2005 Hyundai Sonata LX review from North America

So far, the car has been flawless.

The initial build quality exceeds my prior Buick and Mercedes, and at least equals my prior Acura Legend. There are lots of thoughtful touches in the passenger cabin and the trunk. There is plenty of rear seat legroom and headroom.

With the 17" wheels and performance tires, handling is quite good although the steering is a bit lighter than I prefer. I would also like a bit more side bolster in the front bucket seats; it is easy to slide on the leather in hard turns.

I like the radio and the heater and air conditioner controls for the obvious way they operate and the absence of tiny buttons.

Under hood service items are well marked and color coded.

The car is much quicker than my supercharged Buick, which advertised more horsepower and torque. It is easy to kick off the traction control when taking off on a wet road.