(Sonata GLS, SE and Limited in front of Torrey Pines) With the debut of the Hyundai Genesis in 2009, the brand set out to attract buyers on an emotional level, similar to how BMW and Lexus have continued their prevalence in the luxury market. The plan was simple: design a sedan that’s easy on the eyes (not boring), fun-to-drive and put enough performance under the hood to allow it to get out of its own shadow. Then back all that up with an entry level price that’s affordable and tack on a 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty, and “oh, by the way” we’ll buy it back from you if you lose your job, and it’s a pretty good deal.  Fast-forward to 2010 and now we get to talk about the 2011 Sonata! From the onset the exterior design of the Sonata is much more expressive than the Genesis and makes a bold statement for the brand. The Fluidic Sculpture design gives the Sonata a teutonic and pronounced look. Sporty might be a little too over the top, but if you compare its looks and performance features to the rest of the segment, we would argue the car is absolutely the sportiest of the bunch. Designed right here in the U.S. at the Hyundai Design Center in Irvine, California, the Sonata is as American as Ford, GM or Chrysler. Built at the assembly plant in Montgomery, Alabama, the entry level Sonata comes in three trim options – the GLS, SE and the Limited. The interior is very spacious, offering a class-leading 7.4 more cubic feet than the Ford Fusion. Steering wheel-mounted controls are standard in most cars these days and the Sonata is no different, however, the SE and Limited come with proximity key/push start and fun-to-use paddle shifters. Heated seats can also be enjoyed on the Limited model.  Bluetooth is one of those features we always like to pay special attention to. Granted, it may not be important to some, but many states have gone hands-free and for many consumers, setting up Bluetooth still isn’t easy. We connected the Bluetooth in less than one minute and the system worked flawlessly. Touch screen Navigation is also an option on the Limited with a 6.5-inch monitor and rearview camera. The one design feature we thought aesthetically looked great on the interior, but perhaps was a slight waste...