2009 Hyundai Sonata (US)

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These are official pictures of the revised US version.
I am not a fan of adding chromes to an inexpensive car. It is usually vulgar and cheap.
And I think the 2009 exterior isn’t as modern and classy as before. And that’s just because of the chrome.

But the interior is light years ahead of before.
On pictures at least, it looks much better than the Camry and Accord.

Engines are improved as well. The base engine now produces 175 hp and the V6 is rated at 249hp.
I guess a good car gets even better. Even with the extra chrome….

Conversation 16 comments

  1. This car does nothing for me, it looks dated and really boring. I am sure it drives nice and gets you from point A to point B, and that is probably what they had in mind. My guess is people who want an inexpensive appliance will go for this.

  2. I rented a Sonata V6 a few months back and found that it rode quite nicely. However, here are some observations I made about the interior that I cannot imagine could have been fixed with this attractive revision:

    – I had the driver’s seat as far back as it would go, and I’m only 5’9.5″

    – Even with the seat at that setting, the sunroof begins as far back as about the midpoint of my head and the centre armrest was still too far back to be of much use

    Something that I am sure HAS been attended to:
    – Not only was the old interior ugly and cheap, but also was not so functional: the centre airvents were so low that they blow up at one, doing a great job of cooling the underside of the driver’s right wrist
    – The fan only had 4 speeds, with large jumps in force from one speed to the next

  3. Chrome looks good when done in moderation.

    I guess you must be used to those bling bling vehicles with chrome oozes from every crevices. Now that’s bad.

  4. It looks nice and conservative. A solid move by Hyundai. They seem to have relized that the American public is changing their views (finally) and playing it safe like Toyota. If I was in the market for this type of vehicle I would give it move than a look.

    Warren

  5. the interior is what counts. the only thing i would still change is the steering wheel. it looks too bulky and not as elegant as everything else

    i wonder if the chrome is only present on the top-of-the-line model. but i agree, the more shrome the worse. like the stupid chrome surround on the new malibu’s rear license plate frame which makes an otherwise smooth design look tacky.

  6. They added Chrome to the last gen’s refreshening too. I actually thought it looked a bit naked without a little chrome in 2006.

    This doesn’t look bad at all. If I was looking for a car in this class, it would be a tough battle between this and the Malibu!

    However, I have almost no headroom when sitting in the back of the Malibu. I’ve sat in both and the sonata has a little more room.

  7. Car & Driver included the ’09 Sonata Limited in this issue’s road test of all the 4cyl versions of popular mid-sized sedans and it fared quite well in all categories and best in a few including interior space and comfort.
    They thought the new grill gave it a “Lexus” look -not a bad thing and more chrome seems to be the trend in all makes up and down the price range. Hyundai’s just giving the people what they want!
    This type of sedan is most often purchased by someone who puts budget, practicality and reliability above style and speed. Hyundai has arrived and the haters are melting away like garden slugs doused with salt.

  8. Just because you don’t like something doesn’t make someone a “hater.” On the other hand, name calling is always a sign of immaturity and intellectual bankruptcy.

  9. A splash of chrome makes a car looks classy. I think what you, Vince, used to see are those tacky bling bling Caddys with chrome oozes from every crevice and 22″ chrome rims. Yike!

  10. A good mid-life update…Hyundai ruined nothing. People don’t care about looks as long as it is not ugly to there eyes. “Boring” sells.

  11. hmmmm…I see 10 posts and no one called anyone else a “name”. There’s a non-specific comment above about “Hyundai-haters” of which there are admittedly some out there but not in this thread. Admittedly there’s a big difference between someone not liking a steering wheel and saying something like, “I will never ever buy a Hyundai because they’re cheap junk”…and this thread has none of the latter.

  12. “On the other hand, name calling is always a sign of immaturity and intellectual bankruptcy.”

    Unless you call them a fool which is what people are that use the word “hater”…Must have got that from their publik skewl.

    Hyundai is becoming very competitive. This is a great update.

  13. Exactly my point, thanks for getting it, calling people a “hater” is name calling. So 1218 not sure what thread you are reading? I am not sure why people can’t have a civil discussion on the internet?

  14. Please. There’s a lot more to this update that’s not getting a lot of press:

    1) All of the attention is being paid to the Limited. Car & Driver did like the ’09 Sonata, but complained about the suspension. They should have been given the Sonata SE which for 2009 has thicker sway bars front and back, stiffer springs, and the stick shift gets a B&M shifter. BTW, from the C&D article it looks like the Sonata’s 5-speed auto was the best transmission in the comparo.

    2) The “bad” chrome is on the Limited; the GLS doesn’t have as much chrome.

    3) All of Hyundai’s new generation engines are getting both power and fuel economy bumps. People forget that the Sonata’s 4 is a kissing cousin to Chrysler’s 2.4 that’s all over Chrysler’s line. But Hyundai’s implementation is definitely better than Chrysler’s and now puts out slightly more power.

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