Best Hyundai Sedans

Excellent value for money when shopping for performance, luxury features and comfort – The overall build quality of the Sonata is very impressive, but it’s not as impressive as cars that cost $10-$30K more than this. On the outside,… Read more

panel gaps are even, plastic trim is neatly applied and the overall look and feel of the exterior certainly meets the asking price of this sedan. On the inside, the leather seats, higher quality materials and fit and finish of trim pieces also meet the high quality exterior finish. There are some shortcomings that may detract from the sense of perception of this car being higher in quality. From fake stitching to visible sound deadening in the door gaps, there are a few ways you’re not paying more than $60,000 for this sedan.

With a starting price of $55,651 drive away, it’s available in only range-topping N Line trim, so you won’t have to worry about choosing from a wide range of Sonatas. Sure, the build quality isn’t going to exceed the German alternatives. What you do get, however, is a fully-kitted out car, with a more than capable motor for less than some base model luxury sedans with not even half of these options. I was swept off my feet with the number of features included in this Sonata. Combined with just how impressive this car’s driving ability was, for the price, your every car-related need was addressed. Highlight features include: heated and ventilated front seats and steering wheel, dual zone heated rear seats, radar cruise control with active lane-centring, BOSE audio, 213kW of power and an automatic rear blind. Service intervals are 12 months/10,000km (whichever comes first), with service costs capped at $350 for the first five years or up to 50,000km.

If it’s a quiet and comfortable cabin you’re after, the Sonata does not disappoint. Road noise, wind noise and engine noise are all kept at bay, with an obvious barrier between the outside world and the relaxing atmosphere of the interior. The BOSE audio system was a highlight in the feature list. It offered superior bass, highs and clarity when listening to a variety of media. I sincerely missed this system when I hopped into my next press car.

As a performance-oriented car, we have performance-oriented brakes on board. There was never a doubt that these brakes would fade or waiver under pressure. When pushing the car through some twisty sections of road, all 1636kg was brought under control with ease.

Here we have a 2.5L turbocharged inline four-cylinder, producing 213kW @ 5800rpm and 422Nm @ 1650-4000rpm, all being sent exclusively to the front wheels via an 8 speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

What’s immediately noticeable is the wave of torque generated by this motor. It’s sensational, and you never feel cheated by driving a four-cylinder motor.

To put it into perspective, although this is an N Line and not a full-fat N product, you have almost identical power figures to the critically acclaimed i30N!

213kW is noticeable and plentiful for the daily commute, and also capable to sprint the Sonata to 100km/h in around 5.9 seconds with launch control.

The main issues are derived from the typical front wheel drive tropes: limited traction and understeer.

Launch control was fun to engage, however the car simply struggled for grip with all that power being put down through the front wheels.

The dual-clutch 8-speed automatic transmission was a treat to use. Your initial encounter is via the drive-by-wire gear selector buttons, which look a little odd at first, but are fun and easy to use once you get used to them. My only complaint when shifting gears is that for those quick three point turns, the gears are certainly not as quick to shift as they would be using a shift lever. This makes it a little awkward when you find yourself needing to get out of the way quickly if you’re making a questionable u-turn.

This is an N Line, with quad-exhaust pipes, the gearbox allows you to become far more engaged with the Sonata than you’d expect. That’s thanks to Hyundai’s ‘N Power Shift’ transmission setting engaged in Sport mode, which reserves additional power to be delivered between shifts to counteract the lurch you normally feel between shifts. It’s designed to power through shifts, which is far more exciting than the standard shifting experience.

It is fair to say that a downside to a more sporty-orientated sedan is the increased road-feel, leading to a stiffer ride. For day-to-day driving, the Sonata was actually very comfortable. It offered comfort and relaxation across a variety of surfaces. Only across deeper potholes and very uneven surfaces, the larger wheels and stiffer suspension led to the Sonata to become a little more jittery. However, this is likely to be short-lived, unless you frequent these road conditions on your daily commute. Where you will appreciate the stiffer springs, is through corners. This is a large sedan, but it doesn’t wallow or dip in corners like some comfort orientated competitors might. One negative when it comes to a performance luxury sedan is the fuel economy. The claimed combined fuel consumption figure is 8.1L per 100km. I saw figures cross the 18.2L per 100km mark, which was expected.

Similar to fuel efficiency, the other downside to buying a sedan over a wagon, hatchback or SUV is the limited boot space compared to those body styles. In the name of design, you get a maximum storage capacity of 510L. Remember that you only have a trunk-sized opening, which limits you making the most of the space for larger items. For added practicality you can fold the second row in a 60/40 split, however it’s still limited in the pass-through opening and vertical space. The fit and finish of the boot space is a little on the cheap side, as a simple glance inside the boot reveals exposed metal and some insulated wires. This is not a deal breaker by any means, but a visual cue as to how you’re saving more money over a European competitor.

I adore the Sonata N Line for breathing life into the mid-size sedan segment, with respectful performance figures, and luxury levels of comfort, without having to feel cheated for the price you paid for it.

Whether you’re a budding executive, appreciate saving a large chunk of change in exchange for a badge, or don’t want to join the SUV craze, the Hyundai Sonata N Line is for you.

It’s distinct, unique, and absolutely turns heads, more so than any European badge could. If my line of work required me to frequent a suit and tie and an office, I’d be looking to make the most of my company car budget or personal budget with the Hyundai Sonata N Line.

*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.

Rollin in my Hyundai Elantra SE – This vehicle is very reliable and sporty. It has great acceleration and good on fuel. I was very impressed with the low noise in the interior when… Read more

the windows are up. I thought it would be noisy since it’s close to the ground. AC/Heat feels good . Very affordable. It is enough room to seat 4 people comfortably and maybe a small child in the rear seat. Pop open trunk and fuel cap. The best feature is you can use personal IPhones to play music, movies and news. Cruise control.

I kept it for 13 years, but only because things kept breaking and had to be fixed to sell. Great mileage but that is about it. Terrible view through… Read more

the windscreen, vision obstructed on both sides, very dangerous. Air conditioning compressor was leaking oil 7th year, no warranty, which the dealer charged $150 to tell me what I already knew. I replaced it twice! $1200 each time by auto electrician, same fault. Window switch failed. Radio has a built in design fault where the sound drops out over time and then there is none, replaced radio. Notchy steering. Noisy engine when cold - everyone must have heard about the ledgendary Hyundai engine problems. This car was driven very little and modestly serviced by dealer up to year 5, then by authorised mechanic 6 monthly from then on, final odo about 61000km Never again!