Test drive: 2006 Hyundai Sonata

When the first Toyopet and 600 hit American shores, no one took Toyota or Honda, or Japanese cars in general, very seriously. But Toyota and Honda improved their design and their quality. They tuned their cars to North American tastes and built them in American plants. Today, Honda and Toyota rule the American and Canadian markets. Hyundai is following the same path: They've come a long way from the original el-cheapo Excel. They've improved their products and their quality, and now they are opening up a new Alabama plant to build the redesigned Sonata. And what of the car itself? Excellent, says our own BJ Killeen. I've been predicting for years that Hyundai is the next Toyota, and they are certainly moving in that direction. -- Aaron Gold