Despite their reassuringly solid feel, the Korean manufacturer’s cars often looked about as exciting as yesterday’s porridge, but we have certainly seen some changes to its styling philosophy in recent years.

Most obvious example of that is its new coupe, which practically screams for attention, but a more pleasingly subtle variation on the theme is the Sonata sedan.

Hyundai has been happy to take its styling cues from others, in much the same way that the Japanese copied anything with wheels in their early days of car building, and the current Sonata is a visually pleasing result.

There is even clearer evidence of progress inside, where it attains a standard of finish that once might have seemed almost out of character for a carmaker that was happy to take shortcuts in order to keep its prices down.

Sonata is actually quite impressive in that respect, displaying much closer attention than in the past to detail trim finish and is even more surprising in terms of comfort, with seats that rival some expensive competitors with their firmly cushioned support and range of adjustments, while its dashboard was redesigned with much better placement of all major controls.

The entry level GLE tested has rather good standard equipment that includes central locking, 4-wheel disc brakes, power steering-windows-mirrors, a driver’s airbag and 6-speaker stereo system.

nterior space too, with generous legroom for taller drivers and a tiltable steering wheel for added comfort, and the basic plastic steering wheel itself scores points for clean and uncluttered design that makes it seem almost light in spite of the weight of the airbag.

A bit raucous and coarse-pitched if pushed too hard under load, it seems quite happy when allowed to just cruise along and sits comfortably on 3,000rpm at 110 kmh, with fuel consumption during our drive averaging out at 9.2 L/100km (30 mpg).

Shift action of the 5-speed manual gearchange seemed a bit imprecise, at times almost indifferent to any desire for rapid gearshifts, perhaps as a reminder that Sonata does not pretend to be a sportscar with razor-edge handling, but it certainly behaves well enough when driven as a family sedan, which is after all only what could be expected.

But the biggest improvement in this new Sonata is not so much seen as it is heard (or not heard); Noise-Vibration-Harshness levels are markedly improved on the previous model, thanks to much more generous insulation and significant changes like hydraulic engine mounts.

Road noise is much lower than before, the doorseals do a good job of keeping windnoise to a minimum (and also of keeping dust outside when taken onto gravel roads), and wind rustle has been kept surprisingly low with just a bit of disturbance around the exterior mirrors. It all combines to allow greater enjoyment of that 6-speaker stereo.

While it could not be said that Sonata in any way redefined what a family sedan could be, or set new benchmarks for the industry, it most certainly does set some new definitions of what a family sedan from Hyundai can be.

So in a way, Sonata is its own surprise.