Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

sensation2004

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/category.asp?C=65888&nav=0RdDa6Qj

Enjoy!!

maxamillion1

I said that the ALITMA looked like a cross between a 300M and a Passat. Sonata doesn't looks like an Altima, Passat or 300M.

But I stand by my statement that the Sonata looks like a bigger Elantra...with the Accord's back end.. and looks nothing like the curent model...

As a matter of fact, I remember when the first spy shots of this Sonata were around, people thought it was the next Elantra

As far as your comment Mononeo,

Assembly as EVERYTHING to do with quality surveys and ratings...because if something is MOVING around, people arent' going to see that as high quality.

Materials do play a big part in quality ratings, but I am willing to bet that ASSEMBLY in itself has a big part of it too.

I have stated that the top of the dash is high quality..but some of th buttons used on the radio, the area around the climate controls and the door handles are cheap.

The new Malibu took the quality crown this year..and lord knows that car is full of cheap interior materials.

But I do agree with you the "Hyundai is Mercedes, Kia is BMW theory" I heard about it a while back.

I've also heard that the next Optima will be more sporting than this current Sonata and have manual/V6 combo.

z9z9z9z9

> For the best balance of durability and texture, powder-slush molded TPU
> is the top-notch material currently available in the market.

My understanding is that automakers are switching to TPU because it is easier to recycle than PVC. I don't really know if there's much difference between the two in terms of durabilty, apperance, or texture.

backy

I already own glasses, thanks. But I do agree with you that the new Sonata looks like the current Elantra--except from the rear view, side view, front view, and interior.

z9z9z9z9

> [Toyotas] are refined, reliable, and innovative with excellant quality control.

Toyota's quality control is not that good.

Walk down a row of Camrys in a dealer lot sometime and check the body panels. The panel gaps are about twice as wide as Hyundai, and about one in ten has a hood that's out of alignment. This has been consistent since 2002.

For some reason Corollas tend to be better, maybe because they are manufactured in a different factory.

> The new V6 Theta engine is made completely out of aluminum, this is something
> neither Honda nor Toyota have.

Both Honda and Toyota V6s have aluminum blocks.

> It also has variable-valve technology, someting Toyota doesn't even have on their
> V6 although Honda does.

The Toyota 3.3 liter V6 in the Camry SE has VVT.

There's a great deal of difference between VVT systems. Some are intake and exhaust, some are intake only. Honda is the probably the most advanced - they have 2 or 3 different profiles that change not just the timing, but the lift, duration, and overlap as well. Toyota and Misu have this on certain models too.

Some other cars, such as the Mazda 6 V6 and the 4-cylinder Camry, have variable intake timing only. I'm not sure what the new Hyundai engines have, but I suspect it's probably just variable intake timing.

> And it has dual overhead cams like the Camry but unlike the Accord.

The Accord V6 (from 2003 on) is DOHC.

hongwu

1. It is a V4 model, the V4 model has been sold and tested in Korea for a year, I assume most of the bugs have been found and fixed, and V4 will be made in existing Korean factory, engineers there must have better experiences;

V6 is brand new and made in the new factory in Alabama, no real market QA has been done.

2. The crash test result shows it is at least on par with Camry/Accord.

backy

There will never be a V4, but you meant I4, right? You'll need to wait until this fall at least; that will be one year since the new Sonata appeared in Korea, and it will probably take that long for all the crash tests (NHTSA and IIHS) to be published. I wonder though how long Hyundai will continue to ship I4s from Korea, once production in Alabama ramps up.

If it's any consolation, it appears Hyundai is very serious about fixing any flaws on the new Sonata. They held up initial production for weeks while engineers fixed several minor flaws, and there was a story recently about how Hyundai's Chairman has daily meetings with the engineers where he reviews even the smallest detail (like in one case, the design of a shield that protects the inner workings of the shifter from berverage spills).

codata99

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/specialreports/hyundaiopen/indexPlant.htm

csandste

Unless they recycle the engine from the Saab Sonnet.... same root word as Sonata, how about the same engine? :P

thndrstm

Go to http://washingtontimes.com/autoweekend/20050519-121307-5631r.htm for review.

I got 3 tentitive price quotes for cars coming in next week

1500 over MSRP
MSRP
100 over invoice.

Hopefully the last price quote is legit. :

ciras3

I picked up my 2005 Sonata tonight at Van Horn Hyundai in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. They had some 2006's on the lot and in the showroom. They have a poster in the dealership of the 2006 Sonata and it looks way cool. Then I looked at the one they had on the showroom floor and I'm not sure if I like it more than the 2005 I just picked up tonight.

I guess my .02

alpha01

With the 2005 model is the comparatively poor crash test ratings vs. 1) the expectation of what the 2006 model will achieve and 2) basically everything in the class (where side airbags are considered). That, and the unimpressive power/efficiency profile of the 2.4L and 2.7L engines. Otherwise, what a frekin great value!!!

~alpha

fcc

I own a 2000 Hyundai Sonata GLS (V6) and went to my local Hyundai dealership for servicing and found out that the 2006 Sonata LX had just been delivered so I took it out for a spin. My! The pick-up was clearly superior to the 2000 model and at least on par with a Honda Accord EX V6 that I had previously test driven. The driving dynamics have been vastly improved with a stiffer chassis leading to excellent handling for a family sedan. I also believe the claims about better torsional rigidity. The new 235 hp V6 with variable valve timing is very responsive and will get you up to highway speeds in no time.

I found the interior to be pleasant and spacious. The overall styling is very good too. This car without question will rank among the very best in the mid-size segment. Kudos Hyundai, you have certainly come a long way indeed! Congrats on the new $1 billion dollar plant in Alabama too.

manofsteel2k6

I just got back from test driving a brand new 06' GLS V6. Man was I impressed.

First off let me give my thoughts on the interior. To the people who think the interior is sub par, I really dont see where you are getting that. I sat in an LX and the leather was very comfortable, and the seems were all tight and even. I have driven both the Camry and Accord recently, and I will say this. The materials in the Sonata are better than the Accord. But I do think the Camrys interior was of a little better quality. But its close. I also test drove, an Altima, Mazda 6 and a Galant, and I can honestly say The new Sonatas interior is far above those makes(especially the Galant which I found to be especially poor). The only think I found to be chincy was the interior door handles, they did seem to be made of cheap materials. But that was not enough for me to think poorly of the whole interior.

On the exterior, the car really does look much nicer in person than it does in photos. It looks nothing like a 300m or an Elantra like someone said. To me it looks like a cross between an Accord and a Audi A6. The cars is very well put together. The doors are much heavier than my 02'. The 16" wheels on the GLS I drove are ugly. I never really liked Hyundais alloy wheels, and this model is no different. Although the LX 17in wheels were sharp.

The car accelerated and shifted great. Plenty of guts. The car will actually throw you in your seat a little. The car took bends like a sports car. It also has to be the quietest car I have ever driven. Braking felt fine. All in all I was very impressed, and I really wasnt sure I would be before I drove it. I had almost talked myself into waiting for the Ford Fusion. Also the Stero system sounded very good. Much better than my 02', and I have always been happy with my 02' system so thats saying something.

Anyway, if you all get a chance to drive one, do it. It is a great car.

buzzard767

Nice car. It looks much better than can be seen in the pictures. Interior and trunk room were larger than anticipated. Handling was very good. Power more than adequate. The dealer offering price was BS but after a little bargaining I got them to offer a trade-in $3000 more than the beater is worth. Bottom line is that I could get the car (actually, I would be ordering an LX) for about $1000 under retail. I think that's reasonable for a new upgraded model so I might go for it. Incentives will likely kick in after 05's are all sold but I can't wait. The beater's A/C system is at about 50%. Summer's here and this is Florida......

Buzz

z9z9z9z9

The Hyundai dealer in Roseville, MN has 13 GL and GLS 4-cylinders in stock. I was expecting maybe 1 V6, so this was a surprise.

I drove a GLS. The 4 cylinder seems slow and noisy to me, but I'm used to my V6 Accord, so it's probably not any slower than a 4-cylinder Accord or Camry. It's smooth enough, but it sounds like a motorcycle at full throttle. I guess I forgot what a 4 sounds like. :-)

The ride is better than my Accord, and it's slightly quieter, but the handling isn't as sharp. It drives like a bigger car, but the interior room seems about the same. The trunk is huge, and nicely trimmed, including the lid.

The build quality looks good. Hyundai seems to have given up on their obsession with tight exterior panel gaps - the new car is more like a Honda in this respect. Not bad, but not like the 2005.

The cars I looked at were silver, gray, beige, Dark Cinnamon, and Dark Water Blue. Dark Water Blue is so dark it looks almost black. Dark Cinnamon is really dark too. The darker colors show a fair amount of orange peel, but this is typical.

The interior is very nice. Everything is really solid, except the center console which moves around under the shift lever, which doesn't move. This is strange, but it didn't really bother me. Both the gray and beige interiors are nice, but I liked the fake carbon fiber trim in the gray interior better than the fake wood in the beige interior. The plastic on the top of the dash and doors seems as good as in my Accord, but the lower dash and doors are pretty hard and cheap looking.

The cloth seats are nice, but not as rich looking as the Accord. They look durable. The dash - instruments, radio, and HVAC controls - all look better in person than in the pictures, but the silver finish plastic door latches look cheap.

I liked the 16" alloy wheels on the GLS too. They look boring in pictures, but in person they look like "real" alloy wheels instead of cheap OEM wheels.

That's all I can think of right now. Ask me questions and I will try to remember...

maxamillion1

Do all the cars come with wood trim if you get beige and carbon fiber look trim if you get gray like Nissan does with the Altima?

Or do the GL models come with regular black trim?

I've only seen the LX models

gogophers1

It seems to me that no one posting has actually bought an '06 yet. If I'm wrong, would the real buyers please stand up? I'm quite curious to see what people are going to pay for these first few models going out the door.

Going back over the last weeks, a number of people said they were going to buy at the first opportunity. That time is now. Of course, those statements were made by people who'd never seen the car (in person) or driven it.

venus537

the local dealer had a 06 sonata on the lot. i didn't take it for a test drive since it was only a 4 cylinder. but i did check out the interior - though nice, it was hardly on par with the accord. not even with the camry though it was styled better in my judgment. the rear parcel behind the rear seats was especially disappointing.

manofsteel2k6

Wish me luck all. After my test drive today I was sold. I bought a LX loaded with everything. My dealer said to his knowledge I am the first buyer in Western PA. MSRP of my car was 24,895. The car is a deep red with tan interior. Im very happy so far I havent stopped driving it yet. I paid a little less than 1200 below MSRP.

maxamillion1

My thoughts exactly.

I am looking forward to some car mag comparisons soon.

chucky3176

Here's an interesting article on Hyundai workers.

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=2550704

How does the company make any money when they have so much legacy costs like free housing, free college tuition, free clothing, free food, free everything for their 50,000 Hyundai employees? We've heard of GM's crippling legacy costs in health care that contriubtes to hurting their competitiveness, but this sounds just ridiculous. I wouldn't mind working for a company that will provide me with all the comforts - free, then top of that, pay me good wages.

jkobb

I was at the dealer today (they were closed ) and window shopped . They had a new 06Sonata with I believe the 2.4 4 cylinder . I believe the window sticker said 24-32 miles to the gallon . If those figures are accurate , that is about the same as my 05 Elantra with auto . Not to shabby. I like the looks of them, but I thought the 05 Sonata looks real nice also. Oh, and by the way I love my 05 Elantra GLS, I am curious to see what the 06 Elantra will look like. What engine and mpg ratings.

sundazed

Checked out the 2006 Sonata and was very impressed. I was not so impressed with the nearly $1700 side sticker that included a $1000 regional adjustment. I believe Edmunds is showing a $66 regional adjustment.. Is this normal for Hyundai dealers? Makes me wonder what they will do when you bring a car in to be serviced. I would hate to see what seems to be a real breakthrough for Hyundai turn into a real turnoff for potential first time buyers because of the greed of some dealers.

backy

Remember that almost anything can be negotiated. Dealers put these ADM stickers on cars because maybe, just maybe, someone will actually pay that ridiculous price. That one sale will more than pay for the cost of putting the stickers on all of the cars. The risk for the dealers is that these stickers will turn off potential buyers like you and they may walk out without ever offering to buy the car.

$1700 ADM for a car that isn't in all that short of supply (note earlier post about 13 new Sonatas in stock at one Minnesota dealer already) and that has multiple strong competitors is laughable. Which is exactly what I would do in front of the sales person at that dealership, if I were you ("Thanks, that's the best laugh I've had in a long time! Now let's get real here, if you want to sell a car to me.")

csandste

... they sure do now. The local Hyundai dealer was fairly seedy four years ago, but has gotten worse and worse. One of the major reasons I'm now driving a Malibu Maxx.

z9z9z9z9

> Do all the cars come with wood trim if you get beige and carbon fiber look trim if you get gray like Nissan does with the Altima? Or do the GL models come with regular black trim?

The GL has aluminum finish trim on the dash, console, and shift knob. It is the same finish as the door latches and shift gate. The area around the HVAC controls is the same color as the lower part of the dash.

The seats are nicer in the GL. The inside of the GLS looks like a huge bath towel.

I was out taking a second look today and noticed that the upper part of the dash and doors in gray interiors has a blue tint to it.

So far the only thing that I really don't like is the fact that there are no track select buttons for the stereo on the steering wheel. The only way to select tracks is from the dash, and the button on the dash is obstructed by the volume knob...

I saw 5 more cars at a different dealer today, and two of them were Aquamarine. I thought this would be a sort of girly color, but I really like it. It's more blue than green. It's similar to Magnesium on the Chrysler 300, but less green, and less gray. It's also similar to Opel Blue that used to be offered on Nissan Altimas in 2002.

benjaminh

Will the 06 Sonata be available with a manual transmission?

jojo6

Z9Z9- just double checking:
It's the GL with OK upholstery, and the GLS with the "terrycloth"?
Haven't seen any in person yet, and I'm very interested in a GL because I want a manual tranny. I was concerned because I saw a review where they said the GL interior looked like an "old bathrobe that was thown in my Goodwill bag". Any other comments on the GL, good or bad?

nick0924

Most, if not all, of the 4-cylinder Sonatas on dealer lots in America were
shipped in from Korea. The 6-cylinder American made 2006 Sonatas are
delayed a bit.

Many dealers in my area only have a 4-cylinder Sonata for display.

That should be changing soon.

danf1

That depends upon where you are in the country. All the Sonatas that we have gotten are V-6 models so far.

z9z9z9z9

> It's the GL with OK upholstery, and the GLS with the "terrycloth"?

Yes. It's a matter of taste, of course, but I didn't find either one to be really objectionable, but neither one is as good as in an Accord or Camry. But they're not terrible either.

Hyundai seems to have trouble with upholstery. At least they ditched the mouse fur...

> Any other comments on the GL, good or bad?

There's really not much difference between the two except the wheels. The GL has bolt-on wheel covers, and I don't think they look that great. They are designed to look like 6-spoke alloy wheels, but the holes in the steel wheels show through, and they don't line up with the openings in the wheel covers. If they are going to use steel wheels, they should at least design the wheels and covers to match. As far as I know, the only manufacture to do this is ... Pontiac!

IMO Hyundai should just drop the GL and offer the GLS with a manual transmission.

z9z9z9z9

I noticed that the rear suspension is a complete redesign.

Both the '05 and the '06 look the same on paper (multi-link, coils springs, etc.), but the old car has long cast-iron spindles with the upper A-arm located above the tire, very similar to the front suspension. The '06 has much shorter spindles, and the position and size of the lateral links is different too. The old car has the coils over the shocks, while the new car has the coils located on the bottom control arm, and the shocks outboard near the hub.

The front suspension is similar on both cars.

rickety

Thanks to those people who cleared up my errors, test drove a Honda Civic this weekend and found out even their 4 cylinder is an aluminum block. Saw te 2006 Sonata in person this weekend although I didn't test drive it, the exterior looks better in person but the interior looks worse.

dc_driver

They have two (both V6's). A GLS and an LX. Both are selling for about $300 under MSRP. I would expect the prices to drop significantly (just like the Tucson) over the next 3-6 months. I will try and take one for a test drive after the dealer builds up inventory. I am interested in seeing one of these in person. I have not been that impresses with the pics I have seen on the Internet (really looks like an Elantra to me), but many of you have commented on that it looks better in person, and not like an Elantra (an Audi front, with a Honda back?)

backy

I am a bit mystified by people who say the Sonata looks like an Accord, particularly in the rear. Take a good look at the picture posted above. The ONLY similarity between the rears of the Accord and Sonata is that they both have horizontally-oriented tailights. So what? LOTS of cars have horizontally-oriented tailights. The Sonata's are totally different from those on the Accord. The Sonata's sweep upwards on the upper edge, moving from the center of the car to the side panel. The Accord's are straight on the upper edge. The lower edge on the Sonata is nearly straight. On the Accord, the lower edge curves up, moving from the center to the side panel, coming almost to a point on the side panel. The Sonata's lights are actually widest at the outer edge; the Accord's are narrowest there.

Anyway, I think people who see Accord in the Sonata's rear end are looking for something that isn't there. There's only so many ways to bend metal and mold plastic, so it's natural that a conservatively-styled car will have bits that look like those on other cars. The alternative is to create a uniquely styled car like the PT Cruiser, which can cause some excitement for a time but eventually the novelty wears off and sales plummet. Toyota, Honda, Audi et. al. have shown that clean-lined cars stand the test of time with buyers.

manofsteel2k6

Congratulations!!!!!!!! I bought the same exact car Saturday. Same colors and everything. Ill post some pics of my soon also. Best of Luck and enjoy!

pat

I have asked freval to make the pictures smaller and repost. They were way too wide for these pages. Sorry about that.

dc_driver

Thought I would post an article written by DC's own Warren Brown (Washington Post). I really like his columns, and he seems quite fond of the new Tucson and Sportage:

New Hyundai Plant Article

sandpaper

http://www.gostudie.com/studieshop/file/5/4(47).jpg_x

That actually looks pretty sporty to me. I'd drive it.

freval

Here are the pictures of my new LX.

2006

pat

Thanks freval! Again, congrats and thanks for sharing the pictures with us.

gooch

I just purchased a Silver GL 4-banger. About as base as you can get, which is surprisingly not so base with the power windows, cruise, CD/MP3 and all those airbags. I needed a good get me to work and back with room for the kids kind of a car, and I am glad the Sonata came out when it did.

So far the car is very much worth the money! Of course, I have only had about 20 minutes behind the wheel time so far...

zup

My family decided to buy a Sonata and is waiting for its arrival with anticipation. We just have to decide what color we want. Which color would make our car look more classy: bright silver or golden beige? I haven't seen a picture of an aquamarine Sonata, maybe that would make it stand out? Personally, I don't like steel grey and dark cinnamon as much as the former two.

brozhnik

Bright silver, no question. (Since you asked...)

It's got everything from a practical standpoint too. It hides the dirt. It is the safest color in existence, according to a big study in New Zealand - you're half as likely to get hit by another car that didn't see you as in any other color. That's becausae it does, in fact, stand out. And if it's a BRIGHT silver (as opposed to a dull one) it looks so good.

My two cents. Anyway, enjoy whichever you get.

iluvmysephia1

looking. Thanks for posting those pictures, freval!

Those who are comparing this new Hyundai Sonata for 2006 to the Accord or Camry are not opening up their eyes. The '06 Sonata's design is clearly all Hyundai and it cleanly blows all of the competition out of the water. Dual exhaust, too?

alpha01

but regardless of the subtleties, the rear reminds me of an Accord. Its not a stretch- the -03 and 04 Accord had the same color placement and general shape that the Sonata now has, and thats where the association comes from. Very few people care that the point of greatest lenscover height is greatest at the corners on the Hyundai and smallest at the same point on the Accord. The overall look is very similar.

The rear styling is derivative, period. That said, the overall shape is very attractive, sleek, with clean lines and an upscale look. Nothing bad about that, and to my eyes, its heads and shoulders better than the awkward front end of the previous version.

~alpha

cyberpunk3

I noticed that I only saw Korean models having bumper guards and LCD displays?

I wonder if it's exclusive to Korea only to have the bumper guards?

codata99

http://www.detnews.com/2005/specialreport/0505/15/A01-182019.htm

dajake

What a coincidence!! I saw that car couple days ago in my town...Seoul, Korea.

I used to live in that apartment in the picture...I saw that car's interior and I think

the Korean Version is a lot better than Made in USA one..ex)navigation,Emergency button like Benz and etc