I swear a lot, maybe too much some times.
Not sure if it is a side effect of growing up where I did, but it is part of my language just as saying Eh! is for any
Canadian.
I am also not one to say that we need to do what we can to save the Earth, and the sooner the global warming comes to this area of the world the happier I will be.
Now more and more car manufacturers are going green by building hybrid or full electric vehicles and generally I would throw around some form of swear words any time someone goes on a bender about how wonderful green vehicles are and how we should all do our part to save the planet. Often these words are spewed out just before they hop on a pollutant-spewing plane to their favourite holiday destination or to protest something on the other side of the world.
I am not a green person although I do recycle, mainly because I want to get my deposit back from the government, but I think I have finally come across a green vehicle that I can feel good driving.
The new Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is so green it's blue, matching my some-may-say blue
vocabulary.
You see Hyundai has called their new electric motor in the Sonata the Blue Drive, not because it swears at you every time you change gear, but possibly because of the blue backlighting on the gauges and switches.
Hyundai says the Blue Drive electric motor uses state of the art lithium-polymer batteries that are 30 per cent lighter, 40 per cent more compact, and 10 per cent more efficient than nickel-metal-hydride batteries found in other hybrid vehicles.
This means the power will get you up to speed quicker, there is more cabin and trunk space and the batteries will last longer before needing regeneration.
These are some big numbers and I can attest that there is a good sized trunk and huge interior room in the Sonata.
Rear seat passengers have as much leg room as front seat passengers and the addition of heated seats for the rear passengers is a nice luxury.
The look of the Sonata is sporty yet artsy. The rear brake lights seem to have a heart, several triangles diamond and oval shapes inside and from some angles, put together they look like a rose. The front lights on the other hand are Maserati Quattroporte-like and add a nice design feature to the Sonata. This design continues on the inside especially along the dash and with some of the gauges.
Numbers don't just show up as a plain old 3, 4 or 5 on the electronic dash readout, there are nice design features backed in blue around the numbers making them quite pleasant to look at.
The Sonata came loaded with features and gadgets. All the power options were available including power roof with rear panoramic window.
A proximity key allows the driver to enter the car without taking the key out of his pocket and the vehicle is started via a large button on the dash.
The Infinity stereo sounded wonderful hooked up to the satellite radio with navigation system and voice activated Bluetooth system.
I even found a new blue song called Loca People by Sak Noel while I was listening to the satellite radio.
One nice little feature I haven't seen before is the ability to have the air from the heater blow on my feet, my face and the front window all at the same time. Normally one of the three is left wanting.
There are also lots of displays to look at and play with on the nav screen and the info centre on the dash.
Hit a button marked Hybrid and a picture of the Earth appears on the nav screen with the gas motor to one side and the electric motor on the other with blue bars spinning around the Earth. Hit Car and it shows the car with leaves blowing behind it, I guess signalling that you are doing your part to save the planet. I can do without that one.
The Sonata was very comfortable to drive feeling solid and the hybrid means it is very quiet on the highway and absolutely silent at slower speeds.
There is a lot more to this vehicle than I have space to mention here but the main thing is that is the perfect blue vehicle for me and the perfect green vehicle for you.
