Hyundai Sonata
OK, for those of you who think we’re cheating since the new Sonata is a 2011 model, technically you’re right, but this fully redesigned sedan has been available since the summer and is plenty good enough to justify inclusion here. Available with a high output 2.4 L 4-cyclinder engine, the Sonata has plenty of punch and also earns best in class fuel efficiency. Turbocharged and hybrid models will also be available soon, making this one of the most complete options in the mid-sized segment.
The new Sonata has a cavernous interior and the quality of interior materials is quite good. The new exterior design features what Hyundai calls its Fluidic Sculpture cohesive design language, which we’ll just interpret as strikingly swoopy and snappy looking. To top it off, this is a lot of car for the money, with $23k buying a well-appointed Sonata SE that comes with nice options like power seats and sporty 18” alloy rims.
| HONDA ACCORD | FORD FUSION | CHEVROLET MALIBU | MAZDA MAZDA6 | HYUNDAI SONATA |
Editor’s note: The rating number for the Chevy Malibu is misleading because it includes all the model years that were reviewed by users. The archaic system that is in place cannot just give a rating for a specific model year or generation of car. That feature will be in the next version of CarReview.