Exterior
The best part of a test drive is the reveal; the first encounter with a new four-wheeled companion. Today wasn’t much different. The vehicle sitting in my driveway had the slickest blue paint scheme. The design language was speaking to me as the 2015 Sonata has taken on a slightly more aggressive stance and front fascia. Without a doubt, this is an attractive car.
Interior
I had difficulties entering and exiting the Sonata due to my height. The vehicle sits low to the ground, so I struggled, almost falling into the drivers seat. Climbing out of the car was just as cumbersome, but I’ve been in much worse situations. I tend to have the driver seat so far back it becomes uncomfortable for the kids behind me, and near impossible for any adult. The Sonata has room to spare for backseat passengers. Overall, our family could see ourselves owning a Hyundai Sonata as a day-to-day tasker, but longer road trips would not be as comfortable.
I found myself getting frustrated with the vehicles implementation of LATCH. In an attempt to make this required system more attractive, Hyundai installed spring-loaded covers over the anchor. I struggled making the connection to our child’s rear-facing chair, and again when uninstalling the same fixture.
Technology
The instrument cluster is (for a tech nerd) really awesome. The graphical interface is beautiful and easy-to-use. During the vehicle’s startup, an animation shows the vehicle being scanned for issues and then switches to your defaulted view, which in my case was a rendering of the vehicle’s directional heading. This keeps the important information in front of the driver, offering a much safer experience overall.
The center panel and console are this vehicles crowning achievement. The GPS is clean and concise, making it one of the most useful tools I’ve ever operated inside an automobile. Pairing with my iPhone was a breeze, as was importing contacts and playing music. This test unit included Bluelink, an option that provides practical driving data that can assist in minor performance tuning and analyzing of fuel economics. If you have the opportunity to “spring for extras,” this is the option I recommend first.
Driving Perfomance
The 2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco was paired with a six-speed transmission, delivering outstanding performance without sacrificing fuel economy. Hyundai included a switch to swap between fuel saving, performance shifting, and regular driving modes. The performance mode is fun, but the Eco mode is a useful option for frugal-minded families. The Sonata has excellent crash test ratings as well.
Overall Experience
Our week-long adventure learning about the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco, and how a mid-size sedan could possibly fit into our lifestyle was a surprisingly eye-opening experience. This vehicle offers tremendous value, while still maintaining great gas mileage, safety and space. It is clearly not as spacious as an SUV, but our family was able to task comfortably. I would likely choose an SUV for long road trips, but as for daily routines, the 2015 Hyuandai Sonata Eco is more than capable and in many cases preferred for this fuel-conscience family.
