Length and height are nearly the same as before, but the car is two inches wider. That means a lot more shoulder room, and Hyundai's designers also managed to add another inch of headroom for front passengers. The Sonata's new unibody construction increases structural rigidity and thus reduces a lot of excess noise from outside the cabin. Finally, the front side windows were thickened slightly to further reduce wind noise. The interior provides a pleasant atmosphere for long trips, as we discovered during our 550-kilometer stint behind the wheel.
Seats are plush, and the driving position is adequate for people of all sizes.
The console is covered in wood trim or in the gray marble trim found on our test car. Most impressive on the Sonata's equipment list is the inclusion of seat-mounted side airbags. Hyundai is stressing safety, and to enhance the restraint system, Sonatas are equipped with a Passenger Presence Detection system, a device normally found only in high-end luxury cars that deactivates both front and side airbags if less than 66 lbs. is sitting in the front seat. Crash scores have not come in yet, but the new Sonata should do exceptionally well. This won't be a problem for practical sedan buyers who are not looking for drag racing performance, but the engine can be noisy when power is needed in a hurry.