Toyota Camry vs. Hyundai Sonata

Recently I had the opportunity to drive two similar mid-sized sedans (on two separate occasions) from Vancouver to Seattle. This route is ideal for a roadtest. Navigating though downtown Vancouver traffic is a good test of handling and brakes. The several bridges leading out of the city is a good test of…how well they go over bridges. There is a short highway section where you can put your foot down until you get stuck in the line up for US customs. Sitting in the queue gives time to test out the radio and other gadgets. Crossing the border into the land of the free, you can really test the speed on the I5, which has a slightly higher speed limits than the Canadian side, for those brave enough to test the patience of American cops. In Bellingham, I always take a detour in order to drive down the twisty Chuckanut Drive bordered by Puget Sound on one side and sheer cliffs on the other. The trip back is the same in reverse, except for a trunk full of cheap American liquor, which does compromise the handling somewhat.

Hyundai Sonata V6

The Hyundai Sonata has been steadily improving for years. The 2008 model is nicely styled. It looks well proportioned, and the interior feels huge. The model I drove came with cushy cloth seats, a V6 engine and a 5 speed automatic transmission with a pointless manual mode. During the wait at the border, I played around with the XM satellite radio, but found none of the limited number of stations appealed to my music tastes. You may have to subscribe to get more stations than are provided by the rental car agency.

The most noticeable part about driving the Sonata is how wide it feels. It doesn't look that big on the outside, but on Vancouver's narrow streets it felt as if I was about to clip pedestrians and bikers at any moment. This wideness combined with a soft suspension was fine on the highway, but disastrous on twisty Chuckaknut Drive. The car dips and wallows until you back off to a more sedate pace. This is not a sports sedan by any means.

The interior, while vast, is lacking in a few places. The seats become uncomfortable after the three-hour drive. The dashboard looks dated with ugly green backlighting and hard plastic pieces that didn't look or feel nice.

While the Sonata is decent and appealing package, it is priced to compete against the Dodge Sebring, Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion, and that's where it shines. It is completely outclassed by the more expensive Camry.

Toyota Camry LE

I should admit upfront that I've hated the Camry for a long time. As cars, I found nothing about them appealing. They are good cars, mind you, but they are just so popular and generic that they blend right into the scenery. Everyone has them and yes, they are dependable and economical, which are admirable qualities but not ones that generate much enthusiasm for a car enthusiast.

Lately, Toyota has been failing in the styling department. New models seem to be getting fatter and uglier, with ugly bumps and creases in the fenders, headlights and taillights. It doesn't look too bad on the larger and better proportioned Camry, but the new Corolla looks like it has the mumps. I rather think Toyota is doing it deliberately to make their Lexus line more appealing.

Where this car does shine is in the quality of materials and smoothness. The LE version I drove only had a 4-cylinder engine to the Sonata's 6, but it was so smooth and refined I couldn't tell the difference. It didn't lack for power either. The seats were much more comfortable and the trunk included a handy cargo net to keep the beer from rocketing around the insides. At night, the instrument panel was backlit by an iPod-like blue panel which looked very classy and modern. The gauges were the same ones from the Lexus line and have superb readability. All cars should be like this, on the inside at least.

And so, even though I was prejudiced against the Camry, it won me over in the end. I can see why every other car on the road is a Camry. It really does set the benchmark for a proper 4 door sedan.