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Midsize Sedans 2.0

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Comments

  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    Which trim line was your rental Sonata, GLS, SE or Limited? 4 or 6 cyl?
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    He stated it was a GLS, no engine type stated.
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    Inclined to give a pass to the 3.6HF V6, although it is still unproven in terms of longevity - just like the 2GR. Efficiency if you look at both power per unit volume and FE lags just a bit. Thought we'd hear something about the Northstar which was certainly a good engine in its prime, but also lags by today's standards or any of the multitude of pushrod V6s which actually account for the bulk of GMs efforts and are anything but 'world class' just like the 4 banger 'Ecotecs'. As GM finally gets production of the 3.6 up enough to use it on pretty much their whole line (just like Toyota & Nissan do with their 3.5s), and finally puts things like the 3.5s, 3.8s and 3.9s out to pasture - that will be the point that GM can be claim to make some good engines. Getting 400hp out of 400 CI V8s doesn't really count IMO, not that it is a bad engine, it just is what it is.
  • colloquorcolloquor Member Posts: 482
    It was a new 2008 GLS with the 2.4L I-4. I didn't have a complaint with the engine, and averaged a combined 25.5MPG during the rental which included about 50/50 city and highway mileage. Again, this car was brand new with only 6 miles on the odometer when I picked up the car from the Hertz agency in Orlando - I was the first person to rent the vehicle.

    I've rented the current gen Sonatas on several other occasions over the past couple of years on business trips, all of which had more miles than this one of course. Most have been GLS trims with the I-4, but a few were GLS with the 3.3L V6.

    If I drove the Sonata over a severely undulating surface, including freeways with either a poor surface or a lot of dips, the rear suspension would tend to bottom and you would get a wallowing "jounce (shock compression) and rebound" effect from the rear suspension. More importantly, the rear suspension simply appears to be under damped or dampened (insufficient shock control, especially on the rebound). In my previous Sonata rentals, I've attributed this to perhaps the "rental car syndrome," as those had over 15K on the clock, some with slightly over 20K. But this Sonata acted exactly the same, and it was brand new.

    I also drive a 2006 Hyundai as one of my personal cars, so I try to be as objective as possible. On smooth or moderately smooth surfaces, the Sonata's suspension is fine, but on really rough surfaces, especially undulating surfaces such as asphalt which has seen a lot of semi truck traffic, the Sonata's rear suspension seems to have a control problem. BTW . . . in neither situation was the car overloaded with people or luggage - only the driver and one passenger.

    Again, Hyundai is addressing this in the 2009.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    I'm happy that in the past 15yrs or so, the Asians have seen fit to offer models that appeal to people trading out of Euro-cars...Now we can have a mix of Euro-flavor without the headaches of poor reliability expensive "Jag-You-Arrhhh" or "Bring My Wallet" servicing

    Another option for a little euro-flavor in handling and ride, without the high purchase and service prices, has been Ford with the Contour and now the Fusion. With the Fusion they may have also attained good reliability.
  • 94hawkskin94hawkskin Member Posts: 116
    I own a 2006 GLS and the car handles fine. About the only complaint I have from the rear of the car is that it does lack some noise protection, especially when the trunk is empty. Other than that, the car has more than met my expectations.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    I have owned (leased actually) a 2006 Sonata GLS and had no problems whatsovever with handling or ride. Great car.
  • colloquorcolloquor Member Posts: 482
    I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers, but it's what I experienced. I had essentially the same experience with a Sonata rental in Dallas a few months ago, so it wasn't peculiar to this particular vehicle. I've also driven the Limited V6, and have not noticed the problem even though the suspensions are the same with the exception of the wheel size and perhaps the rear strut/shock valve calibration.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    CR seems to agree that the ride/handling are not great in the Sonata, they had this to say about that:

    The soft, pliant suspension of the Sonata provides good isolation from the road, but suspension noise intrudes...
    Frequent body motions are noticeable as speed rises. On the highway, the ride is buoyant.
    The Sonata has noticeable body lean, and the steering is a bit numb. Bumps in corners cause the car to bob and pitch, making it feel ungainly.
  • according2u06according2u06 Member Posts: 95
    Actually, this post was quite interesting to read! Thanks for sharing your story. :D
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Just wanted to pass on to future attendees to the Chicago Auto Show(or if you are going tomorrow which is the last day of this year's show), if you are active military or currently serving in the reserve/guard admission is free. I have been going off and on for the past 30 years and just found out from a friend that this was the case. I am presently in the air force reserves and have been for the past 26 years and just showed my ID and walked in.

    This is not advertised on the official website anywhere.

    Saw the 2009 Sonata and took a couple of pics of the GLS dash. I had only seen the Limited dash so far in picutres with the Nav screen. If someone could tell me how to insert photos into a post, I will add them.
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    The only downside is that Hyundai doesn't hold their value as well as others, but like all my cars, I will keep this car until it at least has close to 200,000 miles on it at which point all cars are worthless.

    Wrong! Absolutely utterly wrong!

    If you are financially blessed enough to call $2,700 dollars cash "worthless," then more power to you. I myself, might call a pair of old underwear worthless, but I certainly consider $2,700 to be a lot of money.

    A few years ago we sold our '92 Civic DX Hatchback for $2,700 cash and it had just over 200,000 miles. It was still in great shape (and I will admit we put $1,000 in recent repairs and maintenance into it). So I'd say maybe $500 in unscheduled maintenance/repair. That is pretty darn good considering we bought it at 166K miles, and that was the total unscheduled bill.

    So if you buy Toyota's and Honda's, I'd say they are NEVER worthless if kept in good shape. People know they are bulletproof to about 300K if maintained properly.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • colloquorcolloquor Member Posts: 482
    I would say 300K with bullet-proof reliability is stretching it a bit, as I've owned both Honda and Toyota, and still do. I used to turn wrenches for a living 20 years ago, and am quite OCD on meticulous maintenance of all of my vehicles, e.g. synthetic oil at every 3K or 3 months, etc. But, saying the average Honda or Toyota will go 300K without major maintenance is really stretching it. On the other hand, practically any car built today (Koreans included) will go at least 100K and possibly 150K to 200K without problems given proper and timely routine maintenance. Honda and Toyota are not the only brands that deliver long-term reliability out there today. Just ask my brother, who's replaced two automatic transmissions in his Ody in less than 120K, and he drives the vehicle very conservatively, and maintains it exactly by the book!
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    So if you buy Toyota's and Honda's, I'd say they are NEVER worthless if kept in good shape. People know they are bulletproof to about 300K if maintained properly

    Honda and Toyota are two of the best proven vehicles on the road, no question. Having owned both Honda and Toyota that have had numerous repairs, my 91 Honda Accord 2 starter coils fail and a part in the auto tranny that makes the tranny shift, I forgot what it was called, failed all before 100K. MY 1991 Toyota Celica started blowing blue smoke at 120K, and I replaced the drive axle at around 100K. The Accord was owned by my father new, and I got it with 60K and the Celica I bought when I sold the Accord, had 64K on it. All were maintained by the book.

    My fathers 2004 Accord EX-L V6 has had a new tranny placed in it, and had "vapor lock" issues or something like that, a few months after he purchased it.

    Are these two brands garenteed to make it to 300K with proper maintenance, No. No car is. The longest lasting vehicle in my family was my mothers 1992 Ford Taurus, with over 165K before problems started. Go figure.

    The fact is, 90% of people never keep their cars to 150K, let alone 300K. Plus, unless you are in dire straights, who would buy a car with over 150K and assume you have another 150K in it, and be perfectly reliable. Lets be real here, please.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    It's the maintenance on cars that gets them to the 200K mark. And some people who have had certain foreign brands have had religious, over-maintenance on them often mandated by their dealer. So when they make it to 200K it's not a surprise.

    Maintain most other cars the same way, replace some things that break and call them maintenance instead of failure, and your other cars go the same distance with minor variations in performance in re longevity.

    I can go to other discussions right here on Edmunds and list problems that are getting posted about these same wunderkars. They all have problems.

    Can this discussion get past the idea that only a certain few cars have been blessed with longevity and discuss the cars, their features, their deficiencies, and so on?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    Can this discussion get past the idea that only a certain few cars have been blessed with longevity and discuss the cars, their features, their deficiencies, and so on?

    Just do what every other long-standing member has done and ignore the worthless, off-subject drivel and move on.

    ON-TOPIC: A family friend just traded in his second Camry for, get this, a Chevy Malibu. You read it right, a Malibu! Why? He tried out the new Camry a few different times, by test-drives and a couple rentals, and couldn't get comfortable with the new style, and the "dashboard and controls that look like an afterthought". The handling wasn't as confidence-inspiring as his last-gen Camry, and maintenance and repairs weren't outrageous, but weren't very inexpensive either in his opinion.

    On my suggestion, he tried out the Accord, but it was "too big" for him, and he didn't go for the "scattered dash controls" either. The Altima was nice, but he wasn't thrilled with the CVT, more of a personal preference than anything. Despite my best efforts, he didn't want to try the Fusion, since he didn't care for the styling. So I also threw out the Malibu as another choice. He replied that he hadn't had much luck with Olds when they were around, but he decided to try out GM again and get back to me.

    He just left a message on my voicemail last night, saying that he bought the Malibu yesterday, the same day he first test-drove one! I plan on seeing him tomorrow, so I'll get more details them.

    For the record, he uses his car on business (25-35K miles per year), so It'll be interesting to see 1) why he picked the Malibu, and 2) if it can hold up for the next 4-5 years...
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    It's really a great time to be shopping for a mid-sized sedan, isn't it? I don't know there was ever a time that there were so many good choices out there, from so many car companies. If you look at the list on the right, I don't see a single one that I would say "absolutely not" to (although the Camry would probably need to be an SE). Five years ago, whoda thunk that the likes of Kia and Hyundai, or even Ford, Chevy, and Saturn would have mid-sized offerings that are fully competitive in the class? :)

    Plus there's lots of good discounts out there too! :D
  • gooddeal2gooddeal2 Member Posts: 750
    Honda and Toyota are two of the best proven vehicles on the road, no question. Having owned both Honda and Toyota that have had numerous repairs, my 91 Honda Accord 2 starter coils fail and a part in the auto tranny that makes the tranny shift, I forgot what it was called, failed all before 100K. MY 1991 Toyota Celica started blowing blue smoke at 120K, and I replaced the drive axle at around 100K. The Accord was owned by my father new, and I got it with 60K and the Celica I bought when I sold the Accord, had 64K on it. All were maintained by the book.

    My fathers 2004 Accord EX-L V6 has had a new tranny placed in it, and had "vapor lock" issues or something like that, a few months after he purchased it.

    Are these two brands garenteed to make it to 300K with proper maintenance, No. No car is. The longest lasting vehicle in my family was my mothers 1992 Ford Taurus, with over 165K before problems started. Go figure.

    The fact is, 90% of people never keep their cars to 150K, let alone 300K. Plus, unless you are in dire straights, who would buy a car with over 150K and assume you have another 150K in it, and be perfectly reliable. Lets be real here, please.

    I'm 100% with you. I had/have Avalon 97, Corolla 99, Camry 2002, Altima 2003, 2005, and 2007, G35 coupe '05 and G35 sedan '08. Even though I owned those cars for about 4 years at most, I usually have some problems w/ all of those cars. All cars were bought brand new. I had most problems with Avalon, Camry, and Altima 2003.

    I cannot comment on Honda because I've never owned one.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    1997 Camry four cylinder automatic
    Dealer maintained with transmission flushes at 50,000 and 100,000 miles and oil changes every 3,000 miles.
    New (rebuilt) transmission required at 122K miles.
    123K miles there is a hole in block from a failed rod/bearing.

    Bulletproof? The notion of infallible reliability of Toyota or Honda is quite an expensive myth. With just over $2K "invested" in the transmission the cost of a used or rebuilt engine was seriously considered, however wise or unwise the decision was made to dispose of the car.

    I did not think they made cars like this anymore. The Camry can now be added to my short list of vehicles with catastrophic engine failure 1972 Dodge Pickup with 318, 1977 Ford Granada with 302, and 1982 Ford Escort EXP with 1.6L.

    In 2008 there is not a midsize car I would be afraid to buy due to reliability concerns, including Toyota.
  • joe97joe97 Member Posts: 2,248
    Paste the link to the photo in the post window, highlight and press the image button below the post window
  • joe97joe97 Member Posts: 2,248
    There are a lot of signs Hyundai vehicles are retaining the value of their cars better than before, and much much closer to the leaders.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Thanks. Tried twice didn't work. The pics are on my hard drive. Thought I could just copy and paste. Tried your instructions and nothing showed up. Thanks anyway.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    You can upload the pictures to your albums in your My Carspace page.
    Then you can link from there into the discussions and have them show up in your post or have people go to your My Carspace page.

    Or you can upload pictrues to a hosting website, such as photobucket.com (free), and use the links from there to put them into your posts here by copying the link, selecting the whole link, and clicking the IMG or the URL button under the posting window here.

    I don't think you want to link to your pictures on your hard drive. You'd have to leave it on all the time for the pictures to load each time someone viewed the post with the picture in it and it may leave your computer susceptible to compromise from other folk.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Thanks. No, you're right, I wasn't going to leave a link to my computer up. Now that I think about it, it is probably good that you just can't copy/paste. Somebody could put something inappropriate up. Cheers.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    Copy them to the My Carspace page here on Edmunds and link to there to tell people to go check out the auto show pictures.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Couple of pics from the Chicago auto show.

    http://www.carspace.com/m6user/Albums/09sonata/
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    Anyone else see a resemblance to a Lexus RX interior? Particularly the center controls??

    http://www.internetautoguide.com/car-photos/09-int/2008/lexus/rx350/interior/rad- - io.html
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Hyundai claims the Sonats's new dash was inspired by the Veracruz. But was the Veracruz inspired by the RX? ;)

    image
  • joe97joe97 Member Posts: 2,248
    And on that note, I hear the Sonata's NAV system is proprietary, which is nothing surprising, especially since Hyundai conglomerate makes more than just automobiles.

    image
  • dairyshickdairyshick Member Posts: 129
    The RX center stack looks like it was birthed from a Transformer, then beaten with the ugly stick. The sonata stack is actually quite impressive and much cleaner/nicer than that of the RX. I'm not a Hyundai owner nor do I have a reason to be biased towards them, but I would take this interior over just about any other car in the class...it beats out the drab Camry interior, the cheesy Altima interior, and (I'm actually a repeat honda owner and a big honda fan), this interior looks nicer and cleaner than the monstrosity of a stack that was designed for the '08 Accord. So, if taking some cues from lexus and making them nicer is what Hyundai has done, they've done a pretty good job of it! They've definitely come a long way in a few short years of making some pretty nice cars, minus the new elantra.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I like it. Now let's see what Ford can do with their 09 Fusion refresh.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    The RX center stack looks like it was birthed from a Transformer, then beaten with the ugly stick.

    Or not.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    Other than the wood trim I like my Otima EX dash as well or better. It's new,but nothing all that unique.(and I am a big Hyundai fan)
  • pernaperna Member Posts: 521
    IMO, the nicest looking center stack in a ~20k sedan is the '08 Malibu's. I drove one on Saturday and was impressed with every aspect of the car. I could see myself replacing my 2003 Maxima with one when the time is right. The 3.6L V6 in the LTZ had about the same amount of power as the Maxima, but the shift points were bizarre to say the least. They really need to work on those. Otherwise the car was fantastic.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Spent some time with the new 'Bu at the Chicago Auto Show last week. I am in the market again as the 07 Mazda6 that I bought for me last year has been taken over by my wife. She really likes the way it handles and the gas mileage/large gas tank combo. Now her SUV sits the driveway. I plan on trading it in this year for another new for "me". Anyway, I wasn't impressed with the Bu even tho I was hoping to be. Everything I had read was pretty much positive but I found it to look too long, the rear end was plain and kind of ugly IMO. I was expecting a lot inside the car but was disappointed there too. It reminded me of a cheap version of the Aura. Same steering wheel and very similar door panels. Don't know why I expected different but thought they would differentiate a little more between the two on the inside like they did on the outside. I don't like it. I may end up buying another Mazda6 or possibly a Sonata this year.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The Malibu's dash is pretty nice (LS shown, i.e. the $20k Malibu)...

    image

    But I like the dash in the 2009 Sonata better.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    It LOOKS just fine, no doubt. In the Aura as well.

    How it FEELS is where I found fault, especially the feel of the steering wheel itself. A rough grain of plastic that isn't as good as the top of the dash in the Accord. The Aura Hybrid basic model I sat in had a similar steering wheel feel as that of the plastic wheel on my Snapper Rear-Engine Rider. Since that's something you touch 100% of the time when driving, I was put off in a major way by that.

    Thanks for posting the pic, by the way.

    TheGrad :)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    What trim gets you the leather covered wheel in the Malibu? On the Sonata, it's standard on SE and Limited, and comes in the "preferred package" on the GLS, which adds important stuff (for me) like a power driver's seat. Or there's those lace-on wheel covers...

    Not sure though why you are comparing the plastic on the Malibu's wheel to that of the top of the Accord's dash. Maybe the Accord's wheel to the Malibu's wheel?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    What trim gets you the leather covered wheel in the Malibu? On the Sonata, it's standard on SE and Limited, and comes in the "preferred package" on the GLS, which adds important stuff (for me) like a power driver's seat. Or there's those lace-on wheel covers...

    Not sure though why you are comparing the plastic on the Malibu's wheel to that of the top of the Accord's dash. Maybe the Accord's wheel to the Malibu's wheel?

    Because you'd think the plastic used in large swaths on a $20k car's dashboard would be of lower quality than that of a steering wheel in a car costing the same. In this case, it isn't. The Aura had a sandpaper-y feel that isn't comfortable to touch, much less hold on to for hours.

    The Accord's wheel has (well, I think the '08 had the same, I know my '06 has this:) a grippy dimpled pattern with a thick-ish rim. The Aura wheel feels much lower-class than that of the base Honda Fit and not nearly as nice as that in the Optima or Sonata.
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    I think 2LT and up Malibu models get a leather wrapped steering wheel. LS and 1LT models do not.

    I went to the Chicago Int'l Auto show yesterday and I spent some time checkin out the new Malibu, 09 Sonata, Accord Camry and Aura. I even spent time in the new Altima. I was impressed with the exterior styling of the Malibu. I've driven several basic models (LS and LT) but had yet to really get a chance to sit inside and play around with the LTZ models. I hope GM hurrry ups and offers the LTZ I4 model because I'm a big fan of the Cocoa/Cashmere interior color scheme. I didnt think I'd like the Ebony/Brick interior found on one of Dark Gray LTZ at the show but I was fairly impressed by it and that particular combination used on the Malibu looks better than the Fusion's Sports Apperance pkg red/black leather interior. Back seat room was a bit more cramped than my Altima (05) or the new Accord but it would do for someone of my height of 5' 9". I still find some fault in some of the interior materials, specifically the door panels and lower dashboard plastics but they are notably better than the plastics used in my Altima. What I found funnhy was the fact that the Aura and Malibu have similar dimensions yet the Malibu somehow felt roomier. I also found that while the Malibu's color schemes were nice the materials used inside of the car were no better quality wise than those found in the Aura, they just LOOK better. Perception is something else.

    The Accord was mah, I see them everyday and everywhere here in Chicago. I still think it has the best interior materials in this class but those buttons on the dashboard can be overwhelming. I can see why some would rate the Malibu's interior higher than the Accord's simple because the Malibu has a simplistic elegance to it's interior design and those LED lit blue gauges look very classy in the Malibu, but from a quality standpoint, the Accord's still got it over all other cars in this class, including the Sonata.

    Which brings me to my next point. I sat inside the Sonata. A couple of weeks back a Hyundai exec claimed the new Sonata, even in base form, would have a better interior than the new Malibu, I respecfully disagree. In the pictures the Sonata's interior looks very impressive, especially in beige but the Limited V6 model I sat in yesterday didnt impress me much.

    From a design stand point it's much much better than before and it's integrated audio and climate controls looks simplier to use than say the Accord's. But some of the interior materials were not high quality. For example the lower dashboard panels were rock hard, hollow sounding plastics. The "metal" looking trim is just glossy looking plastic trim and so is the so called "wood trim". But all automakers are guilty of that one. I also noticed that wood trim is used throughout the front of the Sonata's interior where its found on the dash board, and on parts of the door panels yet the rear doors have no wood at all. I found that kind of strange.

    Two other Sonata's where there as well, an SE I4 and the GLS. The cloth used in the GLS has a "buick century" feel to it. It's very soft and fur-like in feel and appearance. Really reminded me of my great uncles old Buicks from back in the day. And the cloth/leather trim on the SE didnt do it for me either. For a "sporty" sedan I didn't find the Cloth/Leather in the SE evolked what I'd called "passion" looks kinda cheap to me.

    SE models keep the same ole 17 inch wheels from the 06-08 Sonata's, Limited models get the better looking newer wheels. The from the front looks similar tot he Azera, which to me looks similar to the previous generation Acura RL. The chrome bits up front on the Limited model are basically plastic strips on the GLS and SE models and they look tacky. The all-red taillights at the back should have been left alone...they looked better than before and really make the Sonata look like an Accord from the rear..but this time like the 05 Accord, which had the "All Red" horizontal taillights instead of the red/white o
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    SE models keep the same ole 17 inch wheels from the 06-08 Sonata's, Limited models get the better looking newer wheels.

    Just shows how much personal taste comes into play on the looks of a car. I don't like the new Limited wheels at all, but love the 5-spoke alloys that are still available on the SE. And the little chrome strips on the Limited's bumpers don't do anything for may at all.

    Have you noticed though that just about every car below $30k these days (and some over $30k) uses hard plastic on the lower dash--and some on the uppoer dash? (Did you knock on the uppoer dash of the Accord, for example, and notice that it's all hard plastic?)

    The main thing I find cheap looking on the Malibu's (LS at least) interior is the controls on the center stack--they look cheap to me, black plasticy looking. Maybe they look better in person?
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    The picture does not do the interior justice. When I scoped out the $20 Malibu, I thought the interior was horrible. The base Camry has a better interior.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    How it FEELS is where I found fault, especially the feel of the steering wheel itself. A rough grain of plastic that isn't as good as the top of the dash in the Accord.

    That's exactly what I noticed about the "feel" inside the Malibu. Believe me, I drove a lot of GM products, from a 1960 Biscayne to a 1993 LaSabre Limited and a lot of others inbetween. I always liked the materials used in the interiors. Mechanics and dependability in the 80s and 90s are something else again, however. Anyway, I was looking forward to liking the Malibu and possibly considering for a purchase later this year but have now pretty much ruled it out. Haven't drove it but from the overall looks and interior quality, I don't think I will.
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    Attending the local Auto Show this past weekend yielded a different set of opinions from me. The Malibu (in LTZ trim) had a very nice interior, IMO better than the Aura XR interior. The leather was supple and comfortable, and everything was nice to the touch, including all the switchgear and the steering wheel.

    Sitting in the Accord only reinforced my opinions that I formed from observing my co-workers '08 a few months ago, disappointing. I personally can't stand the switchgear in the center stack, no sense of order or flow at all. It looks to me like they mixed all the radio/HVAC controls in a hat, then threw them on the center stack. The dashboard itself felt cheap as well, almost as bad as a Chrysler product. The seats were nice, and the other materials looked and felt good, but IMO the current Accord is worse than the previous-gen in the interior and looks department.

    The Sebring/Avenger? Didn't bother to sit in them, since the plastic screamed CHEAP from 20 feet away! No amount of heated or cooled cupholders can change how bad Chrysler has gotten with interiors.

    The Fulans were the same to me as before, a great effort from Ford, although strangely, they're now just as nice in terms of materials and fit-and-finish as the current-gen Accord...

    BTW, m6user, can you wait for the second-gen 6 to be released for '09? That'll really make your wife jealous... :)
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    Yea I noticed the Accord's hard materials on top of the dash, but here's where I note the differences. The Accord's materials are harder to the touch, but have a more sold feel to them, from the graining of the dash board plastics to the tactile feel of the buttons (the only button that felt remotely cheap on the Accord was the ugly looking audio volume control on non-Navi models) other than that the materials had a higher quality feel to them than any other car i sat in.

    As far as design and colors I think the Malibu is best...can't beat the Cocoa/Cashmere but some of the materials, especially those door panels look plain. I feel the same way about the Sonata's rear door panels. Some wood trim or even metal trim would go a long way toward giving it a better look back there.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Yeah, I can wait but not sure if I want to. I wish I had more details on overall size, powertrains and availability date of the new Mazda6. We have three cars for the two of us so I'm not pressed for time except for a depreciating vehicle that neither of us wants to drive that much.

    I really like the current size/shape/looks and price of the current M6. So much so that I would consider having two in the garage which is something I've never done before. It kind of seems like "steady sweaters" or something and not sure if I would like it or not. However, I really like the Mazda6 as it presently stands. The pics I've seen of the Euro 6 are pretty sharp though. Decisions, decisions!
  • according2u06according2u06 Member Posts: 95
    Wow! This is Sonata interior?!? IT looks AMAZING!!! :surprise: The only thing I would change is the a/c vents on the center stack. I like the traditional placement(i.e. horizontal) better.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    That's kind of funny, because one of the things the 2006-8 Sonsta got ripped on was the placement of the center-stack vents. :sick:
  • according2u06according2u06 Member Posts: 95
    Well, the 06-08 vents do look a little odd. What I am saying is it would look better if they placed the a/c vents, with this new design, horizontally(instead of vertically) at the top or near top of center stack. Just like pretty much everything else in this class does ie. Accord, Camry and Altima etc... I don't know, could be just me. Maybe they want to attract some of those Lexus RX buyers? :D
    Regardless, this new Sonata design certainly looks a lot better and is a major improvement over its predecessor(or I should say unrefreshened predecessor)!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Last time I checked, Altima uses round vents.

    Whenever there is anything on the Sonata remotely like the Camcord, there are those who are quick to point it out. So in this case Hyundai went in a different direction, and that doesn't work either apparently. I don't see any advantage to the boring, same-old, rectangular vents used by the Camcord et. al. compared to the vertical, tapered vents of the new Sonata.
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