The new Sonata is very nice but, I actually like the styling of the new Kia Optima (the Sonata's badge engineering cousin) better. The interior, especially the dashboard, of the new Kia Optima looks great. Even the steering wheel looks good (not sure how it actually feels).
Maybe when you guys get a chance to test drive the new Kia …
274 hp? Pretty stout number there! I'm surprised.
Hyundai continues to impress me.
That's what they're claiming:
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/sonata/performance.aspx
Yep, it's stout.
By the way, I passed a blue Genesis Coupe while driving to work yesterday. It's a striking automobile--nice lines, especially in that color.
One of the first Hyundai nameplates to come to North America was the Sonata. It was a decent, smallish sedan with a body designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. His other designs include the BMW M1, Lotus Esprit and Maserati Bora. His Wikipedia page is worth a look, and we're sure that his mom is proud.
Anyway, the Sonata has grown up, with the sixth generation making its debut for the 2011 model year. Styling was obviously an important part of the development work, although the drivetrain wasn't neglected: Our test car had the turbocharged, direct-injected, 2.0-liter powerplant. It was backed by a six-speed automatic transmission.
Two other things on the window sticker that caught our eye: 39 percent of this car came from the U.S. (final assembly is done in Montgomery, Alabama) and a full tank of gas is included.
Our Limited-spec had one big option: $2100 for the Limited Navigation Package. That included a touchscreen display, rear back-up camera and Infinity audio system. The car also had floor mats ($100) and an iPod cable ($35).
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