My 2011 Hyundai Sonata Review

[Sayjac]

Thanks for the review. Test drove 3 Sonata's, one SE and two 2.0T Turbo's back in January. If not for my concerns/doubts about early production DI valve deposits engineering, would have likely have purchased a 2.0T. The Turbo had great acceleration. Chose the 3.8L Genesis instead.

I'll say this, the view of Hyundai in Honda's and Toyota's review mirror is getting much bigger quickly. Honda's arrogance of resting on outdated design, including sticking with things like 5 speed AT while 6 speeds and more is quickly becoming the norm, is allowing Hyundai and Kia to gain traction in the automotive market. And Honda's stodgy (or ugly) syling, with cars like the latest gen Accord and Crosstour, while Hyundai and Kia introduce fresh exterior designs, eg., Sonata, Elantra, Optima, that are getting buyers into the showrooms. And getting folks talking. This from a current 7th gen Accord owner.

So while the 10yr/100k warranty was the initial lure to get buyers into the showroom, that is rapidly changing imo. Resale may be the biggest drawback 'at the moment', but seeing how I constantly read here how one shouldn't even bother looking at used Honda's because of them being severly overpriced, perhaps another advantage for Hyundai.

And note, I don't even include Nissan, having recently taken a bath on one of their failure prone turds (03 2.5L Altima). For me, Hyundai can be no worse then the [censored] Nissan/Renault rolls out, and in my case, that includes resale. Quite frankly, I expect it to be much better.

 

[needsducktape]

Two years of happy owner ship - Is not that hard.

Lets see you at 190,000


As it stands, I can think of more than a few Honda's that have seen 190k - My old Acura Integra saw 160K with ZERO repairs before I sold it to a friend. My sister's abused Accord was still running strong at 180K. Browse craigslist or auto trader and you will see super high mileage Hondas all day.



All I'm saying is that Honda is PROVEN. Stands the test of time. -Racing heritage, R & D proven.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: Ursae_Majoris
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I said it before and I will say it again, Hyundai is nothing special, it's just media darling for the moment.

Hyundai caught the right winds because between GM and Chrysler bailouts, fuel and financial crisis and Toyota's recalls, media had to find someone else.

So here comes Hyundai with their good pricing and good warranty, media came up with the rest.

Public went over this already with Toyota and Honda, only to come up to the conclusion that they're nothing special either. This will pass as well.
Originally Posted By: needsducktape
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: needsducktape
of the sudden everyone loves them?! Wha wha what?!, did I miss a meeting?!


I think you did. Although I am not a fan, their quality is now right up with the rest, or better..

Lets flash forward 8 years from now- someone says you can have a 2011 Honda Accord with 190K or a 2011 Hyundai Sonata with a 190K- You would choose a Hyundai ?! Please...

I know I wouldn't.


I assume you two own/owned a newer Hyundai or Kia.
If you have not, you really cannot provide an educated opinion, can you?

I've had my Kia for two years. Drives great, comfortable. Can't be any happier.
I am looking at Elantra Touring or Kia Forte5 as a third vehicle.



I think you missed my point. I never said Hyundai was bad, have I?

And while I have not owned a Hyundai, I had a pleasure of driving a 2009 Pontiac G6 for a week followed by 2010 Sonata also for a week. At the time G6 had almost no positive reviews in media, while the Sonata had plenty of positive ones.

But from my comparison of the two G6 was a much better car in driving dynamics, had much better engine and transmission, despite being a 4spd, where Sonata had 5 spd. G6 lacked in interior finish and material quality. I still liked Sonata, it was roomier, something that the current gen Sonata does not have, and I really liked the interior.

But before this experiance I would have never thought that I would like G6 better than Sonata, based on media reviews.


So, my point was that just because the media is raving about Hyundai right now doeasn't mean Hyundai is all that great, and it should not be a shocker to anyone that some people will find Hyundai average at best, just like OP did.

Same thing happened to Honda and Toyota, some people test drove their models, scratched their heads and asked where all those great reviews came from, I know I did when I was shopping for a new car in 2006.

Also, who said my opinion was educated, same goes for all those so called "professional" journalists

 

[Spyder7]

The quality of both Hyundai and Kia has improved a lot in the last few years. The older ones were like cheap tin cans. The new ones seem much better built and more refined. I test drove a 2011 Kia Forte and was impressed by the car, the warranty, and the price. Both the Hyundai and Kia dealers here have earned a good reputation for treating their customers well.

The Forte was pretty quiet until you pushed the engine a bit, and then it wasn't exactly "noisy" but much more audible. Not unpleasant sounding though. Were I buying new today, this model would be my choice based on the product itself, price and bang for the buck, dealer rep, and warranty.

I don't think this is the fad that many are implying it is. Its more a case, IMHO, of the competition resting on its laurels too long and taking too much for granted. Hyundai and Kia are taking advantage of that by offering a decent level of refinement and aesthetics (on the latter, they are head and shoulders over many) combined with good warranty and competitive pricing.

-Spyder

 

[BigBuck]

Ignorance is bliss.
Keep the blindfold on.

 

[maximus]

Originally Posted By: BigBuck
Ignorance is bliss.
Keep the blindfold on.


Ditto.

Hyundai is not 1/10 the car company it once was. I've had my 2011 Sonata for 6 months now. I didn't even look at any other vehicles when I bought my car and frankly I'm glad I didn't waste my time. I couldn't be happier with my Sonata. The service I get from my dealer is first class. They really care about their customers.


Proud Hyundai Owner

 

[poiuy223]

I've had my share of experiences with different cars. I drive a lot, averaging 20k mi/yr. I've been behind the wheels of a Camry, Accord, LS460L, RX350, C300, CL-S, TL-S, Aerostar, MPV, Civic, Neon, Charger, and a whole bunch of others. There are only 2 complaints I have for the Sonata -- the cheap interior plastic and the lack of seat memory. At first glance, the interior looks upscale and resembles that of Lexus, but it's made of inexpensive plastic. At certain times when going over bumps (especially unpaved roads), you can hear the plastic creak. The dealer should be able to fix this, as I assume they just have to reapply the glue and sealants. The lack of seat memory kills me because once someone moves the seat, it takes me forever to get back to my perfect position.

Other than that, the car is definitely worth more than what you pay for. The power and acceleration is butter smooth and you don't feel the jerk when flooring the gas pedal. You just find yourself sailing down the road rather fast. The interior space is awesome and no one has ever complained about being cramped, even when filled with 4 other 6 footers in the car. The physical look of the car is rather intriguing. My sister can't stop thinking how my Sonata looks better than her '11 C300.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: The Critic

Also, I worked on a friend's Santa Fe recently. I was replacing the cabin filter and had to remove the glove box. The factory attachment method for the glove box was a piece of elastic that was secured with black duct tape. Most other brands use a hydraulic shock and a screw. 'Nuff said.

What year Santa Fe was that? My 2008 GLS AWD which is quite basic has dampeners for the glove box. You do have to un-hook them to lower the glove box for CAF access, but the process takes seconds.

 

[ernied]

i have a 2009 santafe a 2010 sonata now.had the following 99 accent 2003 sonata 2001 xg 300 2006 sonata and had no problems except for regular maintance.cant say the same for my chevys or dodges.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: The Critic

Also, I worked on a friend's Santa Fe recently. I was replacing the cabin filter and had to remove the glove box. The factory attachment method for the glove box was a piece of elastic that was secured with black duct tape. Most other brands use a hydraulic shock and a screw. 'Nuff said.

What year Santa Fe was that? My 2008 GLS AWD which is quite basic has dampeners for the glove box. You do have to un-hook them to lower the glove box for CAF access, but the process takes seconds.


2006.