Both of the engines available for the Hyundai Sonata, a four-cylinder and a V6, have been revised for 2009, achieving the dual benefits of lower emissions and higher fuel efficiency. Both engines are rated LEVII ULEV (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) by the Environmental Protection Agency or PZEV in those 13 or so states with stricter standards. Additionally, both engines now use a variable-length intake manifold to fatten the torque curve and make more zip available over a broader range of engine speeds.

Acceleration is brisk with the four-cylinder; with the new five-speed automatic both performance and economy are slightly improved. Fuel economy for the four-cylinder GLS is 21/31 mpg City/Highway; only the Nissan Altima with CVT and 23/31 does better. The four-cylinder gets a 6/13 hp boost over last year in PZEV/37 states.

The V6 brings a grin to the face, benefiting from a 15-hp increase over last year. Hyundai officials say the V6 can accelerate from 0-60 miles per hour in about 7.5 seconds, with a top speed of more than 130 mph. Six-cylinder models are rated 19/29 mpg, matching the best in the class.

Shifts are executed easily with the five-speed manual, and chirping the front tires is easy.

The Shiftronic automatic transmission moves between gears smoothly, unlocking the torque converter or kicking down for passing with minimal hesitation. The automatic offered responsive performance while tackling the hills of San Francisco and the mountain roads of Malibu. In manual mode, the Shiftronic will upshift automatically when the engine bumps up against redline; it declines to downshift at all (unless you stop), leaving that to the driver's preferences.

Brakes are mostly linear, and equipped with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, which improves stability and reduces emergency stopping distances by balancing brake force on the fly between the front and rear tires. ABS allows the driver to maintain steering control under hard braking. Yet we noticed little of the interference we've found with some more complex EBD-equipped systems, and then only in the final stages of a stop. In the same vein, the electronic stability control (that relies a good deal on the braking system) is seldom noticed and comes on progressively when needed.

Steering is light and direct, with good on-center feel, directional stability. Response to turn input is more precise than before because every tunable element in the fully independent suspension, springs, shocks, antiroll bars and bushings, has been tightened up by roughly 10 percent over the 2008 model.

In terms of ride quality, the 17-inch wheel/tire combination makes its presence known on rough pavement, where the shorter sidewalls transmit more of the road's imperfections into the cabin. The GLS four-cylinder, the lightest model and on 16-inch wheels, offers the best ride quality for those who do most driving on marginal roads. Wind and road noise is decently muted, the engine in the background.

The V6 boasts a larger front anti-roll bar to handle the larger engine's weight, and the SE models get larger anti-roll bars for a bit more roll stiffness; the SE spring and shock rates are also 10 percent to 15 percent higher, but there is still no indication anything is too stiff.

That shows how soft and compliant the Sonata was before, tuned more like your father's Buick than a modern mid-sized sedan. As a result the 2009 Sonata won't set any fast times against its competitors (and some will be slower, too), rather it keeps the good ride comfort it had while taking out the sogginess. Take off in a hurry and the nose doesn't rise so much; hammer the brakes and the nose doesn't dive like a dolphin; take a twisty road and you might find yourself pleasantly surprised. Long highway ventures are smooth and effortless, just as you'd hope for with decent economy and a long warranty.