The Detroit News says the 2011 Sonata makes Hyundai in Fort Wayne worth another look. Competing with Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, the fuel economy of the Sonata makes it a more fuel efficient car achieving better gas mileage. In addition, the warranty well surpasses that of Honda & Toyota. Shop at Glenbrook Hyundai, your Happy Car Store, in Fort Wayne and get that warranty doubled to 20 Years / 200,000 Miles!

1. 2011 Hyundai Sonata
Hyundai
The 2011 Sonata tops midsize models from Toyota and Honda with its stylish exterior, superior gas
mileage and greater horsepower.
Scott Burgess: Auto Review
With 2011 Sonata, Hyundai proves
it's worth another look
(Click here for prices and specifications on this car.)
March 11, 2010
By Scott Burgess / The Detroit News
I've gotten tired of writing about the next good
Hyundai.
And according to the late night profanity-laced
messages left on my voice mail, so have
Detroit readers.
So let's just stop acting surprised every time Hyundai rolls out an
impressive car or crossover. This is a quality operation and its
lineup is going to continue to improve. (For those keeping score,

2. I also say the same thing about Ford Motor Co. and General
Motors Co.)
The new six-speed automatic
The next piece of evidence: the 2011 Hyundai Sonata.
transmission (a manual six-speed is
In the past, Hyundai was seen as the lower-priced also offered though maybe one in 10
alternative. Many consumers never considered it
buyers will select it) is extremely
because they would drone methodically, "must buy
another Camry" with the same appreciation for their car as their smooth.
washing machine. (The top-selling Camry proves how little
2011 Hyundai Sonata
400,000 people annually appreciate dramatic styling, well-
Type: Five- passenger, front-wheel drive
appointed interiors and taut performance -- as it has none, none
sedan
and none.)
Price: $19,195
But here's the scoop: The new Sonata blows the doors off of the Engine: 2.4-liter DOHC four-cylinder
Toyota and Honda midsize entries with a more stylish exterior, Transmission: Six-speed manual or
better gas mileage, comfortable interior and more four-cylinder automatic transmission
power than just about any midsize sedan around. Power: 198 horsepower; 184 pound-feet
The 198 horsepower 2.4-liter with gas-direct injection engine torque EPA gas mileage:
outmuscles all of the mainstream four-cylinders available Manual: 23 mpg city / 34 mpg highway
including the Accord (161 horses); Nissan Altima (180 horses); Auto: 23 mpg city / 35 mpg highway
Camry (169 horses); Ford Fusion (175 horses) and Chevrolet Report Card Overall: ****
Malibu (169 horsepower).
Add to that best-in-class fuel economy at 35 miles per gallon on
Exterior: Excellent. Strong lines
the highway and you've got a serious contender that customers
should not overlook. If you're looking for a family sedan that will to give it a well-planted look.
serve all of the roles of daily life, pass over the Sonata at your Demonstrated attention to
own peril. This car just looks sharp. details, which stand out.
By the end of this year, Hyundai plans to add a 2-liter turbo Interior: Excellent. Spacious and
model that could improve the gas mileage and a gas-electric
quiet with lots of features to
hybrid to soothe those eco-minded customers. Hyundai calls the
exterior design "fluidic" and you can almost see the ripples of
please driver and passengers.
water flowing it. If you look at this sedan's front end, you can see Performance: Good. Lots of
the waves of water moving out from the neatly creased hood and power and transmission is
grille.
extremely smooth. Can handle
There's a motion to this car, even when it's standing still, that tight and twisty roads easily.
makes you want to look a little closer. Along the side, there's a
Pros: Light weight and priced
piece of chrome trim that moves through the bejeweled headlight
all the way past the second door. The cutting line along the right. Excellent value.
doors may be a little over the top, providing more lines on the Cons: Some road noise; no V-6
front fender than a cat's cradle, but it still looks good option available.
Lightweight and quick Grading Scale
The ride on the Sonata is excellent. In the past, midsized sedans **** Excellent *** Good ** Fair *
with small engines seemed to want for power, so much so that
Poor
you almost had to buy the V-6 model just to feel like you could
merge with highway traffic.

3. But this is changing for every midsize. Hyundai doesn't even
offer a V-6 version of the new Sonata (instead it will continue to
offer a V-6 version of the Azera sedan for people suffering from
cylinder envy). But by keeping the V-6 out of the Sonata family,
Hyundai has managed to keep the weight off of the Sonata. It
weighs in at just 3,200 pounds -- only the Nissan Altima is
lighter. But the Sonata launches quickly and offers plenty of
power.
The new six-speed automatic transmission (a manual six-speed
is also offered though maybe one in 10 buyers will select it) is
For its competitive price, the 2011
extremely smooth. It also does an excellent job of staying in the
right gear when you need it. Hyundai Sonata is comfortable and
roomy, and has all the gadgets
It's a confidence-instilling tranny that makes driving that much
more enjoyable. The ride is also extremely quiet. Even when customers expect, from Bluetooth to
you're hitting 80 mph on the highway, the Sonata slices through touch-screen navigation.
the wind. There is some noticeable road noise but, still, it was
never overwhelming.
Like some other automakers, Hyundai uses electric power
steering to help achieve the best gas mileage. But the steering
feel is solid and nicely balanced. The car leans into tight corners
and pulls out of them with aplomb. It's nearly fun to drive -- which
is high praise for any midsize sedan.
Lots of room, safety inside
Inside, the Sonata is just as enjoyable.
The interior is well laid out and full of high tech surprises. By the end of the year, Hyundai plans
Nowadays customers expect satellite radio, Bluetooth to beef up the Sonata's available four-
connectivity for hands-free phone operation and touch-screen
cylinder with a 2-liter turbo and gas-
navigation screens -- and Hyundai delivers all of that.
electric hybrid options.
On a side note, Bluetooth connectivity is something that has
become more important because more states are passing laws
banning drivers from talking directly into their phones -- instead requiring drivers to jam a silly ear piece into
their head that leaves your ear sore. The Bluetooth system also controls a car's stereo, turning it down
when the phone rings; it simply works better than any hands-free device people stick in their ear. Trust me,
if you had a Bluetooth connection in your car, you wouldn't look so stupid walking down the street talking to
your self.
The optional 400-watt stereo system (which comes with the navigation system) blasts music and can make
even the worst traffic fade away to the soothing rhythms of Steely Dan. There's a slew of standard safety
features as well, starting with electronic stability control and six airbags, including front, front seat-mounted
side-impact and front and rear side curtain airbags. Safety should never be an option and any carmaker
who charges more for some safety features is just wrong.
There's also lots of room inside the Sonata, a key feature for a midsize sedan.
The wheelbase stretches 110 inches and lets Hyundai create a lot of livable space in the cabin. There's
more than 45 inches of legroom in the front and 34.6 inches of legroom in the second row.

4. With 103.8 cubic feet of passenger space inside the cabin, the Sonata is technically a large sedan, just like
the Honda Accord; but both compete in the midsize segment. Even the trunk is spacious and deep,
providing more than 16 cubic feet of space.
Surprise wearing off
But the real value of the Sonata begins with its price.
The base GLS model starts at $19,195 and a fully loaded Limited model hits $27,395. This is a lot of car to
get for under $28,000, especially considering the number of features and the car's performance. It will make
buyers feel like they've pulled one over on the dealer when they drive away from the lot -- and who doesn't
like that?
So get used to hearing good things about Hyundai in 2010.
The company has taken nearly two decades to transform itself and all of that work has paid off for
consumers.
Walter Becker and Donald Fagen couldn't have said it better: With the Sonata, you're feeling the change of
the guard.
And next time Hyundai rolls out a sharp, hot car, no one should act so surprised.
sburgess@detnews.com (313) 223-3217