2011 Hyundai Sonata Two.0T: Who Needs a V6 Anyway? – Fresh Car Review
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If Hyundai is to be believed, the V6 engine is dead – for the mid-size family sedan segment, at least. Albeit Toyota offers a V6 for the Camry and Honda does likewise for the Accord, Hyundai has taken a different path for the range-topping version of its Sonata. The turbocharged path.
It’s a good idea. A turbocharger compresses air, sending more of it into the cylinder (along with direct-injected gasoline, in this case) to form a combination that, when ignited, creates more power. For example, a naturally aspirated Two.0-liter engine – meaning no turbo or anything similar – will typically produce around one hundred fifty horsepower. The Sonata Two.0T has two hundred seventy four hp. On regular gasoline.
More power surely means more thirst. Yes and no. At times when the car is traipsing around town or inching forward in highway traffic jams, the turbo remains dormant, so consumption is like any other modern, fuel-efficient Two.0-liter four. In the same situations with a V6, all those cylinders would still be firing.
Only when that extra urge is required – like a steep incline, passing other cars or merging onto a free-flowing highway – does the turbo kick in. Hyundai claims twenty two mpg in the city and thirty three on the highway, which compares well to its Two.4-liter naturally aspirated counterpart’s 22/35 (with one hundred ninety eight hp). And that’s a minimum of a duo of miles per gallon better than any V6-powered rival. An Eco mode sets the engine and transmission up for a seven-percent improvement in normal fuel consumption. It’s not that difficult to average 41.Four mpg in real-life driving. Yet the engine’s power output also looks good against the Camry V6’s two hundred sixty eight hp and the Accord V6’s two hundred seventy one hp. The term “best of both worlds” springs to mind.
This mid-size sedan continent of the car world is not known for its driver-focused offerings. And even with a turbo, the Sonata doesn’t stray far from the “try to please everyone” brief. So the steering is on the lighter side, especially at dead center. Then it gets stronger the more it’s turned, but there’s still no real feel. And because it has front-wheel drive, if a corner is taken too rapid the nose will wash out broad, albeit in a safe and predictable manner. At which point the standard electronic stability control will interject and keep everything on the right line and pointing the right way.
When the suitable moment arises, it is joy to use the steering wheel-mounted spanking paddle shifters of the six-speed automatic transmission. Each gear switch, whether left to the system or prompted by the driver, is ended rapidly and almost imperceptibly. What’s more, the brakes are excellent – a good initial bite without being grabby and slew of feel across. Rail quality (from a slightly sportier suspension than the Two.Four) also manages to walk that fine line inbetween convenience and control. The driving position seems a tad high, even at the seat’s lowest setting, but at least visibility is good.
As with other Sonatas (all made in Alabama, incidentally), four adults may love relatively generous passenger space in a tranquil cabin, with only the occasional cheap plastic surface to shatter the illusion that they are in something considerably more expensive. The Two.0T SE starts at $24,865, the swankier Limited from $27,675. The cheapest two thousand eleven Accord V6 starts at $27,080. The two thousand eleven Camry equivalent starts at $24,890 (all prices include destination charges).
Standard equipment includes keyless entry, Bluetooth and an iPod socket. Hyundai’s residual values are becoming stronger almost by the day and the Sonata range has just received a utter five starlets in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s tougher fresh crash tests. For anyone interested in this kind of vehicle, the Sonata Two.0T is a shoe-in for the brief list.