2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport 2.0T

Now that Hyundai's designers and engineers have found their mojo and started penning sharp-looking, well-proportioned cars such as this fast-backed "four-door coupe" Sonata, who can blame them for trying to amp up the sport quotient with big horsepower engines, and big, aggressive wheels and fascias? For 2015, the most athletic Sonata money can buy is the Sport 2.0T. (A paper-tiger Sport with the 2.4-liter naturally aspirated engine is also available.)

Fashion-forward car enthusiasts have probably noted that the 2.0-liter, direct-injected turbo four-cylinder seems to be the engine of the future, with practically everyone already offering such a mill or promising one soon. Hyundai's Theta II turbo-GDI engine bristles with variable valve timing that optimizes for low-rpm drivability as well as a small-diameter turbine compressor wheel and twin-scroll housing that help to further reduce turbo lag and fatten the low-end torque feel of the engine. Output is rated at a reasonable 245 hp at 6,000 rpm and 260 lb-ft. at 1,350 rpm, roughly tying the Ford Fusion EcoBoost's 240 hp/270 lb-ft and handily trumping the VW Passat 1.8T's 170 hp/184 lb-ft. Sadly, Hyundai's Theta II now trails the turbo offering in its quasi-sistership, the Kia Optima SX Turbo, which produces 274 hp/269 lb-ft. (Last year's Sonata 2.0T shared that engine specification.) It also trails the GM competition (Chevy Malibu LT/LTZ, Buick Regal T) by a bunch. They kick out 259 hp/295 lb-ft.

Not too surprisingly then, the Sonata Sport 2.0T can't be expected to win many drag races against these competitors. We measured a 0-to-60 time of 8.0 seconds, which trailed even the Passat TSI Sport by 0.2 second. The Regal and Malibu did this sprint in 6.1 and 6.3 seconds and the Optima needed 7.2 seconds. Despite the added friction of all-wheel drive, the Fusion was 1.2 seconds quicker at 6.8 seconds. Even naturally aspirated competitors such as the Honda Accord Sport and Mazda6 squeak past the Sonata Sport 2.0T with a half-second and two-tenths to spare, respectively.

2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport 20t First Drive Photos

2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport 20t First Drive Photos

2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport 20t First Drive Photos