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2011 Hyundai Sonata

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Comments

  • carstrykecarstryke Member Posts: 168
    im trying to clean it....but i just can't get the brown off your nose
  • ergsumergsum Member Posts: 146
    What's the difference between a brown noser and an [non-permissible content removed] kisser?
    .
    .
    .
    Depth perception.

    Whose waiting to pull the trigger on a car purchase until the Turbo comes out to compare?
  • carstrykecarstryke Member Posts: 168
    LOL
  • windjammerwindjammer Member Posts: 25
    I think she's doing a fine job.

    To bad she doesn't edit this forum more often and cut out the childish behavior of some of the posters on this thread
  • schdyschdy Member Posts: 233
    I have the SE and it is partial leather around the seats, full leather steering wheel and door trim is leather. Coming from a 2006 with full leather I am very happy with this arrangement.
  • craigmricraigmri Member Posts: 243
    I'll be one of the first to get the Turbo....Unless the price of admission is insane.
  • brunojoebrunojoe Member Posts: 22
    Hey guys , OTD please for the 2011 GLS in the Los Angeles area please, thanks guys, with that 0% financing im considering it.
  • midas69midas69 Member Posts: 118
    Hey guys , OTD please for the 2011 GLS in the Los Angeles area please, thanks guys, with that 0% financing im considering it.

    Unless it's a local offer the 0% financing is only for the 2010 model. National rates on the 2011 Sonata is 2.9% up to 60 months and 3.9% for 72 months.
  • mattm3mattm3 Member Posts: 1
    hmma007 Will any of this improvements be to reducing torque steer?
  • markleungmarkleung Member Posts: 44
    And, when will it be on sale? I just need a more solid date than "fall". I just hope I will not have to wait for so long that I will be without a car for some time before getting this when my lease runs out in October. Or perhaps, by that time, the Optima 2.0T will be out already.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    Believe it or not, I have many hundreds of posts and topics to go through every day - this isn't the only one! I don't have the time & energy to babysit a single topic, so it's easier to 1) count on members to behave in a civil & mature manner, and 2) remove the posting privileges of those who can't.

    Back to the topic... anyone driving their 2011 Sonata this holiday weekend? We're headed out to the lake in a few hours. Fear not! I have 'net access. :)

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • bobadbobad Member Posts: 1,587
    Great advice!

    Drive the cars, and negotiate until you make a nuisiance of yourself. Get to know the cars!

    I like the Sonata best right now. The car looks great, and the mileage and warranty are unsurpassed. But that may change when the new Camry, Accord, Fusion, and Regal models come out.
  • shot_mosshot_mos Member Posts: 24
    I mentioned a few months ago that just after purchase my Sonata's rear dome lights were sticking - you could push them in to turn them on, but instead of popping automatically back out, they would stick, and you would have to pull the light back out and then push it in again (and pull it back out) to turn it off.

    I had taken it back to the dealer a few weeks later and they had to order the part.

    Finally got to bring it in to the dealer this morning, and the service manager stated that apparently it's a known issue because the replacement light has a little bit of different styling. I'll take some pictures of it shortly and post.

    Unfortunately forgot to ask about when I could arrange to have the horn replaced.
  • hmma007hmma007 Member Posts: 19
    There should be noticable improvement based on the test builds I've driven/ridden in. The car should satisfy people with a craving for a more sports oriented ride. I'm trying to convince them to let me drive one in SCCA rallycross (company issued ride of course ;) )

    I can't comment on the horn issue because ummmm that's above my pay grade to answer, sorry but this isn't a truly anonymous account :p
  • denp3denp3 Member Posts: 99
    Are they replacing the horns?
  • shot_mosshot_mos Member Posts: 24
    The horn issue appears to be a continual complaint on forums, and I kept reminding myself to ask the service manager about it to see if he had hears of anything- but forgot. :mad:
  • tuckerdogtuckerdog Member Posts: 29
    Our 2011 Limited is pretty much my wife's car. I don't get to drive it much. However Friday, I planned on a decent trip, and wanted to check the mileage. Been reading about all these great mpg numbers & wanted to see what they REALLY are.

    Topped off the tank. Drove 213.2 miles. Approx 25 miles of that was stop & go. The rest was freeway. Most of the time on the freeway, the speed was 75 mph. There were a few brief periods when traffic slowed to 65, but also some brief periods when it went above 80. The A/C was on 100% of the time.

    The dash computer indicated 35.6 mpg for the trip. I wanted real numbers, and also wanted to compare what those real numbers might be vs the computer. I topped off the tank after the trip. Took 5.99 gal. Which comes out to 35.59 mpg.

    I am very pleased a car of this size, at those speeds with the A/C blowing gets those numbers. I am also pleased the dash computer was dead on.

    Tuckerdog1
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    I'm not saying people are lying, although a few may be exaggerating, but claims of over 35 mpg at 75 mph-80 mph seem to be well above even the EPA's less stringent than real world (i.e. on a dynometer) testing.

    Backy, what is your take on these reported fuel economy numbers?
  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    I have personally averaged 32mpg over 200 miles of highway driving at speeds of 65-75mph. 35mpg seems plausible on extended level stretches of road with little to no elevation changes. The key is being able to cruise and keep the engine RPMs below 2K.
  • chalirebrownchalirebrown Member Posts: 38
    power steering on these cars is electronic i am told so that must make some difference.Sonata SE-ride is stiffer with tuned suspension but it does hug the road better in curves even at 35 compared to my 03 Altima I traded in.
  • tuckerdogtuckerdog Member Posts: 29
    I'm not saying people are lying, although a few may be exaggerating, but claims of over 35 mpg at 75 mph-80 mph seem to be well above even the EPA's less stringent than real world (i.e. on a dynometer) testing.

    What would be the point of lying or exaggerating? Just telling you what I got.

    Tuckerdog1
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    edited May 2010
    Since I have personally seen 37 mpg average on a 2008 Milan I4 at 65 mph highway + in-town driving, which is far above its EPA rating, and I routinely get ~20% over EPA ratings on all of my cars (including the 2 Hyundais), I don't have any reason to doubt a reported 35 mpg on a highway trip. I think the 2011 Sonata's 6AT plus low coefficient of drag will be a big help in such conditions. I can't wait to take one for a long drive myself. I have been looking for 2011 Sonatas when I rent cars, but I haven't seen any yet. I wouldn't be surprised if Hyundai is putting very few of these into fleets right now, given they are selling so well.

    Didn't you say you took the 2011 Sonata for at test drive? If so, what mpg did you achieve on that drive (if you checked fuel economy)?
  • clasiccarguyclasiccarguy Member Posts: 24
    but claims of over 35 mpg at 75 mph-80 mph seem to be well above even the EPA's less stringent than real world

    35 might be a stretch but there were a couple of posters claiming in the 40's. That is hybrid territory... ;)
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    Thanks ryster, tuckerdog, backy and classiccarguy, for all your responses.

    Backy, when I took a 2011 Sonata for two test drives, I didn't really focus on fuel economy because I was more focused on acceleration, engine noise, road noise, braking and handling.

    It was impossible for me to give a fair assessment of fuel economy under those conditions because I was driving in a manner that differed from what a routine, day-to-day, conscious of fuel economy type of driving routine.
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    To any of you who have driven the new 2011 Sonata NON-SE model, AND have also driven the new Mazda 6 and/or Accord, can you please tell whether you think this assessment by Edmund's Inside Line is accurate, somewhat accurate or not accurate:

    Ride Is a Bit Underdone, Too

    Of course, then you hit a bump and the suspension gets out of sorts. Maybe it's just the lumpy back road, but later you're on the freeway, and there's still too much movement over garden-variety seams and ruts. The damping just isn't quite right on our GLS tester. Ride quality feels less solid and sophisticated than on rivals like the Mazda 6 and Honda Accord.

    Here is the link to the Edmund's Inside Line review: http://www.insideline.com/hyundai/sonata/2011/2011-hyundai-sonata-full-test.html-

    Ride quality and solidity is really important to me, so I really appreciate any comments you may have on this.

    Thank you very much.
  • ej2010ej2010 Member Posts: 12
    Can not comment about Mazda, I but test drove Sonata GLS Auto and Accord LX Auto back to back and felt Accord rides better than Sonata.
    Using online quotes I got Accord LX-P just $300 above comparable Sonata. So picked Accord. (My car is getting 35 mpg on highway)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    OK. When I drive a car that I am seriously considering, I drive it for at least a few miles on a highway after I reset the mpg meter, just to see what it does driving steadily at highway speeds. Not much of a test, but something. Also I like to get "seat time" in a rental before I buy a car, if possible, so I know what it's like to live with a car for a few days before I buy it.

    You might go back to earlier in this discussion where all the links to professional reviews were posted. Some of those mentioned fuel economy. And some were from a contest Hyundai sponsored, where it challenged the testers to see what kind of FE they could get--which is counter to the way most car mags typically test a car, which is full-out without much regard for fuel economy.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Since ride quality is "really important" to you, I strongly recommend you take the Sonata GLS or Limited (whichever your fave is), the Mazda6, and the Accord on back-to-back-to-back test drives over the same course, or as close to it as you can get. Assuming you have narrowed down your search to those 3 cars. The course should include a variety of road conditions. I have such a course mapped out a few miles from my home. Fortunately, it's also just a few miles from about 15 dealerships. :)

    That's really the only way you'll know for sure which car's ride you prefer. Reviewers are all over the map on that. Some will say it's fine, others will complain. Everyone's taste is different. You are the one buying the car.
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    Backy and ej2010:

    I test drove a GLS and Limited Sonata (both 2011s).

    I found the ride quality pretty nice, actually, over the roads I drove it on.

    I did test drive the Mazda 6, too, iTouring, and found that car ride nice also, and a little bit more Germanic in feel, though I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

    So, Backy, no, I did not drive them over the same exact roads, which is a good point.

    I also have not driven the new model of the Accord, EJ, so I can't comment on that.

    I wish there was a way to drive a car for a week or so to ensure that we really like the ride over the types of roads and under the conditions we experience everyday, because I will never forget the one time I purchases a GM product about 12 years ago that seemed to drive fine on an extended test drive, but whose ride I grew to detest within a short time thereafter.
  • rich27514rich27514 Member Posts: 41
    Thanks for the tip. I hadn't even tried them yet. Mine did stick, so the dealer ordered the part.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    That's why I like to rent the cars I am considering buying, if possible. Very hard to find those 3 as rentals, though (2011 Sonata, Mazda6, Accord).

    It's hard to compare the ride of two cars unless you drive them back to back, over similar roads. Since you haven't driven the Accord yet, that might be a good time to do it--drive the Accord first, then go back and drive the Mazda6i and the Sonata again. The differences should be more clear then. FWIW, I expect the Limited will have a bit firmer-feeling ride than the GLS, since the Limited has lower-profile tires. So you should drive the trim level you plan to buy--same for the Mazda6 and Accord.
  • rich27514rich27514 Member Posts: 41
    I consistently get 35mpg or more on the highway at 75. That's in the rolling hills of NC. I didn't believe it at first, but I have checked several trips. I now have 4000 miles on the car. The mileage was pretty much the same the first day I drove it. Mine is a Limited.
  • rich27514rich27514 Member Posts: 41
    I have no difficulty getting 40-42 if I stay at the 65mph speed limit. I had a Camry Hybrid and it didn't do that well on the highway.
  • rich27514rich27514 Member Posts: 41
    I did drive both the Mazda 6 and Accord EX for overnight test drives. I found the highway ride in both to be uncomfortable, especially in the Accord. Add the extra noise you hear in the Accord and Mazda, and I found the experience downright unpleasant. Both the Accord and the Mazda handled better on back roads. I preferred the Mazda in this respect. I found the seats in both the Accord and Mazda to be quite uncomfortable, with a hard lump in the middle of my back no matter how much I adjusted the lumbar. Both cars had leather seats. I also spent some time with a Camry, and I think the Sonata fits between the Camry and Accord/Mazda6 in terms of handling/ride comfort/quietness. I have owned an Audi A4 and BMW 3 series in the past. While those cars ride firmly, they are nonetheless very comfortable. Not so the Accord and Mazda, in my opinion.
  • rich27514rich27514 Member Posts: 41
    You are correct about the differences between the Limited and GLS rides. I bought a Limited and my sister bought a GLS for that very reason.
  • shabadoo25shabadoo25 Member Posts: 232
    The ride quality of my 2011 Limited is stellar. I have even gotten compliments from people who have ridden in my back seat going over rough roads on how nice it was.
  • clasiccarguyclasiccarguy Member Posts: 24
    I have no difficulty getting 40-42 if I stay at the 65mph speed limit.

    Right!!!!!!!!!!!.. If this was remotely true Hyundai would be shouting from the roof tops and banging on the drums you don't need a hybrid buy our 2011 Sonata and stay at at the 65 mph speed limit and you will receive 40 - 42 mpg and a small % of ownership in the Brooklyn Bridge in return.. :shades: .
  • xmechxmech Member Posts: 90
    In some cases, I wouldn't lay the blame on the car, but the tires. When I first got my Grand Cherokee, it had somewhat off-road tires on it. It never wandered when hitting those seams and ruts and such. When I replaced them with regular tires, it would wander around just from the water draining grooves in the highway. So I believe at least some of the cause is the tires.

    Similar deal with my wife's Tuscon. The original tires wore out in only 30K miles. They were noisy as .. well they were really noisy on the highway. Reasearched tirerack.com, and purchased a good choice from there, now it's nice and quiet.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    If this was remotely true Hyundai would be shouting from the roof tops and banging on the drums...

    You must realize they can't do that. They have to stick to the EPA ratings in their advertising. But they can do things like, invite a bunch of editors of car mags to drive the Sonata, and encourage them to drive for high fuel economy. These editors write about it, so it's not advertising and it's all legal, but the idea gets out that the Sonata CAN do over 40 mpg in the right conditions.

    I believe someone could get 40-42 mpg at 65 mph under ideal conditions, including moderate weather and little headwind. As I mentioned earlier, I got 37 mpg @ 65 mph in a 2008 Milan rental that is EPA rated 28 mpg highway. So I did 32% better than the EPA highway rating. 40-42 mpg is only 15-20% better than the Sonata's EPA rating.

    Will everyone get fuel economy like that? Nope. Some people (like my DW) have the proverbial "lead foot" and haven't learned how to drive for optimal fuel economy... not hypermiling, just basic, simple techniques.
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    Thanks to everyone regarding the feedback on the ride quality.

    The issue of the GLS having a softer ride, which I tend to prefer over Michigan's terrible roads, makes perfect sense given that it does not have the low profile 17" wheels that the Limited comes with.

    I do now remember thinking that the Limited felt stiffer (but not at all uncomfortable) than the GLS I test drove.
  • rdm925rdm925 Member Posts: 46
    As the owner of an 07 Mazda 6i Touring w/ 17 inch and 50 series tires, I prefer the more controled ride. Especially here in Michigan. My ride is frim but not uncomfortable and the car always corners smooth and flat. At 62,000 miles I'm almost ready to replace the stock tires and I don't want to pay Michelin prices. When I'm in the market for my next car, I'll seriously consider the Sonata SE or Limited. :shades:
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    No kidding. If you take the exact same car, on the exact same road, and give it to five different drivers, odds are you will get five different MPG, and possibly some really big swings. Very rarely will you get untrained drivers using the same techniques while driving.

    That being said, an earlier poster said that his 40+ mpg was at 65MPH. There is a big difference in the energy required to push a car through the air at 65MPH and 70MPH. If you want to see the difference, take any car and run it down the road at 65 and watch the instant fuel enconomy. Then run the same road at 70, then at 75. You really want to see a huge change? Run it at 55. Just try not to get run over by the traffic coming up on you! :surprise:

    Back in the old days it was not uncommon to hear someone brag about their car running 100MPH and still having "half the throttle left!" While that may be true, we all know that the second half of that throttle wasn't going to get you anywhere near 200MPH!

    One day just for grins we decided to find the "sweet spot" of a 2005 Elantra GT auto. Ran the same stretch of road at different speeds to see what gave the best fuel economy. As one would expect, the slower the better (down to a point. Go slow enough and you really don't gain much). What we found really funny was that with no wind, no A/C, windows up, dead level, straight smooth road, 50MPH yielded a whopping 54MPG! Repeatedly, got within 2MPG. Now, the slightes wind or rise in the road and that immediately dropped, but it was fun trying! The more typical for that car at 50MPH was 48-50MPG. But think about that for a minute.... Where can you drive that speed on a flat open road with no traffic? Exactly. So even though the car COULD do it, it wasn't going to happen in real life. At 75MPH on the open road that car would usually hit 32-34MPG, a very respectable number.

    It is fun to play with the fuel monitor at different speeds and see what you can do.
  • wolverinejoe80wolverinejoe80 Member Posts: 337
    image

    now this is very interesting. hope they bring it here!! we need more wagon!!

    more pic
    http://images.thecarconnection.com/lrg/2012-hyundai-sonata-wagon-spy-shots_10031- 3382_l.jpg
  • xmechxmech Member Posts: 90
    Ok, I don't have a Sonata. I've been checking out what's up with the new one here. But in a somewhat relevant subject, I did go with the 2010 Fusion 4 cyl., and on a recent road trip, from Phoenix to Gila Bend, my avg just reached 39.9MPG before we pulled in for a pit stop. Like you said, flat ground, little starting/stopping, mostly 65 MPH. So with it's fancy new GDI engine and such, I wouldn't be suprised at the Sonata bettering that.
  • rich27514rich27514 Member Posts: 41
    I'm always amazed at people who refuse to believe the truth because it doesn't fit into how they believe things are. Not much into learning new things, I guess.
  • rdillierrdillier Member Posts: 71
    xmech:

    We also have a Tucson, and I'm looking at tires. The michelin hydroedge tires on it now are very noisy -- almost like cupping, but they wear pretty well. Wondering what kind of tires you chose from TireRack. Thanks. Bob D.
  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    FE really depends how hard you try...

    50mpg on an 7th gen I4 accord
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGeCL2RSuHs
    That is 16 mpg above EPA

    The new sonata surely is blended with power and near hybrid FE
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    There's trying hard... and there's lunacy. Somewhere in between is a lot of gas saved, without pushing the car to get it going etc.

    The Sonata might be capable of near-hybrid FE on the highway, but probably not in the city. I haven't seen anyone yet post 40+ mpg in city driving in the Sonata. I don't think we will, either... until the hybrid Sonata debuts, or maybe some hypermiler pulls out all the tricks on a test run.
  • xmechxmech Member Posts: 90
    We went with the Kumho Solus Kr21. Happy with the purchase.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Backy, you are dead on. While I can certainly drive in a manner that will really kick the mileage up, it isn't safe nor sane in routine traffic conditions. I would say the biggest improvement for the Sonata engine would be the GDI and 6spd. Makes it easier to keep the engine in that sweet spot when you have more gears to work with.
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