Jackson Free Press

Ms. D wrinkled her nose the second she saw it and called to me through the open window of the Miata. "It's white," she said, stating the obvious. I told her that I knew it was white, but that she was to keep an open mind because we needed to evaluate the car on its merits and white was all that they had available at the Hertz counter. She shrugged and popped the Miata into first gear. I plunked the Hyundai into "D" and followed.

Hyundai is trying a strategy that I'd been thinking about for years. Why not build an inexpensive mid-sized car that's designed to look like a rather expensive car? Economy cars look like economy cars, and luxury cars look like luxury cars. Hyundai, perhaps feeling that it has little to lose, has bent those rules somewhat and come up with an interesting option for new car buyers. I just wondered if the Sonata could live up to its styling.

My curiosity was strong enough that I decided to rent one and spend a day with it, including a quick trip to see Ms. D's family in Neshoba County. When we got back from the airport, Ms. D agreed with something that the woman at the Hertz counter had said to me—the Sonata reminded her of a "baby Jag." As she climbed into the cabin, though, Ms. D. exclaimed in distaste and pointed at the dash of the Sonata. "What's that?" she cried. I told her it was a faux wood inlay, designed to make the car look classier. "Ugh." she replied. I made a mental note—the faux wood might be a touch too faux.

The wood trim appears to be standard on all models above the base, so you'll get it if you opt for the GLS or LX models. The standard Sonata is still well appointed, with power doors and windows, remote keyless entry, AC, a six-speaker stereo with CD and cruise control. All that starts at $15,499.

Behind the wheel the Hyundai's 2.7-liter V6 engine was responsive, and the automatic's "tiptronic" approach allows you to switch between and hold certain gears without a clutch. Since I like to fiddle with stuff while driving, I found the transmission diverting, allowing me to anticipate hills and even downshift to slow down. The V6 has plenty of punch and moved the car nicely; EPA estimates are 20 in the city and 27 on the highway—in 200 miles of mixed highway and city driving, I saw about 22 miles per gallon. (The four cylinder gets about 3 mpg more on the highway, but I've read some complaints about the four's noise and vibration. You might size it up, but the power and smoothness of the V6 might be worth a few miles per gallon in this case.)

The interior of our test car was well appointed with a CD/cassette stereo and a sunroof. The driver's-side seat included multiple adjustments and some lumbar support. While I eventually found a decent driving position, I was never quite comfortable because of the placement of the center armrest—it should be longer, particularly in order to place your arm over the shifter. I like to lean on something when I drive an automatic. Otherwise, what's the point?

On our way back, around midnight, Ms. D noted that the Sonata had more room than the Miata (faint praise) but also complained a bit about the seat quality before curling up and nodding off.

The rear of the Sonata is comfortable—two adults could easily ride in the backseat, although you'll need the GLS model or higher if those passengers are to get cupholders. The front passenger cupholders and cubbyholes are handy, while the spring-loaded ashtray and cigarette lighter seemed somewhat anachronistic. There's a second power port in the front console and a third one in the trunk for tailgating or, perhaps, for a powered cooler. And speaking of the trunk, it's huge—14 cubic feet—with a nice low entry and back seats that fold down 60/40.

The Sonata is not an Accord or Camry, but it gives a reasonably smooth ride and the car handles fine—there's some body roll at speed, but the Sonata isn't even touted as a sports sedan. This is straight Buick-killing mid-size driving. The interior is a little clunky and, in our rental with 20,000 miles, some items were showing wear and fraying. But it really is a practical commuter car that looks pretty good when it's passing you.

Even fully loaded with leather, a power seat, ABS and automatic temperature control, the Sonata is less than $22,000. What Hyundai is doing with the Sonata is offering a true mid-sized car with some attractive exterior lines for the price of a compact car in other import lines. The Sonata is priced like a Honda Civic, but competes with the Accord; it's priced like a Toyota Corolla, but competes with a Camry and so on.

To add a final little incentive, Hyundai sweetens the deal with an impressive warranty—five years, 60,000 miles for bumper-to-bumper coverage (with three years on the paint, interestingly) and a 10-year, 100,000-mile on the powertrain (engine and transaxle components). Ideally that makes the Hyundai even more attractive, considering how inexpensive it is.

Ultimately, the Hyundai Sonata (as well as its sister car, the Kia Optima) reminds me a little of some other brands that were once thought to be below standard—Datsun, Toyota, Honda—and that had to work pretty hard to gain loyal followings. Hyundai is not yet in their league, but the Sonata offers some enticing inducements—namely, some of the trappings of luxury without the sticker shock. If you can live with the Hyundai badge, some slightly inferior materials and the risk that you'll be taking the company up on that impressive warranty, then the Sonata might prove a very rewarding purchase.