It's been a couple of years
since the mid-size Hyundai Sonata went through such an extreme transformation
that it could have been marked by a name change. The smooth, rakish, daring
design makeover that the Sonata received for 2011 (in sharp contrast to the
staid wallflower it had been before) still turns heads—and if imitation is the
sincerest form of flattery, then the 2013 Sonata has a lot going for it, as we
see elements of its trend-setting 'fluidic design' emerging in rival
models.
That design transformation
was marked by some equally extreme engineering rehabilitation that simply
kicked the Sonata up into another league. With a new lineup of only
direct-injection four-cylinder engines—combined with a lighter body
structure—the Sonata performs as well as the V-6 versions of some mid-size
sedans, all while getting up to 35 mpg in base form or up to 33 mpg highway
with the upscale Turbo model. Most Sonatas come with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder
engine, making up to 200 horsepower, with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The automatic is perfectly appropriate for the class, and is a responsive,
seamless gearchanger. Step up to the 2.0T model and you get a somewhat smaller
2.0-liter engine with a twin-scroll turbocharger, providing 274 horsepower. Its
269 lb-ft arrives low in the power band, which thankfully helps this engine
work very well with the automatic transmission (the only way to get it). And it
mostly skips the turbo lag completely, and succeeds as the more economical
parallel to upscale V-6 models.
