That funny-looking sedan with the peanut-shaped headlights should not be dismissed as another also-ran in the midsize sedan class.  Redesigned for 2002, Hyundai’s Sonata is symbolic of Hyundai’s growing influence in the American car market.

Look around and you’ll see more and more Sonatas on the road.  That’s not a surprise, considering Hyundai’s increasing annual sales, which have passed those of some Japanese manufacturers.  With its prosperity on the rise, the Korean manufacturer is making plans to build a factory in the United States as well, just like those of its major Japanese rivals.  This corporate power surge has been fueled in part by the Sonata.  In addition to the new sheet metal, Hyundai’s bread-and-butter sedan gets a larger engine and surprise-and-delight refinements that make it a stronger competitor for more expensive cars.

Awkward at first glance, the Sonata’s new face will grow on you.  The distinctive, droop-tailed styling is busier than last year’s smoothly sculpted model, with an upright grille whose blacked-out bars highlight the Hyundai logo in the center.  The headlights are complex units that don’t quite bring Mercedes to mind.  New ten-spoke 16″ wheels  are available on pricier models.  The taillights are larger, and feature an attractive, sunburst-like lensing effect.  Fog lamps and hydraulic hood and trunklid lifters are now standard on all models, so the Sonata can be cheaper than the competition without necessarily feeling like it.

One thing we’ve always noticed about Hyundais is that they feel different.  The interior of our test car couldn’t be mistaken for that of any other midsize sedan.  Hyundai has chosen a unique upholstery cloth for the Sonata.  Our test car seemed fuzzy inside, in a good way.  A new dashboard uses more upscale plastics, and is the equal of any other midsize sedan.  The plush seats are comfortable for shortish trips, but long-legged drivers will wish for a longer bottom cushion.

The Sonata’s drivetrain is fairly conventional.  The V6 engine has been bumped in displacement, from 2.5 liters to 2.7, and it’s making 181 horsepower.  The Sonata is a little bit underpowered, however, and merging into traffic is sometimes a desperate affair.  Once up to speed, it’s well-behaved.  A 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine is also available.  Sonatas can be had with five-speed manual or four-speed automatics.  The automatic even has a selectable manual shift control, just like the ones that are the thing to have in European midsize sedans these days.

Hyundai lowered the roll center of the multilink rear suspension, and added larger roll bars in the front to improve the Sonata’s ride and handling this year.  The verdict:  Hyundai’s Sonata is still not a particularly athletic car.  Like previous Sonatas we’ve driven, the 2002 model has a comparatively squashy suspension.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially for buyers who like old American cars and want an alternative to today’s taut, road-hugging family sedans.  The soft shock valving on its independent suspension allows the Sonata to wallow more than a Grand Marquis in hard turns!  Will this matter anywhere but on a race track?  No.  Residents of areas with ill-maintained roads will in fact be thankful for the suspension float provided by a Sonata.

Apart from the floppy handling, the Sonata is easy to drive.  Around town it belies its midsize rating, nipping easily in and out of traffic, and the long-looking nose isn’t a problem in parking lots.

With Hyundai, of course, it always comes down to value.  Priced several thousand dollars less than a Toyota Camry or Ford Taurus, the Sonata’s giant-killer pricing requires less and less of a sacrifice each year.  For 2002, the Sonata’s standard features list reads just like that of the more expensive cars:  keyless entry, air conditioning, cruise control, remote trunk release and a CD player are all standard equipment.  Side airbags are also standard, a feature not offered on some family-priced midsize cars.  Options include an engine block heater for cold climates and a sunroof, of course.

Our test car was a Sonata GLS.  With only floor mats as an option, it was equipped as nicely as the Ford Taurus we drove recently, lacking only a sunroof, and it stickered for over $2000 less, breaking the bank at $18,155.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Hyundai Sonata GLS V6,  which we tested.
Length:         186.9 in.
Width:            71.7 in.
Height:            56.0 in.
Wheelbase:        106.3 in.
Curb weight:        3254 lb.
Cargo space:        14.1 cu.ft.
Base price:        $17,499
Price as tested:     $18,155
Engine:         2.7 liter 24-valve DOHC V6
Drivetrain:         four-speed automatic, front wheel drive
Horsepower:         181 @ 6000
Torque:         177 @ 4000
Fuel capacity:        17.2 gal.
Est. mileage:        20/27
Warranty:        5 year/60,000 unlimited, 10/100,000 powertrain