Review of 2011 Hyundai Sonata

Back in the Hyundai boardroom some 25+ years ago, it must have taken some bravado for the suits to come up with the name ‘Sonata’ for their new sedan.  And even more to stick with it.  With its musically-inspired name, the Sonata was bound to draw comparisons to our ideals of the medium: beauty, fluidity, complexity.  Instead, that first Sonata and the ones that came right after it, with their sharp angles and clumsy looks, seemed more like the equivalent of someone banging a trashcan lid with drumsticks.  No surprise, then, that a common refrain for a good long time has been “used Hyundai Sonata.”  Bloomington dealers almost certainly have had that song stuck in their heads at one time or another.

But if the first generation Sonata wasn’t worthy of its lofty name, with each generation that has passed it becomes more and more befitting.  The 2011 Sonata is no exception.  To start with, the sloping roofline and aerodynamic body of the 2011 Sonata have the look of a sedan that isn’t simply a people mover but a melody of movement.  And along with its race-ready shape, the 2011 Sonata comes with a 2.4 liter in-line four cylinder engine that gets around 200 hp and 185 lb.-ft of torque, while offering a terrific 22 city/35 highway mpg.  Much has been made of Hyundai’s decision to bypass a V6, but the Sonata 2.0T comes with twin-scroll turbochargers that up the vehicle’s power, a Bloomington Hyundai dealer might tell you…uh, just a tad.

Just in case the upgrades to the design and engine still aren’t reeling in potential buyers to go have a word with their Bloomington Hyundai dealer (although they probably should be), the 2011 Sonata does offer up some very solid extras to make the decision that much easier.  It comes with XM Satellite Radio, iPod control, Bluetooth phone connectivity.  It’s a contemporary vehicle for a car company that finally looks as though it has arrived.  And like a good Hyundai, the 2011 Sonata comes in at a very affordable price for its class, here in the $20,000-25,000 range.  It’s probably a safe bet you won’t be hearing that same old song anytime soon, you know, the one about the used Hyundai Sonata.  Bloomington dealers should be waking up to a brand new tune these days.