THE medium passenger car class is plagued with phantom performances these days. There is no shortage of willing sedan (and wagon) participants in what once was a sizeable segment, but the facelifted Hyundai Sonata Premium joins a cohort that has become largely invisible on our roads.

Despite this, Hyundai continues to offer both its European-focused but ageing i40 sedan and wagon, and this facelifted US-bred but South Korean-made Sonata – the latter of which is now only available in entry-level four-cylinder 2.4-litre Active or this 2.0-litre turbo Premium specification.

After being on sale for three years, the Sonata does score fresh styling front and rear, plus renewed interior enhancements and an eight-speed automatic transmission (up from a six-speed) in the case of this Premium, which helps lower its combined-cycle fuel consumption figure by a decent clip.

Buyers might flock to the medium SUV segment in increasing numbers, but of course popularity can be mutually exclusive to excellence. The test now is to see whether this sedan should be haunted by the ghosts of its past performances, or if it genuinely deserves to make its presence felt.