The new Sonata gets powerful, luxurious

2016 Sonata diesel

By Park Jin-hai

Despite its satisfactory performance, Hyundai’s flagship sedan Sonata has had to struggle to shed its old and mundane image as a middle class family sedan.

The seventh generation 2016 Sonata diesel was enough to change that perception, afresh with a modern and more upscale look.

From the moment I first saw Hyundai’s latest diesel, what grabbed my attention was its exquisite interior, almost similar to what we find in German luxury cars. The car’s center fascia, beige colored leather on seats and doors, and glossy wood patterned trims made the driving seat more spacious and pleasant.

On the 50 kilometer round trip between Songdo and Yeongjongdo, the Sonata 1.7 diesel showed surprisingly little noise. Except for the vibration on the seat and steering wheel, it was almost hard to notice that the new Sonata is a diesel car, Its Stop&Go start-stop system also contributed to the soundless driving of the car.

Acceleration and fuel efficiency in general are both good.

With a U2 1.7 diesel engine and seven speed dual clutch transmission, it can deliver 141 horsepower, with the maximum torque at 43.7 kilogram meters.

Sonata’s performance slightly exceeds that of the Volkswagen Passat.

Despite its downsized engine, the vehicle showed no shortage of power while driving. Its fuel efficiency was 13.7 kilometers per liter of fuel during the test drive. Given the sudden and frequent acceleration common in test driving, the actual fuel efficiency is higher.

The Sonata diesel has claimed mileage of 16.8 kilometers per liter of fuel, up 33 percent, in comparison to the previously launched popular 2.0 CVVL model.

The car has included upgraded safety features such as the automated emergency braking and advance smart cruise control. When the car strayed out of its lane, it alerted the driver with a beeping sound.

Its base price starts at 24.95 million won.

The Hyundai Sonata 1.7 diesel gives the impression that Hyundai Motor has ambitiously launched the model to lure local customers who are increasingly buying German cars for their good mileage and premium image.

With a price tag 10 million won lower than rival German diesel cars, the Sonata diesel, packed with convenience and safety features, has the potential to significantly boost Hyundai’s presence in local diesel car market.

During the test drive, I brought the Sonata 1.6 turbo on a 50-kilometer course as well. If the diesel gave the sedan-line quietness and fuel efficiency for people in their 30 and 40s, the Sonata turbo was more for people in their 20s and 30s who are looking for greater driving performance.

The downsized turbo engine can deliver 180 horsepower, while its fuel efficiency can reach 13.4 kilometers per liter of fuel.

It accelerates to 160 kilometers per hour with ease and has great cornering.

To enable sport driving, it has employed a bigger brake disk, improving braking ability.

The base price for the Sonata turbo starts from 24.1 million won.