Don’t judge the 2015 Hyundai Sonata by its rather drab looks. If you’re buying a new midsize sedan, you need to seriously consider this car, easily one of the best in a segment crowded with excellent alternatives.
Here’s the thing, though. A typical 15-minute test drive is not going to convince you of the Sonata’s greatness. In fact, after that limited amount of exposure to the new Sonata, on a limited selection of roads, and with unlimited yakking from a salesperson during the entire drive, you might think to yourself: “Nice car, but what’s Wardlaw all worked up about?”
I piled a whole bunch of miles onto the 2015 Sonata Limited shown in the photos, far more than usual due to professional and personal trips that had me crisscrossing Southern California from the ocean to the desert. Over the course of nearly 1,000 miles of travel, what made me a believer had more to do with Hyundai’s apparently relentless effort to hone every single detail in order to make the Sonata as simple, as comfortable, and as enjoyable to live with as possible than it did anything else.
There’s plenty to be said for a family car that does everything you need and want it to, and then some. I just wish this new 2015 Sonata retained the design flair that made the previous version a standout among midsize sedans.