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Hyundai dialed back the pizazz of the latest Sonata when it redesigned the family sedan for 2015. It’s a better all-around car and impresses with a spacious back seat and generous trunk capacity. It’s more mature-looking now, too, even if it lacks the sculpted lines of the last-generation Sonata and that car’s gusto under acceleration. We’ve previously tested the base Two.4-liter model, the top-spec Two.0T turbo, and the efficiency-focused Eco trim—as well as the updated two thousand sixteen Sonata hybrid—with the Eco being the most epic of the conventional trio, suggesting both the quickest acceleration and the best fuel economy outside of the hybrid.
However, technical issues may have hobbled the spectacle of our previous Two.0T test car; additionally, there were notable chassis refinements that all nonhybrid Sonatas received this year, so we determined to take another look at the most powerful model in the lineup. Unluckily, the updates didn’t produce at the test track.
Quicker Yet Slower
A Two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder developing two hundred forty five horsepower and two hundred sixty lb-ft of torque powers Two.0T models like our Sport test car and is mated to a standard six-speed automatic transmission. While that’s down from the two hundred seventy four ponies and two hundred sixty nine lb-ft of the previous-generation Sonata’s Two.0-liter, the fresh version is a more tractable unit, thanks to revised tuning for greater low- and mid-range punch. Our car weighed three thousand four hundred ninety one pounds, almost two hundred pounds more than the two thousand fifteen Sonata Eco with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four that produces one hundred seventy eight horsepower and one hundred ninety five lb-ft.
The two thousand sixteen Two.0T model’s 7.2-second run to sixty mph and quarter-mile pass of 15.Five seconds at ninety two mph exposes that our two thousand fifteen test car, as we suspected, was not up to snuff, requiring 8.0 and 16.Trio seconds to hit the same marks. The Eco, however, remains the fleetest Sonata with a 6.7-second dash to sixty and a quarter-mile time of 15.Trio at ninety two mph. Evidenced by the identical trap speeds for the two models, the more powerful Two.0T’s weakness is primarily in its launch spectacle. The Hyundai’s six-speed automatic boundaries the engine’s torque output if you build up any revs while holding the car against the brake, which combined with some initial lag from the turbo makes for relatively tepid takeoffs for two hundred forty five horsepower. The Two.0T’s spectacle also places the most powerful Sonata toward the rear of the pack versus competitors with optional V-6 or turbocharged four-cylinder engines.
The Sonata Two.0T feels more capable on the open road, where the turbo’s surge of boost around two thousand five hundred rpm makes for effortless passing maneuvers whenever the driver stabs the throttle. Overall refinement is adequate for a family sedan, but we wish the power delivery were more linear—the Two.0T at times lunges forward under partial throttle as the torque arrives in one big surge. Calling up the more relaxed Eco driving mode softens the throttle response and the transmission programming for a smoother gait. In contrast, the Sport setting can feel overly aggressive, holding gears too long and making the throttle hair-trigger sensitive. Our test car carried EPA city/highway ratings of 23/32 mpg; we averaged twenty three mpg, which is comparable to the real-world figures we’ve recorded for other family sedans. The entry-level Sonata Two.4-liter, however, returned a 27-mpg average and the Eco achieved thirty mpg with us.
Lightness Where It Counts
The open road also is where you notice the two thousand sixteen Sonata’s updated suspension: Aluminum substitutes steel for the steering knuckles, the front lower control arms, and the rear upper control arms and locating links. It’s not a pronounced switch, but curb weight for our Sport Two.0T test car is down more than one hundred pounds versus a similar two thousand fifteen model. The Two.0T Sonatas also have a slightly stiffer, sport-tuned suspension compared with lesser models, but overall rail quality is nicely managed on all but the worst spreads of pavement.
The reduction in unsprung mass means the Sonata feels a touch more agile and responsive in corners, and slightly more feedback is transmitted through the electrically assisted power steering. The Sonata still can’t match the Mazda six for road feel, and it’s not as composed or as compliant on undulating roads as the Honda Accord. But Hyundai’s improvements make the Sonata a more satisfying car to drive without hampering its overall comportment.
The Sonata still fights for cornering grip, with a tendency toward mild understeer, and the 18-inch Kumho Solus XC all-season tires (size 235/45) limit adhesion to 0.82 g around the skidpad—below the test average of our last comparison test of family sedans. The Hyundai, however, turned in a solid braking spectacle, stopping from seventy mph in one hundred sixty seven feet.
The Trade-Off
Extra switches for the two thousand sixteen Sonata are relatively minor, such as upscale Limited models receiving the Sport’s more aggressive front fascia and three-bar grille. Most two thousand sixteen versions also come with a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen center display, up from Five.0 inches, with the exception being the Limited Two.0T model getting an 8.0-inch unit. The Hyundai’s overall ergonomics are excellent, with slew of redundant hard buttons and knobs on the simple-yet-attractive dashboard. Befitting Hyundai’s reputation for value, our test car came well tooled, with standard features including blind-spot monitoring, a rearview camera, heated leather front seats, a proximity key, dual-zone automatic climate control, Android Auto connectivity, and more.
Prices for the two thousand sixteen Sonata are up only slightly over last year, with our Sport Two.0T test car serving as the entry point for the turbocharged Two.0-liter engine. A set of carpeted floor mats for $125 was our example’s only extra, which brought the as-tested figure to a reasonable $29,885. The Eco model is a better bargain at $24,560, but be ready to sacrifice a lot of amenities for its stronger spectacle. It rolls on lil’, 16-inch wheels; its assets wears less jewelry; and it can’t be optioned with the numerous safety and convenience features available on Sport and Limited trims. Despite the turbocharged Two.0-liter’s range-topping status, the 1.6-liter in the Eco is quicker and more efficient—which means that in the current Sonata, spectacle and luxury remain mutually off the hook.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED: $29,885 (base price: $29,760)
ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: one hundred twenty two cu in, one thousand nine hundred ninety eight cc
Power: two hundred forty five hp @ six thousand rpm
Torque: two hundred sixty lb-ft @ one thousand three hundred fifty rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
Wheelbase: 110.Four in
Width: 73.Four in Height: 58.1 in