata, and Hyundai backs it with a warranty which goes well beyond protection for other vehicles -- powertrain insured for 100,000 miles and a 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper shield against any defect plus five years of roadside assistance with emergency towing service.
Then check price points: Sonata in base edition with 4-cylinder engine lists for figures ranging from $15,000 to $16,000, depending on equipment added, while the deluxe GLS with V6 power runs from $17,000 to $19,000.
Measured against other models of similar size with comparable equipment aboard, Sonata undercuts competitors by substantial margins but particularly when outfitted with the V6 engine.
With its unusual styling, a high level of standard features, extensive safety equipment, the strongest warranty in the business and prices pegged below other mid-size sedans, Sonata makes a persuasive statement in its favor which should put it on any sedan shopper's list.
Why would Hyundai adopt these extreme positions to market Sonata?
The kernel of Hyundai's concept is simple: Create a new family sedan that measures well against Japanese competitors in terms of performance and functionality, then cut the bottom line below them and boost consumer confidence by guaranteeing that the car will be safe and reliable.
Hyundai gets serious with Sonata.
It invested more than a billion dollars to develop a new high-tech manufacturing facility in Korea to construct the car, designed a new V6 engine to power it and devised innovative safety systems for it, such as the smart air bags which deploy only for an adult passenger.
A unibody structure forms the first line of defense.
The steel framework, designed through supercomputer analysis and modeling, surrounds Sonata's passenger compartment, with high-tension reinforcements layered at critical junctures to increase rigidity of the system. This rigid core functions as an important safety element because it not only incorporates defensive skeletal barriers with built-in crumple zones to cushion and deflect potential impacts but also anchors suspension and steering mechanisms that foster agility and in the hands of an alert driver can actually move Sonata away from danger.
What's unusual about Sonata's suspension design comes from the use of a flexible steel sub-frame in front upon which components for suspension and steering hardware have been attached. Such a design, rarely found in price-conscious products, blocks noises when traveling over bumps and rough road irregularities, then evens the ride quality by absorbing energy.
Suspension particulars include a double wishbone arrangement in front with coil springs, gas-charged shocks and stabilizer bar, and in the rear a multi-link system with stabilizer bar.
Most noteworthy effect of the suspension shows up when you stomp on accelerator or brake pedal because Sonata checks the typical sedan's annoying habits of squat and dive with hard braking or rapid take-off.
The speed-sensitive rack and pinion steering system also contributes to Sonata's improved handling. Mounting the steering gear box directly on the front suspension's sub-frame dampens tendencies to shimmy and shake, and ultimately produces a better feel of the road for driver.
Power-assisted brakes use big ventilated discs in front, with rear drums on base Sonata and solid back discs added to the GLS upgrade. Anti-lock controls in a 4-channel design rank as an important safety option on GLS, as does traction control.
The base Sonata contains a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder Hyundai engine equipped with twin-cam aluminum heads and dual balanced shafts. Output reaches to 149 horsepower.
Sonata GLS goes further by adding the new 2.5-liter aluminum V6. With pentroof combustion chamber and dual overhead cams, it pumps 170 hp in a smooth and efficient package that's also surprisingly quiet.
A malleable 5-speed stick works as standard for both plants, with an electronic 4-speed automatic optional.
The passenger compartment seats five due to the twin front bucket seats and a 3-person bench in back that splits and folds. It provides ample leg, head and shoulder room, even for full-framed American figures.
Standard gear includes air conditioning, analog instruments with tachometer, stereo sound with cassette, and power controls for windows, door locks and mirrors.
1999 HYUNDAI SONATA SEDAN
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size 4-door sedan |
| Model Options: |
Mid-size 4-door sedan |
| Wheelbase: |
106.3 inches |
| Overall Length: |
185.4 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.4-L I4
DOHC 2.5-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum
V6: ABS opt. |
| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side) |
| Gas Mileage: |
I4: 21/30 mpg
V6: 20/29 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 15,000 to $ 19,000 |
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