2011 Hyundai Sonata

jsmit86

.... m4a format does NOT work....

I suspected as much... oh well... converting about 500 songs in iTunes! :surprise:

pegasus17

http://www.hyundaiusa.com/ebrochure/sonata/

swingman

I finally got around to test driving a GLS with the popular equipment package.

It was pretty nice. Test drove the Fusion SE and base Altima 2.5 S coupe and sonata impressed me the most. Fusion was a close 2nd but lacked the style and quality of the Sonata. I didn't floor it but was amazed at how quiet the engine was in both the Sonata and Fusion compared to my 2007 civic.

The GLS I tested had 19.2 mpg when I started and finished with 19.8. Apparently I drive more eco-friendly than the other testers but would be interesting to hear what people are getting for their real world mpg.

My decision will likely come down to the SE or Limited version (unless I get a bargain price on a Fusion). Unfortunately the dealership was in the process of selling their last Limited when I arrived and had no SE in stock. If the difference in driving experience is negligible between SE and Limited then I'll probably opt for the Limited due to all the extra features.

Couple questions
For those that have driven a SE and Limited, how much difference could you notice between the 2 as far as driving experience (power/handling/etc)?

For those that own a sonata and have driven through a tank of gas, what's your mpg? city? hwy?

meik

33.4 mpg on my LCD
30 mpg after my own calculation (439 miles with 14.6 gallons)
about 200 miles (one round trip to Chicago) - highway
the rest - local

swingman

LCD not accurate? If it's inaccurate then not much point in paying it any attention.

30mpg is pretty good with just over half being local.

longhaul

I've had my red SE for just over a week now and I'm quite happy with it. Had a bit of buyers remorse due to a bait & switch with the financing thru dealer, but other than that issue, the car itself is awesome. Paid $22,110 w/o the sun roof package & with the floor mats & iPod cable. I probably could have gotten it cheaper, but I was anxious to get it & since I was planning to buy another minivan I was budgeting for $24+ Much better looking than a minivan :shades:

My BIGGEST compliant is that I can't get a song/artist scroll on FM stations. Pretty minor compliant. I also hate the top half of the steering wheel grip.

Gas mileage is better than I expected -- been getting 27MPG on mainly City type driving. Can't wait to take it on a long family highway trip over spring break.

Coming from a minivan, with 3 kids, a dog & all the stuff that entails. Been very happy with the trunk space & rear seating.

fattychalupa

can anyone comment on the quality of the base stereo on the GLS/SE please?

Also what was your price for an SE with the premium sunroof/navigation/sound package?

longhaul

Base Stereo -- I'm not an audio buff, but I find the base stereo to be excellent on the SE. Test drove a Ltd with the better speaker package & I couldn't hear a difference.

Note - the base SE radio is an XM radio

napsfan

can anyone comment on the quality of the base stereo on the GLS/SE please?

I listened to both and my personal opinion is that there is a noticeable difference when listening to "high quality" audio -- e.g. mp3 files, HD audio, etc. I believe the Dimension system (the upgraded audio) offers better "frequency separation" and crispness/clarity, and certainly better bass response due to its large subwoofer in the back. I admittedly only spent 20 minutes in the GLS and I'm not an audio expert, but that's my impression.

andyfromva

can anyone comment on the quality of the base stereo on the GLS/SE please?

I'm no audiophile but the base stereo on my GLS is much better than the stereo on any car I've ever owned, including my recently departed 2001 Camry and my 2003 Civic.

syitalian25

I test drove both and decided to go with the SE because of the visual upgrades and I felt like the handling was more responsive. The Limited also has good handling, but the SE really handles turns and curves well with very minimal body lean. I have been very satisfied but I'd say for 80% of people they'd be happy giving up a small bit of handling for the extra features. Or get the best of both worlds and go for the SE w/nav package, then about the only thing its really missing is the heated leather. The power is pretty much identical, but the SE has a bit deeper exhaust note.

I drive in about 70% city/30% hwy type driving and average around 27-28 mpg. On a mostly highway trip about 100 miles I tested it and got 32 mpg doing about 70-80 the whole way including a minute or two of stop-and-go traffic. Not bad at all.

m6user

It's impossible to compare one fill up to the trip computer. There can be a lot of difference in one fill for a variety of reasons. Temp, pump, gas handle shut off sensitivity, was the car level?, did he top it off versus use the first automatic shutoff?. It would really take at least 4 or 5 fills before computing the difference to see how close they are.

ergsum

http://motortrend.automotive.com/133446/112-1005-best-selling-midsize-family-sed- an-comparison/index.html

andyfromva

The Sonata drops down from second last year to third - huh? I test drove the 2010 Sonata (same as the 2009) and, while it was pretty good it was nowhere near the 2011. The 2011 had a much nicer interior, more comfortable seats and a more powerful engine. Not to mention a larger trunk, better gas mileage and, oh yes, "slightly" more appealing styling.

The review mentioned that the Sonata was the second noisiest car of the group - only quieter than the Honda Accord. I test drove the Accord directly prior to test driving a 2011 Sonata GLS and the Accord was much, much noisier. Perhaps the car he drove, the SE, is much noisier than the GLS.

I agree the Ford Fusion is a good car but the interior styling stinks. You can't even begin to compare it to the 2011 Sonata.

And the Camry in first place? The Camry's a good car but the interior styling is much too bland and it doesn't handle well at all.

There's no question in my mind that the 2011 Sonata is the best of the group.

chrono

I could live with the Fusion ahead of the Sonata as first and second place. But the Camry as first?! :confuse: What the heck happened? The Camry is consistently been at the bottom ranks in comparo's the past few years. I smell something fishy. I don't think any car mag would place Camry first for anything besides snooze factor.

midas69

The Camry is actually a very quiet and smooth riding car. If you're looking for a car that reminds you of a 1960 Cadillac with regards to noise levels and ride, that's your car. It's also the car to buy if you're looking for an interior to remind you of an AMC Pacer.

syitalian25

It seems to me that the Camry won because it is the best for the family - quiet, smooth ride, easy to drive, simple controls, and overall just the epitome of a basic, decent sedan? Fun to drive- no, stylish-no, lots of included features-No ... it is just a basic decent car for the millions of drones in this country that get about as much enjoyment out of their car as they do their microwave.

I too could have *maybe* lived with the Fusion being the #1 over a 2011 Sonata, although really the SEL trim compares more closely to the Sonata Limited in terms of price and purpose. And when you do that comparison, the Sonata offers a lot more. The SE is a sports-tuned mid level sedan which purposely gives up a small bit of the quiet ride for improved handling - which it accomplished - by having the best track numbers even of the Fusion and Altimas. And the lack of an auto-manual on the supposedly sporty Fusion is just ridiculous. For the criteria that MT was judging (which is the best all-around family sedan) the Limited is clearly better for that purpose than the SE.

Also, why was the "price as tested" $26,000 for the SE? Apparently they got it with the Nav and sunroof, which still only brings it equal to the price of the Fusion SEL without a Nav. I would be willing to bet that sunroof has something to do with the supposed weight being 3316 lbs. and only getting 8.1 seconds 0-60 (still the best of the cars in the test but it is much better than 8.1 in reality).. Besides the Fusion looks like a Mach3 razor and the Camry is probably one of the worst looking car in the whole group.. look at those 16 inch rims with 5 huge boring spokes- disgusting!!

Of the Camry -
The materials and build quality suggest this could be the priciest car in the group, when in fact it's the cheapest (though equipping an SE to match our Sonata would cost almost $32,000).

As we don our Ma 'n' Pa Middle America hats and take a walk around this Toyota, we can't help being impressed by the gigantic back seat, huge trunk opening, and breathtakingly simple cockpit ergonomics.

"Okay, steering feel and handling prowess are not outstanding, but when you hustle this slice of milquetoast, it shrugs off road imperfections and carves through turns just fine. There's lots of chassis roll but no loss of control. Seemingly excels at nothing, yet it really excels at everything. A driving enthusiast might want a more involving and athletic machine, but for 99 percent of buyers shopping in this category, the Camry simply nails the mission profile."


Milquetoast - A good word to describe the Camry.

herbie10

I didn't get to compare the GLS, but the Limited is much better than the SE. I was blown away from the difference.

herbie10

Unfortunately I will get to find out how my dealership deals with repairs. I had an accident with my month old Limited. No one was hurt, but it did hurt to have my new car damaged. The air bags probably did more damage that the concrete post that I hit, but it could have been worse. We didn't hit that hard, but I have to admit that it seems like the front end held up pretty well. The bumper will have to be replaced and some of the supports will have to be adjusted, but you can hardly tell it hit anything. The air bags worked great though...lol.

shabadoo25

The happy news is that you're ok!

syitalian25

The SE's stereo sounds very, very good and the Limited's sound outstanding, not that either is bad. I have been impressed with the stereo quality enough to show it to everyone who wants to checks out the car - it sounds great, but of course the 360 watts is even better.

backy

I think "what the heck happened" is that MT remembered that two of their recent COTYs were the Camry and Fusion, and they obviously made the right choices back then.

I really am shocked they picked the Camry LE on top. If they had driven the SE, I would not have been as surprised. Also, I can't fathom their liking the interior of the Camry more than the Sonata's. The Camry LE's is dull, dull, dull, and fit and finish is not what it used to be. Then there's the little thing of going on about how smooth the Camry LE was. If ride smoothness was their focus, they should have picked the Sonata GLS or Limited for the test.

Also, where was the new-for-2009 Mazda6 in this test???

shuale_ejs

Sorry to hear you were in an accident with your new car...but glad no one was hurt. Hopefully you'll get it back soon and it'll be as good as new.

meik

I am surprised that Camry is their top choice. I am 6'2" tall and when I sat in the back seat of Camry, my "head" touched its roof. However, my "hair" touched ceiling in the back seat in Fusion and Sonata. I had this test in a auto-show, so I was pretty sure that Sonata's back seat was not worse than I expected in its class.

Also, I didn't want to spend $25,000 or more on a car that would give me a worry/doubt about its safety. I understand that sudden acceleration "could" happen on any these days cars, but Camry has a "official" recall on that issue. It could be a mat issue as they say or could be a program or circuit issue, who knows. I would never buy that car for my "family".

andyfromva

Also, I didn't want to spend $25,000 or more on a car that would give me a worry/doubt about its safety.

My wife said if I bought a Toyota she wouldn't set foot in it. One more reason for me to buy the 2011 Sonata.

googonabike

Hey Backy, cool your engines and read the headline of the comparo. "Best selling family sedans" not most sporty or whatever. Mazda 6 sales numbers are dismal. Probably, for the same reason they did not include VW Passat.

backy

Yes, you're right, they said they wanted the top sellers this time. But the Mazda6 outsells the Legacy. And the Optima outsells each of them. So... go figure. It appears they wanted big sellers OR recently redesigned cars. Funny thing is, they had enough time/money for a 10-car comparo last time... why not this time? Let the Passat see if it could retain its title, see how the Mazda6 fared against the new Legacy and Sonata.

mikemartin

Backy, I completely agree with you.

The Mazda 6 is probably the best of all the cars in the mid size category. And the VW Passat is a huge seller, and without it, Europe isn't represented.

MotorTrend apparently picked the 2010 Camry and 2010 Fusion over the 2011 Sonata because of ride refinement.

The Camry is the smooth operator, while the Fusion combines euro handling, a quiet and comfortable ride (and solid, silent suspension).

Once again, after yet another year, and with a new generation of cars, Hyundai still can't seem to get the suspension details right. It's a darn shame, because the suspension is literally the foundation upon which a car is judged, whether by ride quality, handling or refinement.

On this point, MotorTrend absolutely blasted the 2011 Sonata:

"The biggest problem is the chassis tuning, which sacrifices way too much ride quality on the altar of lateral grip and handling sharpness. Hyundai's 225/45R18 tires are the biggest, lowest-profile meats here and they ride on the widest track, laying a terrific foundation for strong handling dynamics. But the company's lack of practice building Grand Touring suspensions shows in its choice of dampers, springs, and bushings, which hunker down for great cornering on a perfectly smooth surface but send the car bounding around on imperfections and undulations, compromising grip and upsetting the ride. Similarly, the second quickest steering here makes turn-in feel aggressive, but transmits little or no road feel.

But it's not just the suspension and numb steering. It's the 2nd from last loudest interior and the backwards step in interior room and quality of materials:

Yes, we realize GLS and Limited models will ride better, but other shortcomings as a sedan conspired to lower the Sonata's rank. Most editors' noggins contacted the rear ceiling (despite those best-in-class rear headroom figures), the cabin din at 70 mph was second loudest, and access to the roomy trunk is through a smallish opening, thanks to the rear-window placement. The previous model's interior design and ergonomics were also deemed richer looking and more user friendly.

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_1005_best_selling_midsize_family_- - - sedan_comparison/2011_hyundai_sonata.html#ixzz0iIQdFfEv

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_1005_best_selling_midsize_family_- - - - sedan_comparison/2011_hyundai_sonata.html#ixzz0iIOe0Qk7

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_1005_best_selling_midsize_family_- - - - - - sedan_comparison/2011_hyundai_sonata.html

shabadoo25

Utter crap.

1. I doubt many people are buying the Sonata to navigate dirt roads. If you deal with that on a daily basis, get a F350.

2. It's one of the quietest cars I've ever driven.

3. Find me a nicer car on the inside for between $22-$28k. You can't.

andyfromva

Utter crap.

I totally agree.

swingman

The 2 negative reviews so far don't really phase me.

MotorTrend

I think all we need to know is that they were huge fans of the old, no style model. They are apparently just upset that a midsize car in this price segment actually has some aggressive styling.

backwards step in interior quality and interior room? I highly doubt it. Even the 2011 GLS looked a lot nicer on the inside than a more expensive Fusion and Altima. I never recall hearing anything about 2010 Sonata beating the competition in quality inside or out, so I highly doubt that the 2011 is a step down.

I only drove a GLS for a few minutes but it was very quiet so I also don't understand their complaint on noise. I think the issue may be that they're comparing it to their luxury cars that block out everything. Or they're just trying to find any reason to put Sonata in third and that's all they could come up with for a negative.

Edmunds

Edmunds review on the manual GLS doesn't really apply to most buyers. The only thing you can gain from this review is that manual lovers shouldn't buy a Sonata. Hopefully they'll review a Sonata with auto transmission since that will apply to more buyers. Bad choice for a review car.

shuale_ejs

I love driving manual transmissions but in my search for a new car I find that it is hard to find one in the top of the line models. You can only get it in the base models.

I am truly going to miss my six speed manual transmission.

syitalian25

I disagree with Motortrend's assessment of the chassis tuning, it handles road imperfections fine during cornering and feels very secure.. and if the SE is a bit stiffer and more noisy than some family car buyers would prefer, that's why Hyundai made the Limited or GLS. That is why I think the Sonatas will sell so well - there is a price and driving dynamic for everyone. Why they are complaining about stiff suspension on the purposefully sporty Sonata SE vs a car like the Camry LE when the main criteria is comfort, ergonomics, and quiet ride/handling is beyond me.

If Camry buyers wanted a sportier ride they would look at a Camry SE, then realize the Sonata SE is better is almost all ways and buy that instead. The Camry LE and Fusion SEL are tuned to be quiet and air on the side of comfort over handling, so naturally they are more quiet and comfortable than a competitor's sports-tuned model. Personally I never thought a "family sedan" could have the handling that the Sonata SE does.. it is truly a fun car to drive. I can't wait until the dry months to really push it. I would describe the ride as quiet to very quiet on anything other than gravel or dirt roads.. which is more than I was expecting. The interior is much more modern than the previous version but the quality is still excellent - it is a step in the right direction. Sedan buyers are getting younger and not everyone wants the inside of their ride to look like a Chevy Impala or a Buick.

meik

Utter crap.

Totally.

MotorTrend

I think all we need to know is that they were huge fans of the old, no style model. They are apparently just upset that a midsize car in this price segment actually has some aggressive styling.

Yes, they even stated that in the review.

First off, we were huge fans of the previous model (which finished second by a whisker to the considerably more fun-to-drive VW Passat the last time out), and we agree with you on the new styling.

I don't get why they complained about 2011 Sonata SE without comparing it to Camry SE. Because of total price maybe?

The materials and build quality suggest this could be the priciest car in the group, when in fact it's the cheapest (though equipping an SE to match our Sonata would cost almost $32,000).

And Fusion SEL. Wait, SEL?

Other family-friendly features include an easy-to-use nav system with Sirius Travel Link traffic and weather info and a huge screen that includes a backup camera, plus the Sync phone/iPod connection-all Ford exclusives (Hyundai's nav offers XM Traffic, but no camera).

Do they even know that NO nav package is offered to Fusion SE? If they want to mention about nav, they have to mention that Sonata Limited nav offers backup camera. Also Fusion SE comes with cloth seat.

I can't trust MT's review. They tried to compare apple to orange, basically. At least, they didn't mention they were test driving all different trims. If they come up with a different review with fully loaded Fusion SE, Sonata SE, and Camry SE, then I might reconsider to read it and trust it.

Oh, one more thing.
Braking 60-0.
Fusion SEL 124/150 ft.
Sonata SE 123/124 ft.
Camry 128/128 ft.

Sorry, Fusion and Camry owners. You hit the wall or run over .... while Sonata owners are able to make a stop right in front of it.

carbunt

Well I read the complete Motor Trend review and I can say I am NOT surprised. Their preamble began disingenuously enough, “We aim to determine which of these solid-citizen sedans deserves to be a best-seller by best delivering the space, utility, comfort, and quiet that today's families expect.”

Even before I read one review of this so-called family sedan comparo there was Not one mention of the number one criteria that are on the minds of most American families, “safety” from their midsize hauler. Duh?

In fact the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said this recently about Toyota, “Missing the mark: Not a single model from the world's biggest automaker by sales is represented among this year's winners. Toyota and its Lexus and Scion subsidiaries had a strong showing in 2009 with 11 winners but were shut out for 2010.” And this too from IIHS, “The midsize Toyota Camry would have qualified with good ratings, except for its rear crash evaluation. This car's seats and head restraints are rated marginal for protection against whiplash injury”. Source: http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr111809.html

I found it incredulous that a big time auto online publication such as MT would gleefully neglect to include the safety criteria, for if they had, and tallied this score into their flawed equation, the 2011 Sonata would’ve flogged the Camry into shameful submission and inevitably they would have had to score the Sonata #1. So, predictably the table was set just so, just so that they could nudge down the Sonata below the Fusion, here again another hollow falsetto comment by MT, “It's a terrific car at a great price, but the bar has been raised.” Perhaps they were comparing it to a (liquor?) bar that they frequented. Also they commented that the Sonata's navigation package does not include rear back-up camera? Did these guys even drive this car?

The most hilarious part of the article was all the "apologetic" faux praise they began heaping unto the Camry--it was quite so over done. Finally notice how they wasted no time in exalting their beloved, but now tarnished and forlorn, Camry the #1 spot. How predictable and transparent.

Apparently safety is not an important criteria in Motor Trend’s ranking of cars. No thank you!

meik

I totally agree with you.

However, It might be true that nav package on SE doesn't have a rear view camera. I took a look at Hyundai's website and it didn't state nav package on SE has a rear view camera. I have Limited w/o nav so I personally don't know. Can any SE with nav package owner give more detail about that?

andyfromva

The SE with its sporty elements should not have even been in the comparo, as it's a different type of car than the others. The GLS or Limited would have been the appropriate representatives of the 2011 Sonata.

napsfan

http://www.insideline.com/hyundai/sonata/2...rison-test.html

Check out this comparison -- very thorough and balanced, in my opinion. And Sonata comes out slightly on top. Cool!

chrono

Yay for Edmunds to writeup a fair comparo. I don't get the MT comparo. It's like they picked the wrong car on purpose and used it in testing. Same with the Edmunds road tester. He wanted an SE but got a GLS. I really think the Sonata has something for everyone. You just have to pick the right trim level people!

bobad

But still,,, MT, Inside Line, and the rest need to get the Sonata's models straight and compare each car to its own type.

GLS=economy sedan, SE=sporty sedan, Limited=cushy sedan. Got that boys?

syitalian25

Hey everyone, I just got the windows tinted. It is limo all the way around (5% light gets in), which I think looks really slick with the black on black. Let me know what you think.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2798/4438997554_995887761a_b.jpg

shabadoo25

Your photo is unavailable, chief.

syitalian25

sorry forgot to edit out the plate, try again.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2798/4438997554_995887761a_b.jpg

pegasus17

Looks great; always clean (even your engine was spotless)
IIRC, here in Ohio, that level of tinting is illegal :sick:

syitalian25

lol I am in NY and it is highly illegal here also. Not for the back, but the front two the legal limit is 70%. I did it that way because I am a private investigator and I use the car for surveillance, so I can get out of the ticket when I get pulled over.

pcgeek86

Hey guys,

Got a new video posted by request on some miscellaneous features:

** Bluetooth audio streaming (from iPhone)
** Quick look at the trunk latch
** Smart key
** Trip computer - Advanced Functions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iJtrVfaNp0

Enjoy!

Cheers,
Trevor

Edit: I also just got my Panavise 809 suction cup camera mount from Amazon today, so I'm going to see about posting some in-car video

http://www.amazon.com/Panavise-809-Camera-Window-Suction/dp/B000246ST6

shabadoo25

Great video. I have the nav/Infinity, and the streaming mp3s are great. Now, if only I could figure out how to pause a song...

I need to play around with the vehicle settings that the video shows...

syitalian25

This has been annoying me too - with the iPod you can just turn the radio off and it auto-resumes from the exact spot. Doesn't work with streaming music though

syitalian25

Hey everyone,

Some people on Youtube were saying that I made the last 0-60 downhill, so I did it again showing the road as well. about 7.2 - 7.5 seconds this run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8FOpDZM8BI

pcgeek86

Nice video I like the sound of your SE's exhaust.

Cheers,
Trevor