LOOKING again via eight generations of Hyundai Sonata is like watching a clumsy child slowly come of age.
You knew, deep down, there was potential lurking there however till one thing clicked, maturity was by no means going to occur.
That lightbulb second for Sonata was to easily cease being boring. In earlier years, even when Hyundai obtained the outside proper, the inside wasn’t on the identical web page.
Within the case of the earlier seventh-gen mannequin, the (domestically tuned) experience and dealing with was spoiled by a rental-car atmosphere and one of many worst facelifts (in mid-2017) ever foisted on a automobile.
So it have to be an enormous reduction for each market the Sonata competes in that this eighth-generation mannequin lastly has some sass, and for Australia, that character shines even brighter as a result of we’re solely getting the range-topping N-Line.
That includes an all-new 2.5-litre direct-injected and turbocharged ‘Smartstream-G’ four-cylinder tied to Hyundai’s stylish eight-speed ‘moist’ dual-clutch transmission (DCT) from the up to date i30 N, our 213kW/422Nm Sonata powerhouse shirtfronts the notion that Hyundai’s medium sedan is a snoozer.
It includes a international sports activities suspension set-up with fixed-rate monotube dampers, which when introduced right here for analysis, handed with flying colors.
Based on Hyundai Motor Firm Australia (HMCA) normal supervisor product planningAndrew Tuitahi, the native arm is “extremely proud of the tune … out of the field it was unbelievable.”
Although Australia’s sedan market share has fallen from 23 per cent in 2011 to simply seven per cent in 2020, Hyundai believes the Sonata N-Line will enchantment to all demographics since greater than half of that modest proportion are personal patrons.
Certainly, after revealing the brand new Sonata N-Line early to sellers, HMCA was compelled to stage a delayed launch after admitting it under-called the quantity required to fulfill curiosity within the automobile.
Whereas the DN8 Sonata era debuted globally in March/April 2019, the N-Line variation solely appeared final September and garnishes its newfound efficiency with a novel physique remedy (N-Line entrance bumper, aspect skirts, black mirror caps and roof, and diffuser-style N-Line rear bumper with 4 exhaust shops), 19-inch alloys with 245/40R19 Continental Premium Contact 6 tyres, and hanging lighting signatures.
On the entrance, the chrome line that extends from the decrease aspect window define to the LED headlights seamlessly turns into the LED daytime operating lights two-thirds of the best way down the bonnet.
And on the rear, a crimson LED band curls from the outer fringe of the bootlid into the C-shaped tail-lights after which horizontally throughout the boot fascia.
Supporting this on-trend lighting know-how is an intensive record of ordinary tools, with the one possibility being which color to decide on – White Cream mica, or for $595 additional, Hampton Gray metallic, Flame Crimson metallic or Phantom Black mica.
Inside, Sonata N-Line options perforated suede and Nappa leather-based upholstery with three-setting entrance seat heating and cooling, in addition to a heated steering wheel, heated outboard rear positions, dual-zone local weather management and rear air vents.
The driving force will get 12-way electrical seat adjustment with two-position reminiscence (however solely four-way electrical for the entrance passenger), a head-up show (HUD), 12.3-inch ‘Supervision’ LCD instrument cluster with built-in blind-spot-view monitor, shift-by-wire push-button transmission selector, paddle shifters, 4 drive modes (Regular, Sport, Sport+ and Customized), launch management and personalised driver profiles (combining seat, mirror, HUD, air flow and even radio settings into one).
Different tools highlights embrace keyless entry/begin, auto-fold mirrors, hands-free boot opening, a dual-pane panoramic glass sunroof with electrical blind, rear door sunshades, electrical rear window shade, wi-fi cellphone charging, 10.25-inch touchscreen with DAB+ and (wired) Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, embedded sat-nav and a 12-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system.
The Sonata’s security suite in the meantime consists of adaptive cruise with cease/go, lively blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance help, driver consideration warning, lane-keep help, safe-exit help, ahead collision-avoidance and junction-turning help, a surround-view monitor and parking sensors at each ends.
Compared to the somewhat odd proportion of the outgoing Sonata, approaching the all-new eighth-gen mannequin for the primary time seems like strolling as much as a cultured coupe-sedan.
Not solely is the brand new Sonata way more interesting to have a look at, it has a way more athletic stance on the street – specifically our solitary N-Line mannequin carrying 19-inch wheels –and the driving expertise goes a great distance in direction of justifying that first impression.
Using on a improvement of the N3 platform shared with Santa Fe and new Tucson, our Sonata N-Line with a sports activities suspension tune constructed round fixed-rate monotube dampers is hardly rental-car fodder.
It’s all about being a responsive, fast-paced grand tourer that additionally occurs to get pleasure from tackling tighter corners.
At these disciplines, the Sonata N-Line is impressively robust. It has nice stability at greater speeds – resting confidently on its outside-rear Continental whereas resisting physique roll and pointing with eager precision.
It feels stronger and extra stable than an i30 Sedan N-Line, and shows surprising fluency in its dynamic behaviour whereas its steering, which might really feel fairly meaty round city, finds a candy spot as velocity will increase.
About the one space the place it struggles is low-speed experience. There’s nothing too jarring about it, however it clearly favours tight dealing with and taut physique management over city suppleness.
The opposite is traction out of tight corners. Channelling 213kW and a chubby 422Nm (from 1650-4000rpm) via an eight-speed transmission to the entrance wheels is not any straightforward feat, and requires old-school restraint to stop the within tyre from going berserk if you’re pushing exhausting.
Admittedly that’s with traction-control off (however ESC nonetheless engaged) to cease the boosted Sonata from bogging down, although there’s certainly one thing to be mentioned for gifting this gregarious sedan the differential smarts it deserves.
On a straight street, it’s no downside – really feel that 6.2-second-to-100km/h thrust and relish the pace of its dual-clutch upshifts – however on a extremely twisty one, it takes endurance and ability to extract the perfect from the Sonata’s entrance boots.
The engine itself is a easy, robust, seamless delight … offering you will have the switchable ‘Lively Sound Design’ muted.
Its synthetic whirring is an disagreeable waste of worthwhile R&D expense, but the irony is its very existence detracts from the expense of the automobile.
Maybe the push-button ‘drive-by-wire’ transmission selector falls into the identical class, although the eight-speed DCT does a largely polished job of constructing the Sonata N-Line really feel performance-car-like whereas its spectacular driving place, seat assist and trim high quality all level to a sizeable chunk of value-for-money in its $51K sticker.
But its cabin isn’t to the identical commonplace of cohesion as different latest Hyundais. As an train in fascinating design with acceptable four-person room and a comparable 510-litre boot, it’s terrific, however as a knockabout household sedan there are some unfastened ends.
The door pockets are undersized, with tiny bottle holders, the centre-rear seat affords marginal headroom (and luxury) for anybody close to 175cm, and the angled climate-control display screen within the centre stack is usually tough to learn and appears low-cost in comparison with the stylish HVAC in a Mazda6.
A head-up show in want of a spirit degree (it’s oddly tilted) can be undeserving in a automobile of this calibre.
No less than its latest-generation touchscreen/multimedia appears to be like and works superbly – specifically the very hipster ‘valve radio’ graphic – and a dozen Bose audio system positioned thoughtfully all through the Sonata’s cabin do a splendid job of making immersive music.
In the long run, whereas the Sonata N-Line isn’t as constant because it could possibly be, neither is it a real all-rounder, it has a flavour that’s been sorely missing in each medium-size Hyundai because the daybreak of time (which in Sonata’s case was 1985).
It received’t be a high-volume mannequin, however as a hanging flagship for an more and more achieved line-up, it affords an fascinating and involving antidote for boredom.
With previous-model inventory exhausted throughout its final full 12 months on sale, Hyundai bought simply 71 Sonatas in Australia in 2020, in comparison with 836 items the earlier 12 months and 1024 items in 2018.
The very best gross sales the Sonata nameplate has managed right here since changing the i45 (discontinued in 2014) is 1676 items in 2016.