Base note

What we like:

Retains its refinement and comfort while still being less expensive than a Japanese rival

What we dislike:

Does lose some of the gizmos that made it really good value in the upscale model

The Sonata in base spec still features the same 2.0l 4-pot engine that churns out 152 bhp and 198 Nm, which means it’s not any faster (despite what minor weight savings it has from losing options).

However, you will find that the engine is adequate for daily driving; taking your kids to school in the morning wouldn’t see the need to drive like a boy racer anyway. The ride feel is thankfully exactly the same. It’s smooth, supple and supremely comfortable like the family sedan it was meant to be.

In keeping the chassis identical to the more expensive model, you don’t get the old “2.4l vs 2.0l” problem cars here tend to face. That is, the same car with a bigger engine tends to get more options. This is something you would find in almost all makes of cars, which means you have to pay extra road tax to get more features; not something everyone wants.

In all, you’ll find that the Sonata is a handsome car that still keeps its theme of solid bang-for-buck motif as a mid-sized, mid-range Asian car. It’s fuss free, somewhat no frills as well, but granted you save enough money to pay for more than two semesters of your son or daughter’s university fees, there’s not much to complain about here.

Credits: Story by Alvan Sio; Photos from courtesy of Hyundai Singapore