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HYUNDAI’S PERFECT PITCH?
Big Hyundais Haven’t Generally Found Favour With British Customers. Will The Latest Sonata Model Break That Trend? Andy Enright Reports

Congratulations. You’re one in a million. Well, perhaps a slight exaggeration, but if you’ve managed to read even this much of a review of the latest Hyundai Sonata, you’re not one of the mainstream. After all, ask most people what a Hyundai Sonata looked like and they’d be struggling to picture the car. For the uninitiated, it’s the South Korean company’s stab at a Saab 9-5 sized car at sub-Mondeo pricing. We’re looking here at the fifth generation Sonata, now offered with a wider range of engines, although we’ll excuse you if the previous four iterations are a blur.

One common thread runs through each of these models. As each subsequent car is introduced, the sniggering at Hyundai’s ambition becomes that little bit more forced and the recognition that South Korea will soon be challenging Japan for domination of the Asian markets becomes ever more plausible. While we can still damn the Sonata with faint praise over here, due in no small part to its frankly dismal sales performance, the same isn’t the case around the world. In its domestic market, the big Hyundai is a common sight and it’s also one of the big sellers in the US. Taken in that context, the UK market represents very small beer indeed to Hyundai. They predict nearly a quarter of a million Sonatas will find homes worldwide in 2005 although it’s doubtful we’ll account for more than a couple of percentage points. Still, it’s well worth checking the metal on offer, priced from £17,022. A key attribute shared by all Sonatas is that you do get a lot of car for your money. Quantity is very little without quality, however, and with many of the so-called ‘premium’ marques stretching downmarket in an attempt to boost their volumes, it’s sectors like the Sonata’s that feel the pinch hardest. After all, unless you really needed all that space, an entry-level BMW 1 Series or Mercedes A-Class is, to many households, a more attractive proposition than several acres of Korean real estate parked outside. If you prefer a big car look and feel, plenty of equipment and the refreshing feeling of resisting the pull of badge snobbery, the Sonata would seem to make a good case for itself.

"The Sonata makes a good deal more financial sense than you may have given it credit for"

The styling is clean and uncluttered and certainly a good deal less ostentatious than the Sonatas of the past. The design language of many Korean companies appears to be maturing of late, and the old adage that too much chrome and fake wood was merely a good start appears to have thankfully been retired. If all the badges were removed, it would be tough to say what sort of car the latest Sonata was. From the rear three quarter, the clean lines and lack of excess frivolity in the styling suggest a bigger brother to the Mazda6, while the front is more reminiscent of a heavier duty Honda Accord. The cleanliness of the glasshouse and wheel arches makes the flanks look vaguely Audi-esque. Okay, so it could be accused of being somewhat derivative, but if you’re going to remind customers of any cars, those chosen are good targets to pick. Although the styling looks pleasantly compact, the tale of the tape shows that the fifth generation Sonata is fully 55mm longer than iteration four. The wheelbase has been stretched out by 30mm with the net effect that rear legroom goes up by the same amount. Front seat occupants get another 10mm of fresh air around the knees. Combine wider front and rear tracks with a lower ride height and you end up with a car that possesses a far more purposeful stance on the road than the old model. The sit up and beg look doesn’t play too well these days. The UK engine line up is built around three engines, a 2.0 litre 4-cylinder petrol, a 2.0 litre turbocharged diesel and 3.3 litre V6 petrol. Prices start at £17,022 on the road for the 2.0 litre petrol model. The fuel-sipping 2.0 diesel, capable of 56.5 mpg, is available from £18,012, while the range-topping 3.3 litre V6, which boasts 232bhp, costs £20,097 on the road. All models get Hyundai’s five year unlimited mileage warranty, plus an integrated audio system, Smartnav satellite navigation, leather trim, ESP stability control and climate control. Much will hinge on how well the latest Sonata can resist the dreaded depreciation. Hyundai will doubtless counter by claiming that the Sonata tends to be purchased by mature customers who keep the car for a long spell, therefore offsetting the steepest section of the depreciation curve, but in order to gain valuable conquest sales, the Sonata really needs to be eating into other markets and that means the corporate sector. Gimlet-eyed fleet managers won’t want a car that loses money hand over fist. Although many would finger the Sonata as a depreciation disaster, the previous generation one actually fared a lot better than many realised. After three years, your old Sonata V6 would retain around 36% of its value compared to 31% for a Vauxhall Vectra V6 GSi. Even a Volkswagen Passat fared only slightly better and given that you would have paid far less upfront for the Hyundai, it would have worked out a far better buy on a pence per mile basis. Expect an even better showing from the latest car. If Hyundai stick to their policy of levering a ton of standard equipment into the car and can continue to add user-chooser appeal, they could have a limited success story on their hands. What do you think? Maybe you’re more than one in a million.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Hyundai Sonata range PRICES: £17,022-£20,097 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 10A-15D CO2 EMISSIONS: n/a PERFORMANCE: [3.3] Max Speed 143mph / 0-60mph 7.8s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 CRDi] (extra urban) 56.6mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver, passenger, side & roof airbags / ABS with EBD / 3 3-point rear seat belts. WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4777/1830/1405