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Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
I believe it is time for this model to have it's own thread now since it is officially on the market.
I saw the TV ads, and checked it out online, This car is showing great promise and a drivers car to boot, where the Fusion, Prius and Camry do not.
It is the first of it's kind to use the new Lithium/Polymer battery pack, something I personally use in my R/C Helicopters. Very lightweight, provide good power curve, and small in comparison to equivalent NiMh battery packs. Each cell provide 3.7 volts, compared to 1.5 volts of the other types. LiPo batteries do need to be balanced charged, so Hopefully Hyundai has that technology down, and considering they are using LG for the batteries, there is a very good possibility that they are.
It uses their 6 Speed electronic transmission, as opposed to the CVT and electric motor combination's the others use. The Electric drive motor that they use is in place of where the torque converter would be in a standard drive-train. This gives the car the ability to reach 74 MPH on pure electric. It also has the most HP of any Hybrid model @ 206 HP. The ability to shift gears is a big plus, something the other Hybrids lack, and after having owned and put 50K miles on the Camry and Prius myself, I can see this as a big well done on Hyundai's part.
The car itself has it's own style, specifically designed for low COD, .25, which is right where the Prius is, making it one slippery family sedan.
What I think will help make this car sell is the price, it's base price is lower than either the Fusion or the Camry, Fully loaded up to $3,000 less than either of its competitors.
It comes with the same warranty as the regular Sonata, 60 month 60k miles B2B, and 10 year, 100K drivetrain.
This car shows good promise, 6 speed transmission, so it should have plenty of Gitup and go, something the other Hybrids lack, Good pricing, puts it right in the market as an affordable Hybrid family Sedan.
EPA ratings are 35/40/37. Above the Camry, and just below the Fusion. Running on pure electric at highway speeds, something no other Hybrid can yet do, for how long though, is a wait and see.
Drawbacks however, there are only two models, two prices. Base and fully loaded, nothing in between, something that may hurt sales, as you only have a choice between a $26k model or a $31k model.
So has anyone seen one, test driven one, or bought one yet? Would be nice to know how the car handles.
I saw the TV ads, and checked it out online, This car is showing great promise and a drivers car to boot, where the Fusion, Prius and Camry do not.
It is the first of it's kind to use the new Lithium/Polymer battery pack, something I personally use in my R/C Helicopters. Very lightweight, provide good power curve, and small in comparison to equivalent NiMh battery packs. Each cell provide 3.7 volts, compared to 1.5 volts of the other types. LiPo batteries do need to be balanced charged, so Hopefully Hyundai has that technology down, and considering they are using LG for the batteries, there is a very good possibility that they are.
It uses their 6 Speed electronic transmission, as opposed to the CVT and electric motor combination's the others use. The Electric drive motor that they use is in place of where the torque converter would be in a standard drive-train. This gives the car the ability to reach 74 MPH on pure electric. It also has the most HP of any Hybrid model @ 206 HP. The ability to shift gears is a big plus, something the other Hybrids lack, and after having owned and put 50K miles on the Camry and Prius myself, I can see this as a big well done on Hyundai's part.
The car itself has it's own style, specifically designed for low COD, .25, which is right where the Prius is, making it one slippery family sedan.
What I think will help make this car sell is the price, it's base price is lower than either the Fusion or the Camry, Fully loaded up to $3,000 less than either of its competitors.
It comes with the same warranty as the regular Sonata, 60 month 60k miles B2B, and 10 year, 100K drivetrain.
This car shows good promise, 6 speed transmission, so it should have plenty of Gitup and go, something the other Hybrids lack, Good pricing, puts it right in the market as an affordable Hybrid family Sedan.
EPA ratings are 35/40/37. Above the Camry, and just below the Fusion. Running on pure electric at highway speeds, something no other Hybrid can yet do, for how long though, is a wait and see.
Drawbacks however, there are only two models, two prices. Base and fully loaded, nothing in between, something that may hurt sales, as you only have a choice between a $26k model or a $31k model.
So has anyone seen one, test driven one, or bought one yet? Would be nice to know how the car handles.
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Is the Sonata Hybrid worth it over the Elantra?
I'd read every article I could find - watched videos - I was SOLD, but car wasn't due until '1st quarter 2011' - so I went to the Auto show to check it out. I couldn't fit in the thing. (I'm 6'2) Legs smashed up against the corner of the dashboard - just awful. I tried over and over at the show to see if, maybe I could adjust it somehow - no luck. Had to give up on the card I'd been saving for....
Walked the entire show floor over and over, nothing caught my interest (in my price point of course - I didn't waste time on $60,000 cards I can't afford or prototypes that are NEVER made). Was reluctant to look at HYUNDAI as I'd convinced myself that this time I'd buy AMERICAN and not pay insane PARTS costs like I'd done the last 6 years with my MINI-COOPER.
Hyundai had 2 of the HYBRID models on the floor and I kept going back to the light blue one. I fit in it fine, back seat had more room than FORD FOCUS 2012 for my kids.
Dashboard was cool - had a USB hub in a logical spot - loved that it was partially electric (I love how quiet 100% electric cars were - so this is getting me closer to that) but what really sold me was the PANORAMIC SUN ROOF from the front to the back of the car. It just feels GREAT - it's like having a convertible without all the wind - feels SO SO NICE.
I was sick to death of WAITING for the FORD FOCUS 2012 so I tried to talk myself in to simply buying the regular SONATA 2011 since they're available now - but as soon as I sat in one it totally lost that OPEN feeling that you get from the HYBRID - I just couldn't do it.
So now I'm stuck waiting for the HYBRID to be released (late March - early April? no one working for HYUNDAI would commit to any date). The other disappointing bit about the HYBRID is that both models had the BLUE LINK (not to be confused with BLUE DRIVE) forthcoming technology competitor to FORD'S SYNC which had me very excited - only to find out 'Oh no, we're not offering that on the HYBRID - only on the REGULAR model'
''But none of the regular models have it on your show floor - just both HYBRIDS have it???"
"Yeah, we don't know why Hyundai did that - it's confusing".
groan..
Anyway - now I'm waiting on pins and needles to take this thing for a test drive and buy it. I'm guessing I'll have little to no wiggle room on price - (I need to have the high end model - you MUST have the panoramic sun roofs)- since it's a new car. Hoping they'll still have 2.9% financing or even better 0% going on when it's released...
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Boy I could keep on typing about this - but I'll try and cut it short with just 2 more comments. Another part that has me concerned were the leather seats. Both floor models drivers leather seats looked like HELL. Completely worn apart, and while I understand that thousands of people (thin, fat, dirty, the whole gambit) are sliding in and out of this thing day in and day out at the show) - I sure as hell don't want my $32,000 car looking like that in a few years? Does Hyundai offer any kind of extra leather protection?
Also heard a few bad things about the 100,000 mile warranty -typical stories of 'oh that parts not covered - sure it's PART of the power train but not the part that's covered. Has anyone found it worth spending an extra 1,000 to get a bumper to bumper extended warranty for their Hyundais?
From what I read on Hyundai's website,
Blue Link will be available on 2012 Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and the all-new exciting Veloster 3-door coupe. Over the next couple of years, Blue Link will be rolled out and available on all our models.
Available this summer.
As far as warranty goes on the Hyundai's, you will always hear stories about this and that, but never in regards to good things. I had a Veracruz, and had it been AWD, would still have it. I had to have the radio replaced on it under warranty, took it in, they ordered a new radio, turned out to be boxed wrong so they had to order a different one, which came in a week later. When they replaced the radio though they damaged the steering wheel, which they promptly replaced, but reset my trip odometer's, which ticked me off, I had the second one set at 0 when I bought the car to keep track of how many miles I put on it. Overall though they did a good job, no hassles, no issues, as for the steering wheel, sh.. happens, and they covered it well.
Ford Sync has no fees, and uses your existing cell phone. It offers pretty much the same features as 911 assist, turn by turn directions, and car maintenance checks, however it does not have live person assist. The difference is, when an airbag deploys in Onstar, or Blue Link, it doesnt call 911, it calls the center instead, then they call 911. The Ford system calls 911 direct, and sends GPS coords to 911 direct for the E911 services. Even if your phone gets tossed around, it will still work via the Bluetooth, and it works for at least 30' outside of the car.
One day my wife was driving our Ex-Camry, which had Bluetooth, I was in the Veracruz behind her, which did not. I called her, and her car rang her her phone via my phone, freaked her out. The phone's bluetooth has pretty good range, so dont let those commercials for Onstar fool you when they show your phone flying around. With the Ford Sync, 911 assist will still work in a crash, just as well as Onstar and Bluelink.
I do love the FORD SYNC and really wanted that - but the car just looked so blah - either way, I'll give it a drive. If I love it, maybe they can find a specific color/style that I want somewhere in the fleet...
The SONATA HYBRID with BLUE LINK won't be out until NEXT YEAR - and I certainly can not wait that long. When I still thought I'd be getting the FORD FOCUS 2012 I couldn't wait for next year for the MAYBE electric version either - I've seen how 'quickly' CHEVY is getting their hybrid out and the same with the LEAF....
Also, there is always the question of buying a new model or waiting a year for the dust to clear.
Thanks for the forum and all the useful input.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/hyundai-sonata-hybrid-to-best-rivals-with-10-year100- 000-mile-warranty.html
Hybrid cars typically have a long warranty on the powertrain battery, ranging from 8-10 years and 100,000-150,000 miles.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/28/hyundai-sonata-hybrid-was-delayed-into-2011-b- y-virtual-engin/
We had a Hyundai Veracruz, that motor was so quiet at idle, I had a hard time telling if it was actually running. If fact it was quieter than the Prius was when its motor was running. The majority of the cars on the road are quiet, the only sound you hear are the tires on the road.
That said, I agree there are enough other noise sources like tire/road noise and enough regular cars that are very quiet that adding noise to inherently quiet powertrains doesn't make sense.
I'll bet the majority of blind people would be able to discern the noise from a hybrid easier than a regular car. Their hearing is much more attuned to sound than those of us who can see. As I mentioned before, the Camry has a distinctive whine when on electric power that I can hear from 300 feet away, especially when the brakes are being applied. Granted, the Prius when going 5 miles an hour is VERY quiet, but at 5 MPH, it stops in 6 inches. All they really need is a fan running to make them as loud as most other cars.
Love that it makes no noise in hv mode - you glide around. Check out a 2011 model, you'll be glad you did.
Bigger than the Hyundai, if that's important to you...
they were quick to point out that Kia cars are basically the [non-permissible content removed] step childs of Hyundais and not in the same class at all.
Kia dealers were NOT happy to hear us pass that little bit of info. on. It's quite the back stabbing industry. I thought the Kia car she got was fine, but she's longing for her old Hyundai again...
The problem with car researching is you can find dirt on every manufacturer/car/model - somewhere someone had a problem with the car you want to buy and will tell you up and down how it's going to be the biggest mistake you've ever made. Take both positive/negatives with a grain of salt...
The Veracruz was very nice, had a quiet ride, was comfortable, plenty of power, somewhat decent gas mileage, had a lot of toys in it, comparable to the Lexus rx350, and it looked nice too. For the most part it drove rather well, but one day in a snow storm that had the slushy wet stuff, the back end just wouldn't trail and I had to fight the wheel a lot to keep it straight, and that's when we decided we needed AWD where we live. Now had Hyundai had decent financing, I most likely would have gone for a 2010 Limited AWD, but since they don't, I went with the Flex SEL Ecoboost instead, and actually pay less per month for it too, and it was a more expensive vehicle.
So Hyundai if you are reading these, those two items right there, you need to work on, and you will sell more cars, believe me I would like nothing more to grab one of your Sonata Hybrids, provided you have great service, and good financing.
Can anyone out there comment on the venting issue?
One thing to consider is that the battery will be subject to less extreme heat if it's moved out of the engine bay so it may help battery longevity in the long run. For sure it'll help a car's handling since it'll be a little closer to a 50-50 front-rear weight distribution.
I don't view it as a bad thing. Automakers replacing spare tires with a can of fix-a-flat, however, I do view as not good. That's a weight & cost saving step I just can't endorse.
Hybrids are a whole new breed of car, and a lot of the old ways no longer apply, in both maintenance, how they work, and how they are driven.
anybody leased one yet? i would like to know what kind of numbers you are working with.
thanks in advanced,
webber
Rode an Amtrak train from nearby Danville, Va. To Manassas this morning - it was 3 hrs. late due to storm damage in Alabama - took a half mile test drive to fill up the car, did the paperwork, $26,700 (Pac 1) plus $389 processing, and drove back to Southside Virginia mostly via Route 29. Drove about 30 miles on I 66 first.
On this "green" vehicle I got an amazing 47.5 MPG from NOVA to my carport, just over 250 miles. Very little AC. Trip computer indicates an almost 400 mile range still remaining.
Having previously owned a 1st gen Highlander Hybrid for 4 years helped me improve MPG skills. The Hyundai’s displays also make it easy to raise the MPG. And this is a strong hybrid system. My eco score began at 1 in NOVA and ended up a 14 at home.
The Fairfax dealership is 25 years old and sells about 300 cars per month. Also got a call from a Greensboro, NC (100 units monthly) dealership Thursday. They got notification of 2 Sonata hybrids “on the truck.” Pearson, the big outfit in Richmond, was still waiting when I talked with them midweek.
Nationwide you can get .9% and 1.9% on 36 and 48 months respectively so basically another home run for Hyundai, IMO. This brand is on fire what with the Japanese situation and increasing demand for higher mileage cars. I'm predicting this sporty Sonata Hybrid will be popping up all over shortly.
Wonder if they will continue this?
Toyota took several years to get lower than 2.9 on the Camry or Highlander hybrids, and even longer on the Prius.
We almost opted for a Camry hybrid demo @$25,000 but am so glad we waited for the Hyundai hybrids to finally hit. Previously I had been told mid-May to June by several high volume dealers in 2 states; nobody seemed to really know then I saw 3 hybrids listed on Fairfax Hyundai’s website.
I called and spoke with a veteran sales guy with whom I had talked a while back. Only 1 hybrid had been delivered. Made the deal over the phone the day before the train ride.
My wife will be commuting 75 miles per day but she doesn’t have the same soft right foot as me. She will have difficulty matching that initial 47.5 MPG. We’ll be doing a manual calculation @ fill up and in the past all our cars w/ trip computers generally were 1 - 2 miles higher than calculating. Even so 44 or 45 MPG right out of the box is still very, very, good.
hybrid premium trim
36 mos
MSRP 31,560
Selling price 30,900
12K miles
sign and drive (everything is rolled into monthly price including NJ tax, DMV, $399 doc fee)
No cap cost reduction
MF .00056
Residual 55%
$490 per month
i think this is horrible and my money isn't going far at all with it. i am curious to know why it's so much higher than the sonata non-hybrids and whether anyone has leased one yet.
thanks in advance!
Pearson, the largest Hyundai dealership in Richmond, VA , just got their first hybrid May 5th.
I’m curious where you found the loaded Sonata hybrid w/ 12,000 miles.
The .9% and 1.9% rates carry over until at least the end of May.
Is 12K about the norm for a lease?
With my wife driving, a quarter way thru the 2nd tank full on the Sonata hybrid shows avg. MPG is 38.5.
thanks alot!
Personally I've never been in a situation where leasing made any sense. I keep my cars for years after they're paid off so the very idea of perpetual payments just seems like one bad financial decision after another. Not saying it doesn't work for some folks, but just doesn't for me.
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I would like the new Lexus CT but just a little too small.
I have an 07 Camry hybrid with 105-k miles... do you think the Sonata technology is on par?
Be nice to see bigger supplies as there does seem to be an inventory shortage.
As you know, all Toyota hybrids use a CVT and Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)
battery packs; Hyundai is using a 6 speed auto transmission. Their battery packs are Lithium-polymer which are smaller, lighter, and more powerful than Ni-MH.
Prices for a loaded Lincoln get into the mid $40,000 range while a comparably packaged HSh would be in low $30s. It has a roomy interior; at 6’ and 225 lbs. I am comfortable even in the back seat.
We recently sold our ‘07 4 cyl. Camry. The Sonata’s interior is much better, IMO.
First, just because it is a 4 cyl, you cant compare it to the base 4 cyl model like you are. The hybrid system puts out 206HP, which means you need to compare it to the TGDI model, or the SE. Option to option they are identical, except the hybrid has turn signals in the mirrors. That is a $1400 difference, which carries over with resale. Far cry from $10,000!
Fully loaded, you have to compare it to the Limited to get the same options, Leather seating, XM radio, Nav, etc. and the Hybrid also has a few features you cant get in the Limited. Again, a $1400 difference.
Even if you were to compare it to the base GLS auto, which doesn't have air conditioning, the difference is a mere $5,400. You came up $4,600 short.
That $1400 difference can be made up fairly quickly with the cost of gas today.
That “not financially sound “ argument is bogus; plenty of the uber rich have Bentleys, Rolls, etc. Basically for less than the price of a Honda Accord or Camry V6 you can drive a Hyundai hybrid with all the standard upgrades - proximity key push button start, alloys, speed sensing wipers, unique LED DRLs and brake lights, chrome door trim, heated mirrors w/ turn indicators, and the aero nose. In Va. we have to run front plates so the “fish mouth” effect is somewhat minimized.
A $5K option pac offers sunroofs, leather, NAV, heated front AND rear seats, and 17’ wheels. Considering the decent performance and outstanding fuel economy these Sonata hybrids will significantly dent the Camry and Ford hybrid sales, IMO.
It appears dealers may already be undercutting the MSRP on the HSh but I wasn’t able to get that from any dealer 2 weeks ago.
I think this is a bogus post.
Please provide the dealer so it can be verified.