2015 Hyundai Sonata

The Hyundai Sonata is basically offered in six trim levels and has few customization options for interior and exterior as well. The trims are named SE, Sport, Eco, Limited, Sport 2.0T, and Limited 2.0T. The Limited and Sport 2.0T trims have an option for grey accents at the exterior, which makes them look much more sporty and eye-catching. Since Sonata is a flagship sedan offered by Hyundai, it is equipped with a wide range of features. As you go on higher trim levels, you’d find features like automatic headlamps, power-adjustable seats, Hyundai Blue Link telematics system, leather upholstery, paddle shifters in Sport 2.0T, and many more.

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Opting for the Limited trim would definitely be worth the money. If you’re buying such a premium sedan, you definitely want some additional luxurious features like a leatherette cabin, leather upholstery, automatic AC, premium audio system, which is better offered in its Limited trim. However, the Sport 2.0T is totally a different trim option that is more focused on the sporty driving experience. If you are looking for an enthusiastic driving experience, the Sport 2.0T will be the best option in the lineup.

The 2015 Sonata also endures impressive mpg figures. Its 2.4L motor is now much more refined, and it delivers 25 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highways. And with the massive fuel tank of 18.5 gallons, you can expect the city driving range of over 460 miles, and it can easily cover over 680 miles on the highways. With its 2.0L turbocharged motor, the economy is lowered significantly both in the city and the highways, which is something you have to compromise if you need better performance. The ECO variant of the sedan returns 32 mpg combined.

The 2015 Fusion fails to impress with its fuel economy, which might be due to its bulkier structure. The Fusion also offers the smallest tank and can run only up to 560 miles on the highways. The Altima leads the segment with a combined 31 mpg. When comparing the overall range, both Altima and Sonata stand at the pedestal with class-leading combined range of 684 miles.

The 2015 Hyundai Sonata offers one of the best-looking cabins in the segment along with comfortable seating for 5 people. The cabin is offered in a dual-tone color option for all the trim levels except for the Sport 2.0T, which is offered in all-black interiors. The dashboard looks very premium with the dual-tone combination along with some wooden treatment on it. It is covered with soft-touch elements at the top and some hard plastics at the bottom. The center area doesn't look very modern, but it is good in terms of practicality. The doors also have a good fit and finish and have a well-cushioned armrest.

The seats are offered in fabric upholstery as standard, however, for the Limited and Sport 2.0T trim, you’ll get leather upholstery. You’ll get ample room at the front, however, at the rear, tall persons can feel a little cramped due to its lower roofline. Coming to its cargo capacity, the Sonata offers the most spacious boot in the segment. Behind the second row, you have a volume of 16.3 cu-ft, which is sufficient enough to carry some large-sized luggage.

All cars in the competition can accommodate 5 adults comfortably, however, the front row room offered in the Sonata is the best. The front headroom in the Fusion is quite less as compared to others, while the Altima has less room at the rear. Moreover, both Kia Optima and Nissan Altima offer the least trunk space of only 15.4 cubic feet. Standout interior features include:

• Power adjustable front seats along with heating function.
• Remote keyless entry.
• Dual-zoned automatic AC.
• Leather upholstery
• Bucket Seats

How intuitive is the 2015 Hyundai Sonata’s infotainment unit?

The infotainment unit featured in 2015 Sonata is a 5-inch touchscreen display that is standard in all trim levels. This is not really an intuitive unit but features all the required features which you expect from a mid-size sedan. It is paired with a 6-speaker premium sound system which gives a truly immersive sound experience. Moreover, you also get features like Bluetooth connectivity, AM/FM, USB, a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio, and an iPod/USB audio interface as standard. Standout infotainment features include:

• SiriusXM radio
• Bluetooth
• NavigationWireless Cell Phone Hookup
• Blue Link telematics
• Wireless Cell Phone Hookup
• Satellite RadioNavigationBlue Link telematics

The 2015 Sonata is one of the attractive looking cars in the segment, at least among the rivals. The sedan looks much more elegant and got an all-new refreshed design for the year 2015. At the front, it has a projector headlamps setup, which is much sleeker now and merges perfectly with the side window chrome liners. The front grille is fully redesigned and is now finished in chrome.

From the side profile, the car looks quite long and sits quite low to the ground. It reflects a perfect sedan look with an elegantly sloping roofline. The chrome accents that surround the window liner, door handles, and the bottom part highlights its looks. The base trim features 16-inch alloys, while the remaining trims are equipped with 17-inch wheels. The top of the line Sport 2.0T features 18-inch alloys which are perfect for a sporty drive.

The Sonata has a well-balanced body weight which really helped it in enhancing fuel economy. It also has almost the same length as others, but still, it has better space management inside and offers best-in-class trunk space. The ground clearance is decent for all the cars in the segment, where they can tackle some small bumps. Standout exterior features include:

• Rear spoiler
• 18-inch alloys with all-season tires
• Chrome highlights all around the body
• Automatic projector headlamps
• LED tail lamps

Along with better comfort and styling, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata also ensures the total safety of the occupants. The structure is robust enough, and it is proven by excellent safety ratings from reputed agencies like NHTSA and the IIHS. The sedan receives an overall safety rating of 5 on 5 stars by the NHTSA and ‘Top Safety Pick’ from IIHS with a Good rating in all tests except small overlap front where it manages to obtain an Acceptable rating. Standout safety features include:

• Brake assist
• Blindspot monitor
• Lane Departure Warning
• Rear park assist
• Tire pressure warning
• Blue Link emergency SOS

The 2015 Hyundai Sonata is best suited for a comfortable ride, while the Sport 2.0T is for enthusiasts. It has all the luxurious amenities inside along with better performance and fuel economy as compared to others in the segment. The exterior looks completely refreshed for the 2015 model year. It now looks absolutely modern and elegant. Apart from all of this, it also ensures best-in-class safety ratings and is equipped with some advanced safety features as well. Overall, the 2015 Sonata is a complete package in the segment.