Sonata, Aura add competition to midsize niche

Americans love midsize sedans. Oh, sure, we might not actually love them as much as we would, say, an Italian sports car, but not everybody has the liberty of buying a high-priced twoseater. Many of us turn to cars that are functional, affordable and dependable. This can mean Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys or Ford Fusions and Chevrolet Malibus.

But there are certainly more options out there that stack up with the big sellers in many areas. Two models that we drove recently that fill this bill are the 2009 Hyundai Sonata and Saturn Aura. The Sonata has been redesigned with a new front end, upgraded interior materials and better fuel economy.

The vehicle we tested was a midlevel SE with a 249-horsepower, 3.3-liter V-6 engine that provided more-than-adequate pickup and supplied decent EPA mileage figures (29 mpg/highway and 19 mpg/city). Sonata prices start for as little as $18,120, making them a fine consideration for the bank account.

The Aura that we drove also fit in the middle portion of the line's trims. The XR model came with a 169-hp, 2.4- liter 4-cylinder engine that is the Aura's new base engine (hybrid gas-electric and V-6 engines are also available). The straight 4-cylinder stands out with EPA mileage ratings of 33 mpg highway and 22 mpg city. The Aura is similar to the Malibu, so there is good footing here on a style that has been revitalized among General Motors' products. Like the Sonata, the Aura comes standard with many of the noteworthy safety features, such as electronic stability control, antilock brakes, side-impact airbags and side-curtain airbags. Add in decent cabin room for all five passengers and split-folding rear seats that can increase cargo space and the Hyundai Sonata and Saturn Aura have the goods that people readily turn to — even if they're not sports cars.