Overview

Petrol Power. These might be luxo-barges, but with their fine petrol engines and slick shifting manual gearboxes, these can be fun too. Here’s how they compare.

Want something that’s spacious, well equipped, and at over Rs 20 lakh, still good value for money? Your best option would be the Skoda Superb. We would have suggested the Passat too, but then it costs quite a bit more and only comes with a diesel engine. We agree with the increasing price differential between petrol and diesel and the large size of these cars, diesel would be the default choice. But what about the smooth and quiet running at idle; the extra engine revs; and the sweet whine that gets you tingling?

For all this you need a petrol, and not just any petrol, but a turbocharged one; one that the Superb comes with. But, now there’s a newer option on the market. It might be a Hyundai, but it promises to match the Superb in almost every way, and maybe even better it at times. We decided to find out if the new Sonata has what it takes to beat the Skoda Superb.

Exterior & Interior

Interiors look more inviting initially and are certainly more modern looking. But, the quality isn't as good as the Superb and there's less equipment too.

The Sonata rolls more compared to the Superb and the steering feel isn't great either.

There’s one thing that the Hyundai certainly does better and that’s looking flashy. It screams money and attention that’s almost a match for the Honda Accord. Nonetheless, it is more contemporary and eye-catching than the odd-ball looking Superb.

It’s also better proportioned than the Skoda with its long hood, a flowing glasshouse and a short boot. The Sonata seems as if it has been sculpted from one piece of metal whereas the Superb looks rather disjointed.

Inside too, the Sonata is showier. Unlike the Skoda which uses slab-like design philosophy all over including the centre console, aircon vents or even the general dashboard layout, the Sonata is all about trendier shapes. So, it looks in-vogue and more inviting.

But, the Hyundai isn’t as well equipped. It doesn’t get a sunroof or memory seats or even one touch up/down operation for all the windows. There’s no touch screen audio or a decent trip computer on board either. Moreover, the Hyundai lacks the opulence of the Skoda. The plastic, the finish and even the operability is more like the Verna rather than being a couple of notches higher. Space is another area where the Superb remains the car to beat. It might not have a lot more shoulder or headroom compared to the Sonata, but the usable kneeroom and even the boot space is way better.

Interiors are more conventional but quality and fit and finish is better. Clocks too are simple but house a comprehensive and useful trip computer.

Superb corners flat and it's easier to take liberties with. Steering feel is better too on the Skoda.

The Hyundai though has more comfortable seats, particularly at the back. In fact, the Hyundai is brilliant if you want a car to be driven around in. Not only are the seats cushier and more supportive, these are cooled too; a fantastic addition for our terrible summer days. The rear occupants get audio controls on the central armrest besides a set of cup holders as well. What it could do with though, is sun blinds; something that’s standard on the Superb.

However, when the straights end and the corners begin to come at you at a blinding pace, the Sonata begins to drop back. It just doesn’t have the dynamic prowess of the Skoda. The steering lacks feedback in comparison to the Superb’s unit and it rolls around more too. So, when you turn into a corner in the Skoda you go in faster and more aggressively because the car settles down predictably. It might still understeer, but you always feel connected.

On the Hyundai, that connect is missing. It’s more like a guessing game and if you enter too hot,you guess less and pray more. In comparison, the Sonata feels nervous, and you just don’t want to take liberties with it.

On the upside though, the ride quality on the Hyundai is a tad better. It is quieter and more settled at slower speeds. You can still feel an underlying stiffness to the ride quality, but it's always comfortable. The awful wallowing we have come to dislike on the Verna isn't there either and the Sonata handles road undulations well too; it does get worse with load though. The Superb's ride is settled too and it wallows less even when loaded. But, one can feel and hear the suspension working more clearly on the Skoda.

Engine & Gearbox

Hyundai Sonata 201bhp 2.4-litre engine is naturally aspirated and sports direct injection.

What’s also standard on the petrol Superb is a lovely engine. The 1.8-litre unit is turbocharged and silky smooth. It’s also refined and fast revving. Moreover, it is so enjoyable at the upper reaches of the rpm band that it’s almost impossible not to hit the redline in each gear. And when you do, it’s very rewarding. 0-100kmph takes nine seconds and it also gets to its top speed of over 200kmph in very quick time. To make things sweeter, the 6-speed manual ‘box is a joy to use; it is slick and has precise and short throws.

Skoda Superb Turbocharged 1.8-litre engine is brilliant fun for those who love driving.

Don’t however give up on the new Sonata after reading such praise for the Superb, because the Sonata is no less. It comes with a larger engine displacing 2.4-litre. Unlike the Superb this one is a naturally aspirated engine, but still manages to develop a little over 200bhp of maximum power against the 160bhp available on the Skoda. On the road that translates into a minutely quicker 0-100kmph time compared to the Superb and slightly higher top speed too. The gearbox again is right up there in terms of shift quality and at the end we’d say both the drivetrains are absolutely at par.

Dimension

Hyundai Sonata (mm)
The Sonata sits on a longer wheelbase, but isn't as spacious as the Skoda inside.	Boot at 523 litres is reasonably large.
Skoda Superb (mm)
Superb sets the benchmark for rear space, particularly for kneeroom.	Usable boot space for a sedan is tremendous too.

Scorecard & Verdict

Skoda Superb- The Superb is the better buy and the more rewarding car to drive. Plus, with its convenience features, it is overall more comfortable too.

Hyundai Sonata- Sonata in the manual guise misses out on a lot of features which the automatic version comes with. That apart it too makes for a good buy.

Scorecard

Body: It might sport a smaller wheelbase compared to the Sonata (though not by much), but the Superb's packaging is well... superb. It scores higher in all space related categories including usable luggage space. The Skoda also scores more for quality and on the safety front courtesy more safety related equipment. In terms of visibility though, both cars are on par.

Drive: The Sonata and the Superb might have vastly different engines - the former is a less powerful, smaller capacity turbocharged unit, while the Hyundai uses a larger naturally aspirated engine - but on the road these perform equally well. And that's mostly down to the same torque ratings. But, the Superb develops its peak torque sooner and is therefore more driveable.

Comfort: Here too, both cars score exactly the same. While the Sonata has the better ride, the Superb out-handles the Hyundai. The Skoda also gets more comfort and convenience related equipment. The Sonata though claws back this advantage courtesy comfier and more supportive seats, both front and back.

Dynamics: The Sonata maybe much better than the Verna when it comes to dynamics - it has better steering response, better straight line stability and it corners and brakes with more surety as well. But the Superb just does it better. In terms of manoeuvrability, neither are easy on the driver. But at least their turning circles are small.

Cost: Overall, the Superb beats the Sonata by quite a handsome margin. It might lose to the Hyundai under the Cost head for the latter is cheaper to buy and comes with better warranty, but as is clear from our Test Results, the Skoda scores much higher as a product to land itself an overall win.

Verdict

The new Sonata is a much better car than the outgoing model and it has a gem of a drivetrain. We love the engine and the way it puts down its power. It also looks good and is more comfortable and it’s also the better car to be driven in. But, the Superb, even though it is more expensive, is still a better product overall to put your money down on. It is more spacious, more usable and comes with more comfort and convenience features. There might be some issues with Skoda’s service, but there’s no denying that even today a Skoda commands a higher snob value than a Hyundai.