I finally drove the new Sonata yesterday. Since I'm currently driving a 2009 Sonata Sport I hope I can offer a unique and useful perspective.
First the styling. That grille doesn't look so overwhelming in person. Parked next to the old Sonata the new one looks downright racy. It also looks lower, but I think the crest of the roofline is about the same height.Some traditional family buyers might be put off a bit.
The GDI engine is a little noisier off idle, but very quite when cruising. The 25 extra horsepower is noticible but not overwhelming.
Handling is greatly improved. This Limited model with the standard non-sport suspension cornered as flat as my Sport model, but with a much smoother ride. The steering also had better feel despite being electric. I'm wondering now if I'd pony up for the sport suspension when it arrives. This improvement is day and night for those who rightly complained about the ride on previous Hyundais.
The transmission was also much better. The shifts are smoother than mine and the placement of the shifter closer to the driver is brilliant. My shifter is in the traditional position on the 09 with the manual mode requiring pushing it further right.The response in manual mode on the 09 is lethargic.The new one brings the manual mode to the left.I was able to use just my wrist to switch through the gears with my elbow resting comfortably on the well padded armrest, and the response was instantaneous. It actually felt, dare I say, "Sporty", very un-Sonata like.
Dislikes were minor, the main one being that they moved to IPod and USB hookups to the bottom of the instrument panel where prying eyes can see. My hookups are in the central console out of sight.
Overall, I was quite impressed. I'll have to drive a Turbo with the sport suspension when it arrives in Canada to see if it's worth the extra cost. I'd recommend anyone who hasn't driven a Hyundai for a while to test drive this one. You'll be surprised.