Overview

Czeching out the Transform. Hyundai has named the latest incarnation of the Sonata, Transform. But it doesn't look like it's transformed much. AUTO BILD INDIA pits it against the competition.

The Hyundai Sonata you see on these pages is a refurbished one. And if we hadn’t mentioned it, chances are you’d probably never have noticed. For good reason too, because on the outside, the modifications are as slight as changes in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s expressions, no matter what the scene. The headlamp cluster has been tweaked and so has the grille. It gets new alloy wheels and a new name, Transform.

What hasn’t changed, though, is the competition at hand. So, we have brought the Skoda Laura and the Volkswagen Jetta along to see if the new Sonata can hold its own against the competition.

Exterior & Interior

Sonata's cockpit could have been classier if there were less doses of faux wood. It is well equipped though and offers good visibility.

Unlike the first Sonata that roamed our roads, the Transform, like the Embera, is subtle and looks particularly underwhelming in white. It does get a hint of chrome, and its sheer size does draw a few glances, but t’s still a car that you’d want to buy to pass unnoticed. The etta is a bigger introvert. It has tauter lines and along with the chrome beard and the LED tail lamps, it exudes better character, but park it next to the Sonata and one tends to discount the VW completely – it looks small and almost insignificant.

The Laura though, is unarguably the most handsome. Its short boot and a relatively longer hood give it a more dynamic presence. Add to it better defined creases, a slightly edgy design and the Skoda makes the other two look soft and weary. It is certainly the car in this bunch for those looking at making a strong statement about their taste and status.

It’s a different story on the inside, however. The Laura with its all-black interiors fails to excite. Sure, the VW and the Skoda have similar knobs, buttons and layout, and both cars are equally well built and finished, but the VWcomes across as the classier of the two. The Transform’s insides,meanwhile, are gaudy. There’s pleasing black and beige combo all round, but then, the dashboard is lined with loud fauxwood and brushed silver accents; not to mention a generous dose of chrome lining on almost every knob. Without the flashy inserts, it would certainly have been more appealing to the senses.

As far as comfort equipment goes, all three cars are almost evenly matched – dual zone climate control, multifunctional steering, integrated MP3 player, trip computer and electric windows and ORVMs are all standard on the three in question. But, the Laura betters the other two by additionally offering front and rear parking sensors, a sunroof and fully electric seats with memory.

All-black interiors take away somewhat from the luxurious feel, as do the clock's design which is easy to read, but nothing exciting to look at.

The comfort co-efficient Meanwhile, if you are considering any of these cars, it’s obvious that you make more than a decent packet, are loaded with work, and therefore, throughout the week, will be chauffeur driven for sure. Rear seat comfort and room then, assumes paramount importance.

The Sonata has a large, comfortable rear bench. It’s got the right seatback inclination and the seats are nearly as accommodating as the expensive couch at home. It’s also the roomiest with the widest shoulder room by a margin and more head and knee room as well. Getting in and out is easy and being softly sprung, the Hyundai also rides quite well on most poor city roads at slower speeds. But pick up speed and it begins to wallow which takes away from the comfort aspect somewhat.

The Jetta rides well too. In fact, it offers the most pliant ride – absorbing most road irregularities with aplomb while keeping the wallowing to a bare minimum. The rear seats though are slightly firmer. These offer better support but aren’t as relaxing as the Sonata’s. The German is also the most cramped, so besides planning on running your company operations efficiently, you’d also have to give your in-car seating and accessory placement a good amount of thought.

The same holds true for the Laura, even though it is slightly roomier. Seats again are firm and the ride quality firmer still. The stiff setup might also induce squeaks and rattles sooner than in other cars. But, both the Laura and Jetta offer rear AC vents, which will be appreciated greatly by the rear occupants, with summer approaching.

By far the most elegant cockpit and feels well built too. Steering mounted controls are easy to use, but lacks on the equipment front a bit.

From the driver’s seat Over the weekend, the Sonata is the last car you’d want to drive in this bunch. To begin with, the seats up front aren’t exactly comfortable. One can adjust the seat for nearly everything and the steering for both rake and reach (as in the other two cars), but it’s still difficult to find a good, comfy position. The seat bolstering is a tad odd, and one sits pretty high, even with the seat set to its lowest position.

Then you have a light and mute steering. It tells you little about what the car’s up to. And, worst of all, it doesn’t weigh up enough at speed leaving the car feeling twitchy. Around corners, there’s too much body movement and the whole setup seems vague leaving the driver distressed. It does have a good engine though and a six-speed manual gearbox which shifts reasonably well. The car’s pretty quick too, but whatreally lets it down, is the turbo lag. The engine uses a VGT, buteven so, there’s no real grunt below the 2,000rpm mark. Past that, it shoots off like a rat running for cover.

Jump into the Jetta thereafter, and the difference in engineering between a European and a Korean car maker immediately comes to the fore. The Jetta has a much better driving position and easily the best front seats in the house. You instantly feel at home in it, a feat even its cousin the Laura can’t manage. Then, there’s the precise and talkative steering (which is light to use in the city), predictable handling and body roll that’s well reigned in.The DSG gearbox further adds to the Jetta’s fun-to-drive factor,especially the paddle shifts.

The Laura is as much fun behind the wheel. It also corners flatter and returns better control and predictability on the limit. To top it all off, it accelerates quicker, offers better driveability and is more fuel efficient too. However, the Laura has the heaviest steering in this bunch which can get both uncomfortable and tiring in the frequently crawling traffic of city confines. There’s an upside to it though - the steering feel is superior and it weighs up better at speed.

Engine & Gearbox

Hyundai Sonata Transform

Hyundai gets the biggest, most powerful and torquey engine in this test. And it has the highest top speed. But, the Laura matches it in 0-100kmph dash.

Skoda Laura

The Laura's engine isn't the most refined or powerful, but with the DSG gearbox, it runs well both under hard acceleration as well as with a light foot.

VW Jetta

The VW uses the same engine as the Laura and a DSG box as well, but the performance and fuel economy figures are comparatively lower in the Jetta.

Dimension

Hyundai Sonata Transform (mm)
Large outside dimensions mean, the Sonata is also the most spacious inside.	Boot space is decent and wide opening makes for easy loading.
Skoda Laura (mm)
Laura is more spacious than the Jetta but the rear headroom could be better.	The Skoda has the largest boot here, and with the tail gate opening all the way, it makes for hassle free loading and unloading.
VW Jetta (mm)
Feels the tiniest on the outside and the same holds true for the insides as well.	Jetta's boot is big on paper, but a relatively short boot opening takes away from its utility when one needs to load in large luggage.

Scorecard & Verdict

Scorecard

Body: No surprise that the Laura and the Jetta finish with equal points; these are after all nearly the same cars with different badging. The Sonata is found lacking in a few areas even though it offers more rear room and better visibility. But, it's the lack of safety equipment that really pulls it down.

Drive: The Sonata and the Laura are evenly matched in performance terms even though the Hyundai makes more power and torque. Also, the advantages of the DSG box over a manual are well ighlighted via the relatively poor driveability returned by the Sonata. It is also the least efficient in this group.

Comfort: Here again, the cousins are evenly matched and leave their Korean counterpart behind. They outscore the latter in handling, operability and comfort equipment. Between the Jetta and the Laura the former has better ride while the Skoda handles better.

Dynamics: The difference in outlook between a European and an Asian manufacturer really comes to the fore here – the Europeans build cars with a driver bias and as a result, the steering response and directional stability is much better.

Cost: Sonata's lower pricing and superb warranty see it win under this head. As for the other two, these again are identical. The etta is more expensive but with cars costing over Rs 17 lakh, a price difference of Rs 50,000 is not so significant.

Verdict

The Sonata is pretty good as a stand alone product for the space and equipment it offers for the price. But it lacks in a number of areas – fuel economy, safety equipment, and of course, snob value. Now, VW is more upmarket than Skoda, internationally. But here, it does not enjoy that advantage. Moreover, the Laura betters its cousin in terms of comfort equipment, fuel efficiency, performance and space. Most of all, for all the extra features it costs less. For Rs 17 lakh, it is definitely the diesel sedan to buy.