The beauty of this engine is that it’s in perfect harmony with the Sonata GL’s road manners. Comfortable on the highway, it proved nimble in downtown traffic and easy to manoeuvre in tight spaces (thanks to a turning diameter of just 10.9 metres).

And the suspension is neither too soft nor too stiff, making for enjoyable jaunts on twisting mountain roads. A quality which I was not at all expecting in an entry-level model shod in 16-inch Kumho Solus tires!

The 2011 Sonata GL is refined, comfortable, powerful and fun to drive, and an exceptionally elegant body sets it apart. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com)

I would have appreciated a slightly stiffer feel to the steering, though. However, the four disc brakes were easy to modulate and very grippy.

A pleasant surprise
In a nutshell, the 2011 Sonata GL is refined, comfortable, powerful and fun to drive, and an exceptionally elegant body sets it apart. What’s more, it features competitive pricing and comes with one of the best warranties in the industry. Not surprising, then, that Hyundai’s sales figures are on the rise.