Hyundai bolsters size, performance of 2010 Sonata

Before being replaced, 2010 Sonata was very good.

Pretty sly, those folks at Hyundai. When they entered the automotive scene, they were cautious and conservative, and they stamped out copies of proven cars from other manufacturers. A lot of serious car-fans paid little attention, and maybe a lot of us were looking the other way when the midsize Sonata came out and developed into a competent car, and therefore we can use that for an alibi for not noticing that the Sonata has become an outstanding car.

Saying that a car is “competent” sounds like a rip, because it implies it’s not noteworthy enough to describe beyond just meeting established criteria for various assigned tasks. Toyota has led the way in the automotive world by making cars that are infinitely competent. For people who have bought flashy cars, or gimmick-filled cars, or cars that wind up with countless quality or maintenance issues, getting a car that is competent is a big deal.

The Sonata, however, sneaks up on us by being competent even while finding its way to the upper echelon of other important factors, including style, size, convenience, roominess, comfort, and even sportiness.

OK, so sportiness is a bit of a stretch. But after driving various models of the Sonata, including the luxury leading Limited, and the sportiest SE, it occurs to me that with just a few tweaks to the suspension, and maybe a slight alteration in aspect ratio to bigger wheels with more performance-oriented tires, and toss in steering wheel paddle shifters, and the Sonata could indeed match up well with the sportier midsize sedans. Read more

• About the Author

  John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
  
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• Exhaust Notes:

  PADDLING
  More and more cars are offering steering-wheel paddles to allow drivers manual control over automatic or CVT transmissions. A good idea might be to standardize them. Most allow upshifting by pulling on the right-side paddle and downshifting with the left. But a recent road-test of the new Porsche Panamera, the paddles for the slick PDK direct-sequential gearbox were counter-intuitive -- both the right or left thumb paddles could upshift or downshift, but pushing on either one would upshift, and pulling back on either paddle downshifted. I enjoy using paddles, but I spent the full week trying not to downshift when I wanted to upshift. A little simple standardization would alleviate the problem.
  
  

  SPEAKING OF PADDLES
  The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has the best paddle system, and Infiniti has made the best mainstream copy of that system for the new Q50, and other sporty models. And why not? It's simply the best. In both, the paddles are long, slender magnesium strips, affixed to the steering column rather than the steering wheel. Pull on the right paddle and upshift, pull on the left and downshift. The beauty is that while needing to upshift in a tight curve might cause a driver to lose the steering wheel paddle for an instant, but having the paddles long, and fixed, means no matter how hard the steering wheel is cranked, reaching anywhere on the right puts the upshift paddle on your fingertips.
  
  

  TIRES MAKE CONTACT
  Even in snow-country, a few stubborn old-school drivers want to stick with rear-wheel drive, but the vast majority realize the clear superiority of front-wheel drive. Going to all-wheel drive, naturally, is the all-out best. But the majority of drivers facing icy roadways complain about traction for going, stopping and steering with all configurations. They overlook the simple but total influence of having the right tires can make. There are several companies that make good all-season or snow tires, but there are precious few that are exceptional. The Bridgestone Blizzak continues to be the best=known and most popular, but in places like Duluth, MN., where scaling 10-12 blocks of 20-30 degree hills is a daily challenge, my favorite is the Nokian WR. Made without compromising tread compound, the Nokians maintain their flexibility no matter how cold it gets, so they stick, even on icy streets, and can turn a skittish car into a winter-beater.