The 2017 Hyundai Sonata has established itself as a popular premium midsize sedan, thanks to its stylish design, solid fuel economy and wide variety of convenience features.
The design, which Hyundai adopted a few years ago in a major overhaul of the Sonata, has been called fluidic and evokes the styling of luxury models. The Sonata, also available as a hybrid, has six trim levels available: SE, Eco, Sport, Sport 2.0T, Limited and Limited 2.0T. Sport models and above get a more highly stylized front end as an added design touch.
The Sonata has a base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 185 horsepower and is linked to a six-speed automatic transmission. That engine gets 25 mpg city, 36 highway. Another engine choice is the 1.6-liter twin-turbocharged four-cylinder, which makes 178 horsepower and is linked to a seven-speed automatic. It is found in the Eco trim level and gets 28 and 36. The engine choice for the Sport 2.0T and Limited 2.0T is a 2.0-liter twin-turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 245 ponies with fuel economy of 22 and 31.
For safety, the Sonata comes standard with a backup camera and a tire pressure monitoring system. Optional safety features include lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and a blind spot monitoring system.
The Sonata's interior is quite comfortable, despite not being cavernous. Seating in both the front and rear comes with adequate head and leg room. Cloth seats are standard, but leather is available, as are power heated front seats.
Another standard feature is Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, which lets you stay connected and gives you a number of convenience tools through your smart phone.
The Sonata starts at around $22,000 and ranges to around $36,000.
For a stylish yet practical midsize sedan, the Sonata fits the build quite nicely.
