The Koreans continue to amaze us with their design. The brand’s flagship sedan is finally back to being a trendsetter, with good handling and a business-class interior.
You can argue as much as you want about the beauty of the Hyundai Sonata sedan, but it undoubtedly attracts the attention of a record number of people on the streets. I was even chased by people who wanted to look at it from all sides, unable to believe that it was just a Sonata and not some kind of Chinese shuttle with an electric motor. Even more people were impressed by the fact that it has a simple atmospheric gasoline engine. Yes, this is not an electric car or even a hybrid.
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In 2024, we meet the eighth generation of the Korean sedan in Ukraine, and it is already in a restyled version. Its predecessor was introduced in 2019 and had a completely different look, engine, and gearbox. The impression was not very good, and the number of versions for different markets was simply a record and reached six. But somehow it didn’t go over well with consumers and even disappointed them. The Sonata lost its charm and turned out to be too revolutionary or unfinished. But the Koreans quickly corrected themselves and released not just a facelift, but a full restyling in 2023.
The 2023 Hyundai Sonata (DN8) has a different hood, different front fenders, different bumpers, and different lighting, which is now fully diode on all sides. In many ways, it resembles the Staria minivan and Elantra sedan, which was the first to receive such space elements. It is logical that the flagship should stand out. Therefore, the fresh design looks fast, impressive and impressive, and most importantly — bold. There is a single diode strip of parking lights in front and behind. The logo is illuminated, the turn signals have a ribbon-like appearance, and the new rims are eye-catching with their glare and complete the overall impression.
In 18-inch wheels, the alloy has become 16% stronger, and the design of the wheels changes along with their size for different configurations. Our test car has 18-inch wheels.
In addition, the DN8 has grown even more compared to its predecessor: +10 mm in length (4.91 m), +1 mm in width (1.86 m), and the height remains the same (1.445 meters), as well as the wheelbase (2.84 m). The standard ground clearance is 135 mm, but if you order the off-road version, it will increase to 155 mm.
We are offered four trim levels: Comfort, Style, Premium, Top. The difference between them is mostly in comfort features, the number of available assistants, the size and design of the wheels, and other little things. The main thing is that you will have to pay for comfort, but the appearance, even in the basic configuration, will be impressive, the seats comfortable, and the car is clear in control. The maximum equipment will give you the whole range of pleasant impressions, from individual seat settings and interior atmosphere to a full range of automatic driving assistants. It is worth adding that we are not even getting the top equipment, but only the previous one. Because even in our Hyundai Sonata Top, there are no rear window blinds, remote parking assist, windshield projection, or panoramic roof.
The price is not very pleasant for the consumer, who loves Koreans for their reliability and balanced price. Therefore, for the Hyundai Sonata 2024, you can pay the maximum amount of UAH 1,581,800 (38,722 USD), for the starting equipment they ask for — 1,210,900 UAH (29,642 USD). So there is plenty to choose from. The availability of cars in stock in our country is small, but they are available in various configurations.
In our market, the Sonata will be a rival to the D-segment grande dame, the Toyota Camry. It will be interesting to see how they will compete for their consumers. As for me, the Korean sedan will be appreciated by representatives of the youth audience, who are more likely to prefer a non-trivial design than the conservatism offered by Toyota. Moreover, both are at a decent level in terms of reliability.
The impression of the car is formed after driving at least 120 km. So a short test drive in the cabin at night won’t tell you much, you need to be sure of what you’re choosing. The impressive appearance of the Sonata does not immediately fade into the background. You can show off for a long time, so it’s hard to focus on how the car drives and behaves. Only it turns out that the ease and comfort are so well calculated that you forget that you’re driving a nearly five-meter-long sedan with a long hood and a raised stern.
It seems that the car was built around the passengers in the cabin, as it was with the Hyundai Ioniq 5. That’s why you get into this car almost instantly and don’t feel uncomfortable with the dimensions, as was always the case in previous generations of the sedan and still exists in other similar models.
It is worth noting that the Sonata is powered by a third-generation Theta III 2.5 GDI direct-injection gasoline engine that produces 194 hp at 6100 rpm (246 Nm). It is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. According to the manufacturer, it produces 194 hp and 245 Nm of torque. Acceleration to the first 100 km takes 9 seconds, which is quite realistic.
In general, this spacecraft is easy to drive and dynamic in behavior. The tandem between the engine and the «automatic» turned out to be quite good: the box picks up almost immediately and shifts quickly when accelerating. The Sonata did not cause me any comments during the test drive. Even overtaking at speed was easy and stress-free. And this is in Normal mode. If you switch the gearbox to Sport mode, the car’s behavior changes significantly: the engine starts running at higher speeds and can already be heard in the cabin, the gearbox instantly reacts to the driver’s foot touching the accelerator, and the steering wheel is filled with effort and becomes very sharp and heavy. It’s nice when a car makes it possible to turn the wheel less «the steering wheel» and change the direction of movement with only small, clear movements.
By the way, there’s another driving mode in addition to Eco, Normal, and Sport — My Drive. This is an individual mode that allows you to customize the controls to your liking. For example, you can set the main operating mode to standard settings and leave the steering wheel in sport mode or vice versa. This is a great opportunity to please a capricious driver.
The engine cushions have been refined and the noise insulation of the engine and cabin has been significantly improved, which affects the overall impression. Acoustic comfort in Sonata is now almost at the premium level. At first, I even thought that the sedan had a hybrid engine, not a conventional atmospheric engine because the sedan moves so quietly and smoothly. We also got to the suspension: we installed a ring on the front shock absorbers for greater vibration absorption, replaced the rear arm bushings with stronger ones, and replaced the rear shock absorber bumper to better work out the compression when driving over bumps. The changes even affected the mounting of the rearview mirrors and door elastic bands, which turned out to be important.
And if you drive in a smooth, leisurely mode and enjoy music from the Bose audio system, you can even consume less fuel than the manufacturer promises, which is not the first time with Hyundai. The cars turn out to be better than they promised.
It seems that they are insuring themselves against very scandalous owners, although this has not happened yet. It’s still nice when the technical data says —8.8 liters of fuel consumption in the city, and you see an on-board computer with a reading of 8.6 liters. A trifle, but a pleasant one. Only if you drive in traffic jams or in a more fun and dynamic mode, then fuel consumption in the city will be at least 10 liters. So you can’t exactly call it an economical sedan.
When driving on the highway, the fuel consumption starts to decline rapidly. I managed to achieve the manufacturer’s promised figure of 6.4 liters, but I believe that the Sonata is capable of even lower figures.
On the highway, the car holds the road confidently, monolithically. The suspension here, as usual, is independent on both axles: MacPherson in front and an independent multi-link suspension in the rear. The settings do make a difference. During leisurely driving, the suspension seems soft, and only from a distance does it feel like the road has imperfections. It doesn’t cause any discomfort, the chassis works one hundred percent, plus the fact that the rear passengers don’t get rocked. And you won’t find any rolls here, the car keeps its balance like a train on a track. As if it provokes long journeys.
Most mass-market cars don’t often impress with their exterior, and sometimes they don’t have enough for the interior, or vice versa. In the Sonata, opening the door, you can whistle with surprise if you are not prepared. Because everything seems familiar, but completely different. And indeed, the interior has been redesigned in as much detail as possible, if not the overall architecture, then in the details for sure.
The torpedo is quite modest in size, as is the windshield, but the monitors of the dashboard and the multimedia information screen merge into a single large tablet, as in the best concepts. In addition, it is all quite functional.
No imitations or imitations, everything here is real and created according to an individual design that we have already seen in other models of the brand. Only here, everything looks even more complete.
The 12.3-inch multimedia screen is touchscreen, but has duplicate physical buttons and volume and radio dials below, which is very nice. There are a lot of settings, from controlling the atmosphere in the cabin in the form of lighting and automatically turning on heating or cooling, to customizing the car’s behavior and controls.
It’s nice that the system is fully Ukrainian-language, even the navigation. Even if it speaks with a strong accent and recognizes only 40% of what you ask or request from it, it is nice to see such care for the market.
As in the maximum configuration, there is navigation, a decent audio system with subwoofers under the rear window. It has wireless charging, smartphone connection via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, surround view cameras with the ability to move the picture, and customizable dashboard design.
You can choose from two types of dashboards and several different designs. The main instruments will be present in any case, otherwise the convenience of having images from the side cameras appear when you turn on the turn signal in any direction is erased. Sometimes this is a very convenient feature, as it allows you not only to see other cars nearby, but also to notice potholes under the wheels. To the left of the dashboard is a strange panel that actually allows you to attach something to it with magnets.
I’m very pleased to see a conventional gearshift lever here, compared to the buttons in the predecessor. However, the Sonata in the top trim in other markets will have a lever shifter under the steering wheel, and the center console will be equipped with an additional driver’s palm support.
The 6-inch display of the climate system is located above the center console and is controlled by both rotary and touch buttons. Their sensitivity is normal, and it’s not annoying to even click when necessary, but this almost never happens because you can turn on the automatic dual-zone climate mode and forget about it. The only thing that annoyed me at first was the constant cooling of the driver’s seat, but it turned out that it can be configured in the menu and turned off or on as needed. The car will read the climate and turn on the required seat heating or cooling mode.
In the maximum configuration, the driver’s seat can be adjusted in 8 directions from the backrest to the knee support. The passenger seat will be more comfortable and have 6 directions of adjustment.
Finally, Hyundai has a two-zone heated steering wheel. There are heated and cooled front seats and dual-zone heating for the rear row. Rear passengers have air outlets and two Type-C ports for charging gadgets. There are also two Type-C ports in the front, which can be switched to charge only or to work with smartphone connectivity applications. Sometimes this feature was missing in cars, but I didn’t even think they could implement it. There is a 12V cigarette lighter outlet next to it, which is covered with a lid.
The only thing is that the interior lighting is still halogen, which was upsetting against the backdrop of all the pleasant impressions. How many generations have passed, and everything is the same. And even the presence of diode colored backlighting did not change the situation.
In general, it is difficult to overestimate the detailed convenience offered by a Korean sedan. You can sometimes find them in French cars or in the premium segment, and some of them make Hyundai cars special. For example, the trunk opening can be fully automatic: the car recognizes you with the key in your pocket when you are near the trunk and opens it. All you have to do is walk up to it with your bags and count to three and it will open. It’s actually a very useful feature, especially since if you close the trunk, the car can close itself.
Keyless entry is too safe. It won’t open for you, you have to press the door button or the keys, and only then can you open the door, but I think this can also be customized. Even after a week of familiarization, I still have unexplored corners of the system in the Sonata.
The access to the rear sofa is quite wide and spacious, and there is enough space even for a tall man. The roof does not overhang, a person will not hit his head on the counter, and it is comfortable to sit here. There is an armrest with cupholders, pockets, and a plastic cover for the front seats behind so that children do not stain the upholstery, curtains on the windows. Unfortunately, there is access to the trunk only from the trunk itself, as well as folding the backrests of seats 1 to 3. You press the lever, and then go around and tilt the back of the sofa, which creates a large space for transporting long luggage.
In the eighth-generation restyle, the trunk reaches 480 liters, which is slightly less than its predecessor. There is a servo drive that opens and closes the trunk, and the rails are hidden in a plastic casing, which eats up a little space, but adds a plus in convenience: you no longer need to think about things interfering with the movement of the trunk lid when loading. A spare tire and the necessary standard tools are hidden under the luggage compartment floor.
As in any high-quality D-class sedan, the Sonata has all the necessary components for safety and convenience. From airbags all around to auxiliary systems. And if in Comfort you can get only stabilization systems and others, then with the Premium configuration, control and assistance assistants will already be available. This way, the car keeps the lane well, even without turning on adaptive cruise, and warns of cross traffic, the presence of cars in blind spots, an obstacle ahead, and more.
If you turn on adaptive cruise, which is available from 40 km/h, you can enjoy your vacation because the car will keep the distance, lane, and brake, but will periodically remind you to keep your hands on the wheel.
The nice thing is that the optics are completely diode, and the headlights are divided into different zones, so the dimensions are on their own, and the headlight — separately. You can set the light zone according to the load of the car. And on the highway, you can enjoy the automatic high and low beam switching system.
It’s also worth mentioning the proprietary system of notifications and reminders about things or passengers in the back row. The car will ask you to look back and make sure you haven’t forgotten anyone there.
In general, from my experience working at a service center and collecting statistics on the repair of various cars, Hyundai Sonata is among the top five in terms of reliability and durability of units and parts, even the suspension. Mechanics have met cars with mileage of more than 500 thousand kilometers with native shock absorbers and levers, an engine that works without complaints at all, and it was the seventh (LF) generation of the model.
So all the technologies that the concern is currently installing have already passed the test of hundreds of thousands of kilometers. And when I see a modern atmospheric engine, I am sure that it will last a very long time and maintenance will not cost the owner money.
To summarize, you don’t even have to worry about anything special until two hundred thousand kilometers. Common problems have already been identified and corrected in previous generations, and new ones have not yet manifested themselves. The main thing here is not to forget about scheduled maintenance, which should be performed on time, and to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the quality of fluids and spare parts.
Personally, my impression of the car is only positive because the car is made to perfection and offers many pleasant comfort features that really make it easier to drive and communicate with the car. The best part is that everything works without glitches, which is a rarity nowadays, unlike the wealth of equipment.
I honestly tried to find flaws and identify some bugs, but it turned out to be a difficult task. We can say that the glossy plastic around the perimeter of the body is not a practical solution at all, but it looks good. Of course, you can also find criticisms about the engine and gearbox and say that they could have made the car more economical or more powerful and dynamic. Only here reliability and convenience come to the fore, and the Sonata is all right with them.
The new Hyundai Sonata combines modern design, advanced technology and comfort accumulated over decades. Most of the features have been tested and proven. Engines and gearboxes are familiar to the service stations and have no proprietary diseases. Therefore, the reliability of Korean cars is growing every year, not to mention the design.
Only the Mazda 6 can offer something more worthy in terms of design and richness in terms of comfort, but they are not currently imported to Ukraine. Among the worthy competitors are the Skoda Superb with its strict German-Czech design, or the conservative Toyota Camry — which has been a leader in the segment for many years. But they all lack the overall charm and true design boldness offered by the Koreans.
PROS: design, comfort, handling, richness of equipment.
CONS: price, glossy plastic on the body, fuel consumption.
| Body, type | Sedan |
| Dimensions (LxWxH), mm | 4910/1860/1445 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2840 |
| Declared ground clearance, mm | 135 |
| Trunk volume, liters. | 480 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1415 |
| Engine | Theta lll 2.5 Gdi |
| Power, hp. | 194 |
| Torque, Nm | 245 |
| Type of drive | Front |
| Pendant | Macpherson/semi-dependent |
| Transmission | 8AT |
| Dynamics 0-100, s | 9 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 180 |
| Fuel consumption, l (mixed) | 8,8 |
| Cost, UAH | 1 156 100 |
| The cost of the test car, UAH | 1 581 800 |
| Competitors | Toyota Camry (1 589 120 UAH) |
| Skoda Superb | |
| Mazda 6 | |
| Honda Acord | |
| Ford Mondeo |
