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Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

24

Comments

  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    Not sure why you think it's "bogus." Perhaps stating a reason why you don't believe it would be more constructive. The quote may be bogus, but don't see why you'd question the person who posted it.

    (Using the "reply" feature really helps. I had no idea to whom you were responding because it wasn't linked as a reply to the original post.)

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  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    Hmmmmm . . . I included "by kco007" just after his/her post.

    Why doubt the price?
    I spoke with half a dozen high volume dealers in Va and NC during my research and couldn't get a below msrp quote out of any of them. Maybe kco lives on the west coast where the hybrids have been at the dealers a while longer. Just curious.

    Bogus comes to mind when a person joins a forum and makes only one post.

    You might want to moderate the three redundant, negative posts about Bob Dunn Hyundai in Greensboro, NC. One slam by the same poster should be enough, IMO. My conversations with their managers didn't seem like those of a "bad"dealer.

    http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.ef040b2/7782!make=Hyundai&model=Sonata&ed- _makeindex=.ef040b2
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    That's not my discussion to moderate - it belongs to kyfdx and car_man. You are welcome to email them if you see a problem!

    Everyone has a first post in forums they join... nothing suspicious about it, unless of course they post a spam-tastic link.

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    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
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  • abahlabahl Member Posts: 3
    It's silly to think someone couldn't get a below MSRP offer just because you couldn't. Here in Seattle, there's hardly any HSH in stock, but 1 dealer is already advertising them $1k under MSRP.

    http://www.hyundaiofeverett.com/
  • reglee51reglee51 Member Posts: 16
    edited May 2011
    I purchased the Hybrid w/ Premium package at invoice a few weeks ago. This was because I reserved a base one which they couldn't get for a week after their expected date and I have a great relationship with the dealership (5 new cars in 4 years). Not impossible but keep in mind that dealers need to make a small profit too...
    Anyways, I traded my 2010 Prius in for it, Prius is a great car unbeatable fuel efficiency but the interior materials are horrible (weight savings?) the seats are uncomfortable and although the hatch is extremely good... its still a small car (corolla). I used to get roughly 46-54mpg on my Prius (average 50). The sonata I'm averaging 38mpg although I'm still recovering from Prius driving style, recently I've been getting 40-42mpg. My drive is extremely hilly although mostly highway.
    2010/11 Prius drives more like a regular car compared to Gen 2 Prius's but it was still feels very low power. Although the 0-60 number is somewhat disappointing on the HSH, it feels fast, it feels faster than my 2007 Sonata 4cyl and only slightly slower than my 2008 Sonata V6. It's pure electric acceleration is very very good; on a full charge, I can EV to 60mph in roughly 12-14 sec on flat ground; pretty good for a non pure EV vehicle. I think the manual states max is 75mph EV... I've gotten much faster than that as long as I have a decent charge. Its nice accellerating up a slight incline at 80+mph on electric only.
  • davejwdavejw Member Posts: 1
    I don't know where the poster lives, but I can confirm the price he notes is NOT bogus. I bought a Sonata hybrid for exactly $2 less than that price less than two weeks ago from Patrick Hyundai in Schaumburg, IL. Their policy is Dealer Invoice + $300, any model. Invoice will include any factory added options - mine came with the Ipod cable (try finding a hybrid without one) and carpeted floor mats, but not the useless cargo net. Great car so far...
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    On a trip I stopped in a medium sized dealership that had sold their first 2 hybrids [base models] for $1500 over sticker with multiple buyers waiting.

    No dealerships in the mid-Atlantic, from Fairfax to the Triad or
    Raleigh-Durham, or Richmond, VA appear to be cutting msrp on the base hybrids; haven’t spoken w/ anyone who has sold a $31K loaded hybrid yet.

    That makes the $1000 under msrp in the link for a Seattle, WA Hyundai dealer an outstanding value. The green vehicle market out west is usually pricey as we learned from research on used Highlander Hybrids.

    It may be a difference in supply as the west coast ports are a lot closer to Korea where all the hybrids are currently being manufactured than SC or NJ where east coast units for the mid-Atlantic are dropped.
  • reglee51reglee51 Member Posts: 16
    The dealership I got mine from in SE Pennsylvania (Loaded premium @ true invoice) also claims they won't do below MSRP. Their other two hybrids (base silver) haven't sold yet and its been on the lot for 2 weeks... I think they'll let them go at below MSRP when it comes down to it. Although I doubt they'll give up another one at invoice. I had originally negotiated a few hundred above invoice for the base model with them. Another dealership in North Jersey also offered to match that price (I have no purchasing history with this dealership). I think the deals are out there, you just have to find a dealership that hasn't been able to move them and has one on the lot for you to drive home.
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    Also keep in mind the economy still isn't that great, and they would be hard pressed to keep them on the books more than a couple months. If they haven't sold by that time, they will come down. They would be dumb not to since they are paying interest on the car while it sits there too.
  • abahlabahl Member Posts: 3
    Well, I actually went ahead and purchased the hybrid for $1k under MSRP. It was actually $850 under as they had a bogus $150 doc fee. But the best part was they gave me a very strong trade in price. There's a ton of profit for a dealership that sells them even $1k under MSRP. Btw, I got $500 free from Hyundai using Motozuma and I hope everyone else does the same. You just have to wait 30 days to purchase after opening an account.
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    Tradeins are getting much higher values now, especially if they are in really good shape, mainly due to the C4C fiasco and crushing so many used cars that left dealers scrambling for trades when they were done. A lot of dealers had no used cars to sell, which for many is their cash cow, that is where their real money making is. They can make 3K on a used car far easier than they can on a new car, and for the most part that is about the cushion between trade and retail.
  • reglee51reglee51 Member Posts: 16
    I didn't know about motozuma :( could have gotten $500 less....
    Anyways, I think the deal I got is impossible to beat. In June 2010, I bought my 2010 Prius II for about 22,400 (+6% tax + 300 tags etc = <24000) which is a few hundred above invoice. I put 25,000 mi on it. Hyundai dealer gave me 22,900 for it in May 2011. I got true invoice for my Sonata Hybrid + premium package. So the dealer made the $700 dealer holdback from me... If you discount the taxes, I actually MADE money on my Prius :). On top of that I got a brand new model (first one the dealership received) at true invoice price!!!
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    Hey, maybe we are on to something. I traded my Prius in on a Hyundai and made money on it too. I made a boat load of money on mine, got back more than I paid on it after taxes and interest.
  • reglee51reglee51 Member Posts: 16
    "Be greedy when others are scared." Gas price spiked and Toyota production slumped due to Japan earthquake. Demand for Prius in particular went through the roof. Now that prices are bit lower I doubt it'll continue.
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    Except I sold mine back in 2008 and made a killing, before there were any gas price problems. Had I known gas would be as high as it is, I would have kept it.
  • myhybrid1myhybrid1 Member Posts: 2
    I bought a 2011 Limited Sonata Hybrid 3 weeks ago and have put 1800 miles on it so far and my mpg isn't great. In the city, I'm getting 26 and on the hwy only 30. Is anyone else having this problem? The dealer has had it for 3 days and says there isn't anything wrong with it but that they have no idea why the mileage isn't better. The service mgr told me to give it another 1000 miles.
  • myhybrid1myhybrid1 Member Posts: 2
    I bought a 2011 Limited Sonata Hybrid 3 weeks ago and have put 1800 miles on it so far and my mpg isn't great. In the city, I'm getting 26 and on the hwy only 30. Is anyone else having this problem? The dealer has had it for 3 days and says there isn't anything wrong with it but that they have no idea why the mileage isn't better. The service mgr told me to give it another 1000 miles.
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    edited June 2011
    Your MPG seems low.

    The first fill up the Sonata&#146;s trip computer indicated 42.6 MPG; calculating shows 42.79 MPG. 570 miles w/ about an 1/8th tank remaining. Drove the hybrid 2100 miles in first 30 days.

    Best mpg was the 47.5 for 250 miles coming back from NOVA after vehicle purchase April 29th. The 2nd and 3rd full tanks yielded 39 and 40 mpg with the 39 the car reported being 36.95 via manual calculating while the 40 mpg reading on display ended up being just over 42 in calculation.

    Had an oil and filter change at 2,600 miles yesterday and filled up again today; 40.3 mpg on trip computer.

    We're using AC - its' 94 right now - and most of the miles are from a 75 mile round trip commute.

    To be fair we had almost five years experience with an '06, 7 passenger Highlander Hybrid AWD; best mpg was 30 once on an 80 mile drive. It consistently got 26 mpg.

    You have to have a very "light" right foot.
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    Sounds like you are driving it like a regular car. Don't, you will get regular car MPG if you do. You have to drive it like a hybrid. Light throttle, pulse and go, etc. Google hybrid driving techniques for more information.
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    For the last fill up the car read 40.3 mpg; calculating shows 39.53 mpg.
  • reglee51reglee51 Member Posts: 16
    About 2500 mi, 37.04mpg, 33.81mpg, 43.66mpg (half tank), 34.38mpg, 37.22mpg. I do about 70% highway (70+) now and 30% suburban, very hilly. I think I've gotten used to the car now and can consistently get 38+mpg calculated. Try keeping constant throttle... unless its too hilly, that works really well. I've found that unless the hills are too steep/long, keeping the eco meter slightly above the 3rd marking keeps me at 55-65mph and close to 40-45mpg average. It'll speed you up going down and slow you down going up...
  • nelson1nelson1 Member Posts: 41
    My 2004 Cadillac DeVille has the battery under the back seat. The original battery lasted 6 yrs. There is a 1/4" rubber tube that vents the battery thru the floor of the car.
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    The diff between trip computer and "manual" calculation on our Sonata hybrid seems to be quite variable; sometimes over, other times under.

    Would be curious to see how others are doing.
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    edited June 2011
    The onboard ones are never accurate. They work off the vacuum, float level and miles driven on some cars, and fuel flow, float level and miles driven on others. Way too many variables to get an accurate reading. The one in my F350 is off at least 10 MPG, it reads 32MPG, when it is really only getting 18. It jumped up from 28 when I changed the PCM out for a tuned 80 HP programmed PCM. Hand calculating per fill works better, and is more accurate. The one thing that will skew the readings is topping off, if you are consistent with hitting the right mark when full on the tank, the more accurate the readings will be. For my diesel, the top off on that varied by as much as 3 gallons, so I had to make sure I saw the fuel in the filler neck before clicking off the pump, otherwise I could be off by several gallons. Depending on temperature, it could be up to 6 gallons between first click off and topped off. The reason is Ford put a gasoline tank in the diesel truck, the overflow tube stuck too far down into the tank for expansion that isn't needed for diesel. For the cars, usually 2 clicks on the pump put me pretty close to equal fills. Usually was only off a few ounces, so I had more consistent readings. I would take several fills and then average it out.

    I believe the most accurate way would be to measure the fuel flow into the injectors, and return flow from the injectors, and subtract the latter from the former to show just how much fuel is used, but only cars with a return system will support that, and for the most part, the differences in fuel pressure may affect the outcome sine the input will be much higher than the output.
  • nseagirlnseagirl Member Posts: 2
    I bought mine on April 23rd and am experiencing the same kind of mileage.
  • nseagirlnseagirl Member Posts: 2
    I bought my Sonata Hybrid on April 23rd and have had to have it towed in twice because it wouldn't start. Foot on brake, push button, NOTHING, nada, nil! The first time they told me it was a brake sensor malfunction. I don't know what they'll tell me this time. I am so dissapointed! I drive out of town frequently and it's hard to have a car that I can't trust. Is anyone else having this issue?
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    Not surprised, it is first year production and some vehicles will have growing pains. It could be the brake sensor again, possibly they didn't get it right the first time and it moved.
  • flyboy21flyboy21 Member Posts: 7
    I have a 2011 sonata and sometimes it take a little more pressure on the brake pedal to make it start. But it always starts.
    I tried to start the car by just pressing the start button and holding the start button in until it started. I did not put my foot on the brake pedal. It took about 15 seconds of holding the button in to get it to start, but it did start. Now 15 seconds seems like a long time when you want it to start. I check my watch so verify the time required to start the car. So next time don't panic just stay cool and try to start it by holding the start button in for 15 seconds.
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    Supply seems to be increasing on the East Coast; Fairfax Hyundai is showing 10 Sonata hybrids on their internet site.
  • reglee51reglee51 Member Posts: 16
    I'm at about 3600mi now. Did my break in oil change at 2500mi w/ 5w20 Castrol Edge w/ Titanium ($50 from walmart).

    I'm pleased to report that my less than stellar fuel efficiency previously (35-40mpg) was probably due to my poor driving style (although I used to get 52mpg consistently on my Prius 2010). During my drive this morning, (120mi 80% highway 20% suburban, very hilly, 65-75F, w/o AC) I got 47mpg (computer) which equates to roughly 45mpg using CRUISE CONTROL. Previously I've only gotten roughly 35-38mpg on this route w/o AC w/o CC. These are the sort of numbers I was expecting to see from this highway cruiser!!!

    Never had issues with starting the car. Only time it didn't fully start was because I didn't depress the brake enough or tried to press the start button too quickly before the brake was depressed.

    Also, the Sonata trip computer only appears to be off by 1-2mpg consistently, not so much as the F350... My previous 2007 (4cyl) and 2008(6cyl) Sonatas were also only off by 1-2mpg. Always overestimated.
  • vinster29vinster29 Member Posts: 23
    I have been searching for a 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Premium for over two months and have only found two in the whole state of Florida!! Why is Hyundai limiting the supply of their premium sonata hybrids? And of course, because of the limited supply their is some serious price gouging going on to the point where dealers are asking 5,000 dollars above MSRP? That is ridiculous!! :mad: In my opinion, if Hyundai wants to establish themselves in the Hybrid market they need to start producing more premium sonata hybrids and offering customers more incentives to buy their hybrid vehicles!!
  • vinster29vinster29 Member Posts: 23
    Does anyone know when Hyundai will be releasing their 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. I know the 2012 will come with Blue-link which is Hyundai's version of On Star but I have not heard of any other new features that they will be offering in the 2012. Has anyone heard anything about the 2012 Sonata Hybrid?
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    They are pushing the lower cost one right now, just to get them on the road, and dealers don't want them sitting on their lots, which is what most likely will happen until their proven reliable. Besides, first year production models have bugs. Wait another year for the '12 to hit the market, you will most likely see a lot more premium models out then.
  • reglee51reglee51 Member Posts: 16
    I don't disagree that new models have a few bugs but much of the car is the same as the other 2011 Sonatas and therefore should be just as reliable regarding those components. I wouldn't put off getting a 2011 just because it's a first model year... there have been two minor TSB's so far, neither are hybrid related and neither are critical. Once the 2012's come out the 2011's should get back closer to or below MSRP. Unless you want the new 'OnStar' like features on the premium, the 2011's will be just as good as the 2012's. You can't always chase the newest model or you'll never get a car. Keep in mind that new car prices each year tend to increase also.

    In any case, I think all my local dealers have at least one premium in stock. Some of us were able to get well below MSRP... perhaps make a drive to another state to get the premium?
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    Well considering I bought a 2010 Flex Ecoboost, which was a first year model, you can see I dont hold to the first year bug thing much, However, a lot of people do, which was what I was trying to say. Because of that, I believe quite a few dealers are holding off on purchasing the premium models for stock until they start to get feedback on how well the lower end model sells. If someone wants a Premium, the dealer can always order one. Most dealers can also swap with other dealers to make sales. When I bought my Fusion Sport, that is exactly what the dealer did. Swapped a model the other dealer wanted for the one I wanted.
  • vinster29vinster29 Member Posts: 23
    I agree that dealers are trying to push their low end models to gauge how much demand their is for the Sonata hybrid, but in my experience the premium vehicles are the ones that are selling like wildfire, while the base models just sit on the lots. And while it is true that you can order one, dealers are not willing to make deals on premium cars that customers want to order when they have 10 base sonata hybrids sitting on the lot.
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    Sales info of Top Ten hybrids for June 2011 according to hybridcars.com's website:

    Toyota Prius 4,340
    Hyundai Sonata 1,422
    Honda Insight 1,021
    Ford Fusion 969
    Honda CR-Z 966
    Ford Escape 826
    Linc. MKZ Hybrid 483
    Toyota Camry 449
    Honda Civic 418
    Lexus RX450h 413

    This in only the SECOND full month of nationwide availability.
  • greendoggreendog Member Posts: 8
    Kudo's to the Koreans and this up and coming brand... Yet the #'s have a lot to do with the fact that they have product and the others don't. I need to replace my TCH - not much to choose from right now if you like the hybrid sedans. Premium KOPtima hybrids are starting to hit. Are we going to get the advertised mileage with the Hyundai or Kia and the smooth transition that the Toyota and Ford drive trains get with their Synergy drives and CVT's? More questions than answers right now.
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    The CVTs found in all Lexus-Toyota hybrids exhibits a condition called "motoboarding."
    Its similar to a boat getting up on a plane. Even vehicles with so called "shift" points have this "side effect."

    Having driven a 1st gen Toyota Highlander hybrid for almost 5 years, I should know. While the Hh was a great vehicle, I won't miss the booming, elasticized drone of its CVT.

    IMO, the Sonata driving experience is way, way better than the Camry Hybrid or any other hybrid vehicle built by Toyota.
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    The Hyundai is more car like in its transmission than any other hybrid, so people will have better transitioning to the Sonata Hybrid than to any other CVT based hybrid, because, it is what they are used to. However, because it uses gearing instead of planetary gear sets, city MPG wont be as good as the CVT based models, but will excel on highways. CVT's work great at lower speeds because the motors are built into them and can run at the lower speeds, when you get past 45 MPH the motor cant turn fast enough so it needs gas to back it up, which is why the CVT based Hybrids can only get up to about 45 MPH on pure electric. Because the Hyundai uses a geared tranny though, it can match the output of the electric motor to a better gear ratio and deliver higher speeds on pure electric since the motor doesn't need to turn at high speeds as in the CVT. The only limiting factor then is battery capacity. Downside though is because it is geared, if the gear ratio is not optimum for the speed it is driving, it would either have to be in a lower gear, or lug in the higher gear, either of which can use more energy than the CVT does since the CVT optimizes at any speed since it has no fixed gear ratios.
    This is why Ford and Toyota use CVT transmissions in their Hybrids, to get the most out of city, not highway driving. It also is a reason the engines are limited in horsepower, the CVT is not as strong as a geared transmission, so even with a V6, the horsepower is not very high, it would tear the CVT up. If you look at non hybrid models that use/used a CVT, the horsepower is low, and Ford, even though they got great MPG in the 500, pulled them from production, they are just too weak at this point to be reliable in anything but a hybrid. A few years down the line though, you may start seeing them being used more as they design stronger units.
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    One of the things that really impresses me about the Hyundai Hybrid is that it can approach a Prius in mpg. As stated previously I got an amazing 47.5 mpg driving a brand new Sonata Hybrid home from Fairfax, VA to &#147;Southside&#148; on busy Route 29 after spending the first 30 miles on I 66 in Friday rush hour traffic.
    NOVA to my carport is just over 250 miles.

    On the other hand, the Sonata will really scoot down/up an on ramp.
    Significantly quicker in the 50 - 80 mph range than a Prius or Camry h.
    As was our Highlander - it had a V6 w/ 260 hp AND TWO electric traction motors.
    Stomp the accelerator @ 60 or even 70 mph and hold on!!
    But lots of torque steer and tranny drone from the CVT.

    I beat my brother-in-law in an eighth-of-a mile, standing start street drag w/ the Hh; he was driving a Grand Cherokee V8!

    I had a Prius for a couple of days as a loaner and have driven several Camry Hybrids too. Neither is nowhere near as much &#147;fun to drive&#148; as the Sonata.

    So the best of both worlds - great mpg and loads of power on tap. Not to mention the way better interior and unique hybrid styling of the Hyundai.
  • srcoopersrcooper Member Posts: 3
    Just bought a premium model yesterday and even got a discount. We were going to buy the basic model, and went to the lot to see one for the second time. They didn't have one in silver, so we were going to wait or shop elsewhere, and then I asked about a silver one we passed. He said it was the premium. After some thought, I asked to drive it instead. I asked my wife after the test drive what she thought? Her response was "I could own this car right now". A day later, we only have 60 miles on it, but it is a joy to drive and the displays are awesome. We have already achieved more than 45 mpg - the display shows you! Comfortable, the sun roof is way cool and I am glad we upgraded.
  • peachypeachy Member Posts: 3
    May I ask about your discount?
  • ben1986ben1986 Member Posts: 9
    i think i got a good deal today.... i wanted a better deal on my trade in but got a goood deal on car so im fine with it...
    im just wondering if anybody got a better deal than $24,359 excluding ttl. It came with wheel locks and carpet floor mats. bought it with cash and got $10,000 on my trade in..

    -Ben
  • drjim2drjim2 Member Posts: 1
    Sounds like you did great, I wish I had read your post first.I
    Just brought home a black base hybrid for 24.5k. I leased in order to get the 1.5k incentive plus customer loyalty for a cost of 22.5k. Surprised when dealer added back about 900 in lease fees. Dealer has policy of nearly 300 doc fees which I got out of but expect folded into the 900 lease fee.

    Drive away with first payment of 325 and change.

    On test drive drove from son's work to home about 2miles at 99.9 mpg. No it is not all down hill :-) more realistic driving for 30 minutes around town had in 40s to high 30's.

    Dealer did not have any loaded versions. I bet the moon roofs are nice.
  • jakeabeanjakeabean Member Posts: 6
    Wife & I drove the new Sonata Hybrid yesterday. We were very disappointed. Car felt very lurchey/clunky going down the road & transmission didn't seem to shift properly. Check engine light came on also. I have owned Sonotas, Elantras & Accents in the past, so I'm pretty familar with them. We both felt that our vision was very limited. I am 6'1" & couldn't see any of the entire lane next to the passenger side of the car. Vision started with the second lane over. With the slope of the roof, it greatly reduces the size of the windows. The passenger seat also sits very low. My wife is 5'4" and could bearly see out the window. Salesman said that several folks mentioned having the same concern. Got the feeling he was tired of being questioned about it. I found when exiting the passenger side seat that I compressed the side seat bolster & had to somewhat step up instead of step down, or out of the car. I believe that this will lead to premature wearing out of the seat fabric & tearing of the seat foam. The car did have plenty of room, front and back, even with my height. The trunk space seemed ok. Many nice features such as dual ac controls, ipod connection, etc, as standard features. Also liked the warranty as compared to other cars. We have decided to take a pass on this years model even tho we were offered a very fair deal on one. Will most likely check it again in a couple years. Wanted to compare it with the new Elantra but there was none to be seen. Salesman said they got 6 in one night & all were gone by noon the next day. Guess I won't be getting one of those either as I'm not the type that ever needs the newest whatever, so much that I have to pay msrp or higher. Not gonna happen. Can wait till the new wears off & they have more in production.
  • kyrptokyrpto Member Posts: 216
    jakeabean said:

    "Wife & I drove the new Sonata Hybrid yesterday. We both felt that our vision was very limited. I am 6'1" & couldn't see any of the entire lane next to the passenger side of the car. Vision started with the second lane over."

    Hmmmmmmm . . . . . . I can&#146;t see the road beside my Venza&#146;s passenger door either. However, in both the Venza and our Sonata I can see the road just ahead of the right fender perfectly.

    Numerous automotive journalists have reviewed the Sonata and I cannot find one that discussed the supposed &#147;poor visibility&#148; on the right side of the car. The passenger seat is somewhat low but that contributes to the overall safety of the car, IMO.
  • tjdlad1tjdlad1 Member Posts: 1
    Hello. Very interested in your post and whether MPG has gotten any better. I purchased the Sonata Hybrid Premium about one month ago (July 2011). My driving mix is 90% city and 10% highway. Real world MPG (miles driven divided by actual fuel put in tank) is 27. Battery never seems to get above 50% charged. I am not agressive driver. I expected somewhere in the 30s for MPG ... I have not pinged the dealer yet. Interested in whether anyone thinks that 27 MPG is a large enough deviation that i should be raising a fuss?
  • reglee51reglee51 Member Posts: 16
    There are some forums that talk about a lot of the TSB's from the dealers dramatically affecting MPG (it didn't affect my MPG). After the first few tanks and learning to feather the gas pedal (I used to drive a Prius with eco on... I had to really stomp the gas pedal to get it to move), I've been able to get 37-43mpg about 700% highway (40-45mpg highway flats). Due to your never above 50% charge, I think you need to bring it to a dealership and have them do the TSB's (that's a sensor and at least 2 computer flashes). Keep an eye on the headliner too, that may start to peel.
  • acdiiacdii Member Posts: 753
    It takes a lot of concentration to learn how to pulse and glide, once you get it you will find your MPG go up. The charge on the batteries is concerning, on the open road after a few miles you should see the charge go up, also you should see the charge go up while braking, you may be braking too hard, when you brake hard it bypasses the regenerative braking and goes right to hydraulic brakes. Lightly press on the brake, brake sooner, and you should see improvements on the charge cycle.
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