2012 Hyundai Sonata GLS Sedan
MSRP: $19,695
Hyundai has one of the more interesting patterns in the industry. The bigger the vehicle, the better job they do. They make one of the worst cars in its class, and a few cars that are as good as any in their respective classes. The Sonata is the tipping point. It is the smallest vehicle in their line that is as good as any in its class.
The Sonata has been around since 1985, and it first arrived in the US for the 1989 model year. By then, it was in its second generation. The 2012 Sonata is the second model year of the sixth generation.
The 2012 Hyundai Sonata GLS Sedan is the lowest of three trim levels. It is a midsize sedan, but is classified as a “large” car by the EPA because of its cabin size. It has a 2.4 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 198 horsepower. It has 16-inch steel wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed manual transmission. It is rated at 24 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway, and goes from zero to sixty in 8.2 seconds.
The GLS comes with a tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses the audio and cruise controls, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, cloth upholstery, keyless entry, full-power accessories, speed-proportional power steering, air conditioning, simulated alloy trim on the dash, a rear defogger, and a trip computer. The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, a USB/iPod port, and Bluetooth.
The Sonata also comes with antilock brakes, emergency braking assist, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, traction control, stability control, front seat head restraint whiplash protection, and the BlueLink emergency communication system, which also can be used to limit your teenager’s speed limit and enforce a driving curfew.
In government testing, the Sonata received 4 stars overall for front impact protection, a perfect 5 stars for side impact, and a perfect overall rating of 5 stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave it perfect scores of “good” on all tests. The 2011 model, which is almost the same car, was an IIHS “Top Safety Pick.”
Conclusions and driver feedback:
The interior is close to being a masterpiece for its market segment. It is very modern, but the controls and displays are easy to see and understand. The design is attractive but still practical, and the materials are high-quality and soft-touch.
The Sonata has a lot of space. There is plenty of legroom and shoulder room in both the front and rear seats for four medium-sized adults to use on long trips. If you are too tall, though, you might not like the amount of headroom. It’s OK for the driver because of the height-adjustable driver’s seat, but those who are much over 6 feet might not be fully comfortable on long trips.
The Sonata is adjusted just to the sporty side of middle in both handling and ride. The steering is very responsive, but the feel doesn’t translate back to the driver’s hands. The suspension keeps body roll down just a bit from the standard family sedan ride, and allows slightly above average handling when negotiating traffic or a tight country road.
The ride is somehow standard family sedan, with a smoothness that belies its handling. The engine has enough power for decent acceleration and smooth handling at highway speeds. There isn’t much noise in the cabin, either.
All in all, this is a very nice family sedan with just a hint of sporty attitude. There are a lot of features, and it’s one of the safest cars on the road. The only real negative here is the lack of headroom for taller passengers. The trade-off is that the same aerodynamic tweak that gives this car very good fuel mileage for its size is the reason that some passengers don’t have enough headroom.
The verdict: take it for a test drive. If you are comfortable with the amount of headroom, it’s highly recommended.
Options, other trim levels, and caveats:
We chose the GLS, or base trim, because we feel this is the overall best “bang for your buck” on this model. The next trim up is the SE, which is the sport-tuned trim level. Usually, we prefer the sport-tuned models because they add a lot of fun to the driving experience without making the ride too firm. The SE, though, doesn’t do that.
The SE adds low-profile performance tires, puts some leather in the upholstery, and gives you a sport-tuned suspension, in addition to keyless ignition, foglights, and a dark chrome grille. You can also choose a 2.0 liter, turbocharged engine that will produce 274 horsepower and go from zero to sixty in 6.7 seconds. Paddle shifters and 2-zone climate control also come with the turbo package.
If you want to add more options to the SE, you can get the Navigational and Sunroof package. This adds a sunroof, premium Infinity speakers, a rearview camera, and a touchscreen display.
The problem with the SE package is that the ride is too stiff for most passengers. The extra horsepower is nice, but this variant is just too stiff for the mainstream shopper. Gearheads with attitude might really love this car, though.
The next step up is the Limited. It has the same extras as the SE, but without the sporty suspension. It also adds leather upholstery, an upgraded stereo system, and a few other conveniences. It is a very nice car, but we feel that the additions aren’t worth the the extra $6,650 that you will pay. If you don’t care about the money, though, it is highly recommended.
All in all, we really like this car. The trade-off of headroom for aerodynamics is the only real negative for the GLS and Limited trims, and the stiff ride is the only real negative for the SE trim. If you and your family are all under 6-1 or so, and you avoid the SE trim, you can’t go wrong here.
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