It might surprise you to know that Hyundai is the fourth bestselling import in North America behind Honda, Toyota and Nissan. It got there by steadily improving its products and delivering great value. The all new Sonata continues Hyundai’s mission with this great looking example. You’d be hard pressed to find a saloon in this class that offers more standard features and five year/60,000-mile basic coverage.

The Sonata’s exterior is subdued and on the edge of elegant and should age well over the years. I like the concave bonnet that’s become a trademark for the Hyundai vehicle line. The Sonata is a little longer and a little taller than the previous model, which should please previous Sonata owners as well as buyers looking for an alternative to mainstream saloons.

The benefit of being the new player in an established market is that you can benchmark the popular vehicles.

Hyundai looked to loftier vehicles like Audi for craftsmanship and Lexus for noise, vibration and harshness standards. This is one of the quietest saloons under £20,000 that I’ve driven in a while, and the fit and finish could fool a Mercedes buyer. The Sonata offers more room for less money than the top sellers in the class.

Standard features on every Sonata include anti-lock and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), air conditioning, cabin air filtration, CD player, dual vanity mirrors, cruise control, power doors/locks/mirrors, six airbags, leather-wrapped steering wheel, Electronic Stability Program, and many other items. When you add in the warranty, you can see why the Sonata is such a great bargain.

There’s a reason why Honda and Toyota sell well; they offer a nice ride and are usually trouble-free. Good resale value is a bonus. Will the Sonata be able to match up? I think the residual values on this model should hold up quite well compared to others in its class.

I drove the new 2.0-litre CRDT powerplant (138 hp) and found it smooth and responsive. The cabin was Lexus-quiet and the standard 16” wheels and tires provided a smoother ride than the sportier, lower-profile tires on the optional 17” wheels. I pushed the Sonata through some tight turns and found predictable understeer, easy to correct by lifting off the power and steering back into the turn. Get in over your head and the standard stability program will be there to save your skin (and as your skin is being saved, remember, the system didn’t cost one extra penny).

It’s hard to imagine, but Hyundai says that while it has one of the highest customer loyalty ratings in the industry, getting new buyers into the showroom has been a challenge, hence Hyundai’s new tagline: “A car first, A badge second.”

Although it may be hard to pass by the Honda and Toyota dealer – the Accord and Avensis combined account for almost two thirds of the mid-size saloon segment – keep moving down the road; you’ll be glad you did. Especially when you leave the Hyundai dealership in a new Sonata with all that change jingling in your pocket.