Hyundai Sonata Elite v Mazda6 Touring v Subaru Liberty 2.5i Premium 2015 Comparison

The medium sedan segment has long been dominated by the Toyota Camry… at least in sales terms. But if it's the best all-rounder you're after in the segment, the default (for a while now) has been Mazda's versatile Mazda6. Recently refreshed, the time was ripe to see if the latest Mazda could retain its superiority over a segment recently emboldened by Hyundai's new Sonata and Subaru's sixth-generation Liberty.

The best is now better
How do you improve on a segment benchmark?

For Mazda and its facelifted Mazda6 medium car, it was about evolution rather than revolution.

Designers freshened the styling by adding angles, strakes and LED headlights to the front-end along with newly-designed 19-inch alloy wheels. But, as ever, it's the inside that counts.

Suspension has been retuned, front and rear seating redesigned and NVH reduced by a claimed 10 per cent on rough roads and an amazing 25 per cent at highway speeds.

Infotainment has been enhanced with a 7.0-inch touchscreen and cleaner control layouts, there's an electric park-brake and a switch to alter drive modes. In short, Mazda has addressed areas highlighted as shortcomings in the previous model.

The updated Mazda6 comes at the right time, for there's a couple of rivals knocking on the door with significant new models and a bid on closing the sales gap to Toyota's ancient Camry [Ed: which although significantly restyled in 2011 is essentially unchanged since 2006].

Hyundai's reborn Sonata (the first since 2010) demonstrates shades of the company's Genesis large sedan design language, concealing a grunty turbocharged engine and promising high levels of equipment to go with its unsurpassed aftersales program.

Another long-term segment presence, Subaru's Liberty, is now in its sixth-generation. Packed with its traditional points of difference – a continuously variable transmission, horizontally-opposed engine, all-wheel drive – the latest Liberty is focused more than ever on safety with an impressive array of standard safety equipment on offer.

But does either have enough to topple Mazda?

Mid-range Middies
For consistency we've selected our tested vehicles from the middle of the pack in terms of pricing and equipment.

The Hyundai Sonata Elite is priced from $36,990 (plus on-road costs). It packs a driveline punch for the money, with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine producing some 180kW, along with 350Nm. Although capable of running 91RON fuel, Hyundai's claimed 9.2L/100km combined fuel economy indicates that the performance comes at a price. A torque converter-equipped six-speed automatic sends drive to the front wheels and offers sequential shifting, though no steering wheel paddles are present.

Key standard Sonata Elite features include an 8.0-inch touchscreen which provides a reversing camera and satellite navigation, and is supported with three years of free MapCare updates. Leather appointed seats (with 12-way electric adjustment for the driver), dual-zone climate control, 'proximity' start key with push-button start, hands-free boot operation, auto headlamps, Bluetooth telephony and audio streaming.

Covering off safety is six airbags and (breath in) stability control incorporating traction control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, hill-start control and stability management.

It also has the most boot space of the bunch, rated at 510 litres.

Jump into the Subaru Liberty 2.5i Premium – the cheapest here at $35,490 (plus ORCs) and $4000 less than the model it replaces thanks largely to the new free trade agreement with Japan – and safety takes precedence over performance. The entire range now packs Subaru's EyeSight driver assistance system which augments its seven airbags with adaptive cruise control, brake light recognition, both autonomous braking and steering assistants and lane-departure warning.

There's also a 160-degree reversing camera range. Even the wiper washers have been increased to three from two to aid visibility.

Couple this to the familiar all-wheel drive system, and a vehicle dynamic control that incorporates torque vectoring among the regular acronyms, and the Liberty really stacks up from a safety perspective.

But where it's advanced the safety game, its 2.5-litre flat-four remains. Lacking the direct injection of its rivals, the old nail has nevertheless reduced fuel consumption by a claimed 7.6 per cent over its predecessor and is Euro 6 compliant. The vitals are 129kW and 235Nm, and 7.3L/100km on the combined cycle. Idle stop-start contributes to the latter.

Equipment levels are solid with keyless entry and go, two-mode SI-drive (throttle and transmission mapping), auto wipers, 18-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth telephony and audio, internet radio, paddle shifters for the CVT, and leather seats with seat heating and electric adjustment for driver and passenger.

The centre stack plays host a 7.0-inch touchscreen audio system with standard satellite navigation.

Storage isn't compromised either with a 493 litre boot capacity.

The Mazda6 Touring costs $37,280 and shares its 2.5-litre capacity with the Subaru, but with its four cylinders arranged in-line. The high-compression SKYACTIV-G unit retains the 138kW and 250Nm peak outputs of its predecessor, along with a six-speed SKTACTIV-Drive automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. Fuel consumption is a claimed 6.6L/100km (ADR Combined).

Beyond the aforementioned upgrades the Mazda6 Touring also gains a choice of black or white leather trim (the latter is fitted to the tested vehicle), electrically-adjustable front seats with driver's memory, front and rear parking sensors, DRLs and foglights, a 7.0-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation and reversing camera, keyless go (but not entry), dual-zone climate control, paddle shifters, Bluetooth phone and audio, internet radio and premium Bose sound.

Six airbags are present along with a full suite of electronic stability control programs, and the boot carries 474 litres. A safety pack is also available, adding much of the standard Subaru-style safety kit for an additional $1260.

Hyundai has traditionally been the master of this domain, with long-term warranties and unbeatable after-sales support. Although the gap has closed, the same is true here, with the Sonata backed by a five-year / unlimited kilometre warranty.

Its servicing is also the best here, with a 12 month or 15,000km interval (whichever comes first). Capped-price servicing is now offered for the life of the vehicle, with the first service priced at $159. Ten years of roadside assistance is also provided free of charge.

Mazda was late to the capped-price game, though its offering for the Mazda6 currently stands at eight years or 160,000km. The first service stings, however, at $299. The intervals are also short, at six months or 10,000km.

Roadside assistance is available but it costs $68.10 per year for the standard package.

Warranty-wise, the Mazda is covered for the first three years with no kilometre limit.

Finally, Subaru offers the same three-year / unlimited kilometre warranty as Mazda. The Liberty's service intervals are set at six months, again like the Mazda, though if you do a lot of driving the Subaru is superior as it can extend to 12,500km in that time.

Capped-price servicing is available, covering you for the first three years or 75,000km, and one year of complimentary roadside assistance is included in the purchase cost.

The Hyundai Sonata is the hot-rod of the trio; obvious from the 42kW and 100Nm advantage it has over the Mazda, perhaps, but in practice the Sonata flares its front wheels up when the throttle is pressed, and it will torque steer over cambers and power understeer if you provoke it. From that perspective it feels decidedly old-fashioned.

The turbocharged engine is unresponsive down low in the rev range, a trait not helped by the transmission's slow-witted initial response, making slow-speed manoeuvring a challenge. Once up to speed the Sonata has a mighty mid-range, delivering on the promise of its specification. It's also refreshing to see Hyundai has quoted a consumption figure that nears the truth; on-test the Sonata recorded 9.4L/100km, only 0.2 more than the claim.

It also rides beautifully, with a lovely feeling that each corner is working independently to its given patch of tarmac. The negative to this is that the Sonata generates slightly more roll through sharper corners than its opposition.

It's also very quiet at a cruise, with road and wind noise barely intruding even under firm acceleration, and all-round visibility is very good.

Less impressive is the interior. The soft-touch leather steering wheel flatters to deceive, with hard plastic surfaces dominating from the wheel's centre boss through to the dash cover and door trims. Thankfully the centre console and infotainment controls are large and easy-to-use, there's good incidental storage and rear occupants are treated to truly impressive leg room and acceptable headroom.

Boot space, meanwhile, is every bit as grand as the 510L figure suggests.

Up-front, the Sonata's seats offer little in the way of under-thigh support, though the soft headrests are welcome on longer trips.

Swapping for the Mazda the interior immediately feels more intimate and the seats more cosseting. The downside is that the smaller rear and side glass impinge on visibility, and when combined with an up-swept shoulder-line and thicker pillars, the Mazda6 is harder to see out of than the opposition.

More welcome is the level of fit and finish, which wouldn't be out of place in a premium German saloon.

Yes, its touchscreen is an inch smaller than the Hyundai's, but the cleaner interior layout and more tactile controls more than make up for it. The light leather also plays its part, though it would show up every stain with time.

Side-rear seat occupants receive their own extended thigh supports and the cabin offers competitive leg room and just enough foot room, though the 6 falls away on luggage capacity.

Constant criticism of recent Mazda product has been centred on NVH (noise, vibration and harshness), and it's fair to say that this has been largely addressed. Our recorded volume reading of 73dB(A) at 80km/h was only one behind the leading Sonata, though it has to be said that the noise is harsher-sounding to the ear overall.

Dynamically the Mazda6 corners more flatly than others on-test, and is more responsive to steering input. It rides with more firmness, too, but it's just on the sporty edge of compliance. The driveline combination remains solid, though the low-down lack of torque is noticeable.

On-test, the Mazda used 8.3L/100km; 1.7 more than the claim.

The Liberty sits somewhere in-between the others, in several aspects. Subaru has done a creditable job in enhancing the ambience of the new interior and there's no doubt the standard safety features add a dimension of security – even if the lane-departure warning system is over-sensitive on narrow country back roads.

Despite the standard-fit sunroof, head room is acceptable as is rear-seat leg room.

Obviously impressive in terms of traction, it is also noteworthy that the Liberty feels livelier down low than the Mazda, thanks in part to the capable CVT. It does, however slurp fuel, with the recorded test figure showing 9.1L/100km, some 1.8 over the claim.

Ride and handling response are well-matched, the low-speed ride in particular displaying impressive bump absorption without excessive body roll. As speed rises, it unfortunately becomes less secure, the Liberty becoming floaty over bumps at freeway speeds and the steering losing accuracy as a result.

Style and substance
In isolation, both of these latest threats to the Mazda crown display fine qualities that make them well worth considering when you next search for a new medium sedan.

The Sonata is positively spacious, reasonably well equipped for the money and grunty, with a class-leading after-sales service adding further enticement. In this company, however, it loses big points in terms of low-speed drivetrain response and – particularly – cabin quality.

Shifting to the Subaru brings feel-good factor in terms of passive and active safety and a proven (if aged) driveline, all wrapped up in a fresh body that is still unmistakably Liberty. It runs the closer than ever to the Mazda6, but it can't match its all-round brilliance.

Which brings us to our winner...

Mazda has taken an exceptional package and ironed out its biggest faults to make it better than ever. When you factor-in petrol and diesel availability and wagon/sedan body options, it's fair to say that for anyone shopping a mid-sizer, there's a 6 to suit.

Couple this to its premium cabin feel, smooth driveline and value-for-money equipment levels and the revised Mazda6 seems incapable of any wrongdoing. For our money, and we're sure many others, it's these factors that matter most in a mid-sizer and should keep the 6 ahead of the game until its replacement in a few years time.

2015 Hyundai Sonata Elite pricing and specification:
Price: $36,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 180kW/350Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 213g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety: Five-star (ANCAP)