On Halloween, I exchanged my '99 Mazda Protegé for a week with a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. It was orange, of course.
As usual when you borrow cars from a media fleet, it was fully loaded. We're talking a touch-and-swipe navigation screen, backup camera, heated front and rear seats, high-power audio system, LED running lights, and Bluetooth phone capability. Convenience features included the smart trunk, which unlocks when the proximity key is within three feet of the trunk for more than three seconds. Another useful item is the adaptive cruise control, which monitors the speed of the car ahead and adjusts the Sonata’s speed to maintain a safe distance.
I could honestly see myself in a Sonata long-term. It's a very fun drive, and surprisingly roomy. Five of us fit without that cramped feeling, and the trunk had room for both the baby stuff and my oldest son's hockey gear.
And the Hyundai truly gets the touch screen right. This car had Sirius/XM and it was easy to toggle between Howard Stern, FM/AM and my smartphone. The navigation system's interface was both intuitive and efficient.
This is my second great experience test driving a Hyundai automobile. If they have a most improved award in the auto sector, it's got to go to Hyundai.
