Sixth Gear Herald

2007 Hyundai Sonata

By Daniel Souza

It’s an Asian-descent midsize sedan that comfortably seats five adults, it sports a big letter ‘H’ on its front and tail ends and its manufacturer has placed third out of 37 automakers—beating Toyota, Honda and Nissan on a recent quality study published in the USA Today by J.D. Power and associates.

With features like standard XM^® satellite radio for the first three months, five star crash safety rating, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard equipment, and MSRP reductions from $500 – $800 on its GLS 4-cylinder models, the American made 2007 Hyundai Sonata is depriving Camrys and Accords from proper sleep.

According to Hyundai, the Sonata’s leap in customer preference hasn’t happened by accident. Drawing new customers to the brand is entirely by design, as Hyundai began the new Sonata program by surveying American consumers at clinics about their likes and dislikes, wants, needs and preferences for midsize sedans.

This consumer-focus has succeeded in propelling Sonata to a 61 percent sales increase in 2006. It now ranks as the eight best-selling car in the country, and is cross-shopped most frequently against the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord – the two best-selling cars in the U.S.

The ’07 Hyundai Sonata has earned the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) top five-star crash test rating for front and side impacts. This accomplishment was made possible by Sonata’s standard-setting active and passive safety technology.

Every Sonata has ESC with Traction Control as standard equipment, along with four-wheel disc brakes and an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) that includes Brake Assist, which provides maximum braking force when a panic stop is detected and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) to optimize brake performance even with differing vehicle loading.

This is important because the NHTSA has reported that ESC results in 35 percent fewer single-vehicle crashes and 30 percent fewer single-vehicle fatalities in passenger cars.

The Sonata can house two different powerplant options: 2.4-liter DOHC inline-four cylinder rated at 162 horsepower and 164 lb.-ft. of torque on its GLS models or a standard 3.3-liter V6 that produces 234 horsepower and 226 lb-ft. of torque in the Sonata SE and Limited models.

The 2.4 inline-four cylinder meets ULEV emissions standards and returns a comfortable 24 mpg city/34 mpg highway with the Sonata’s standard five-speed manual transmission, and 24 mpg city/33 mpg highway with the optional four-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC^®. Unfortunately the Sonata’s four lacks the sometimes necessary oomph for, let’s say, a freeway onramp confidence moment.

On the other hand, the pace is picked up by the more muscular V6, which boasts a Variable Intake System (VIS) to further broaden its power curve, improving off-the-line acceleration and passing performance. The Sonata SE and Limited offer 15 lb.-ft. more torque than the Accord V6. Mileage estimates are 20 mpg city/30 mpg highway. For 2007, the 3.3L engine is enhanced to achieve higher mileage emissions durability through the introduction of a high-technology catalytic converter wash-coat.

With an MSRP of $17,345, the 2007 Sonata GLS is priced $550 less than 2006 Sonata GL base model. The GLS also has a sizable price advantage compared to its four-cylinder competition, undercutting the lesser-equipped base 2006 Honda Accord and 2007 Toyota Camry by $1,030 and $1,075 respectively. Accord four-cylinder models are not available with ESC, which is standard on all Sonata models, while Toyota offers ESC as a $650 option on the 2007 Camry.

The 2007 Hyundai Sonata is protected by the Hyundai Advantage Warranty™. Coverage includes five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper protection, 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, and seven-year/unlimited mileage anti-perforation coverage. In addition, Sonata buyers receive 24-hour roadside assistance coverage at no extra charge for five years (no mileage limit) and that service includes emergency towing, lockout service and limited coverage for trip-interruption expenses. According to Hyundai, there is no deductible on any of these coverages.