Early reviews of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata broke embargo this week. The early word? Pretty darn great. The new Sonata’s average score from critics jumped an amazing eight points as compared to the outgoing models. While the ’09 and ’10 models averaged a 79 and 80, respectively, and earned modest praise for their value, Hyundai’s newest edition is averaging an 87, and is being described as a new class leader among best-selling sedans like the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Ford Fusion. As Aaron Gold of About.com put it:
So not only is the Sonata better looking, bigger inside, more fuel efficient and better to drive than most of its competitors, it also retains its value just as well. The Sonata sounds almost too good to be true. Having driven it, I assure you that it is both very, very good and very, very true.
One indication of how well Hyundai did with its newest sedan? Although a there are a number of sedans that outscore the Sonata, all of them cost at least $10,000 more. Essentially, Hyundai has launched the Sonata past Toyota, Honda, and Ford, and into competition with Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. [Pic via]
