Hyundai Sonata 2005 and earlier

jmess

I spent a week in a V6 powered rental car with 6,000 miles on it. I would say Hyundai has made big improvements in quality. It has went from really bad to fair. The biggest beef I had with the car was the handling and engine. The car doesn't like to be hustled down the road. The tires squeal anytime you go around a corner which gets to be very annoying, this is at speeds that you could drive a pickup and not have tire squeal. The steering feel is vague and power steering/assist boost level varies based upon wheel position. In general IMHO the handling feel of the car is below average for the class. If you are looking for a well balanced drivers car then you are looking at the wrong car.

I found the engine could use a little more lowend torque. The styling is hard to get use to. The cloth interior was respectable. The seats were adequate. The sterio was poor.

I wasn't sorry to dump the car off. It was interesting to see where Hyundai is at these days.

I would encourage potential buyers to be sure an drive the Toyota Camry several times before you make the plunge. The Camry even with a 4 cylinder engine is still the class of the field. You might get more creature features with a Sonata for the same price but you still have to drive the car every day. The new Accord is also a better choice if you value the feel of driving a well balanced car over riding in a car like the Sonata that protests everytime you go around a corner.

xyzkia

I don't think you can get an honest evaluation after driving a rental car. We all know how people tend to treat the rental cars. I had a chance to drive a camary from budget rental car few months ago. The camary had little over 2,000 miles but car was already abused. The rental car did not drive like a typical camary quality.

I also test drove sonata and the quality is not up to par with camary or accord but they definately drives better than any domestic mid size vehicle. Sonata definately belongs in the mid size category. I think if Hyundai keeps improving the quality and pays attention to details, in not too distant future it can compete with camary and accord.

jk27

Did you happen to check the tire pressure on that Sonata? I own a 2002 Sonata V6 LX and I don't have any tire squeal problem on corners. Also, what kind of tires were on that car? Mine came with Uniroyal Tiger Paws Touring SR -- not bad!

Also, I'm not sure what stereo you had, but the one in my Sonata is very good. Not as good as the one in my Buick Rendezvous ... but the Sonata also didn't cost $30,000+.

We compared Accord, Camry, 626 and L-Series to the Sonata -- and we bought the Sonata -- for thousands less, mind you! It's definitely a competitor. Sounds like you got a dud rental.

jmess

I can see your point about a comparison with Domestic cars in the same class like a GrandAm. I have rented most of these cars and they are a mixed bag of good and bad. The Sonata is more like "your fathers oldsmobile" in quality and handling. I could see my 70 year old mother driving this car and liking it.

If all you care about is getting between point A and B with little driver involvement or connection with the car, then the Sonata would work. The seat comfort and noise levels, in a straight line, were reasonable. You can read the newspaper, talk on your cell phone, and/or put on makeup as well in this car as you can any other :-)

jk27

Actually, my 2002 Sonata LX came with Michelin Energy MXV4 tires (my Buick Rendezvous has the Uniroyal Tiger Paws). Anyway, still holds true ... no tire squeal, great handling and very quiet on the highway. Here's a link to the tires that came on my Sonata: http://tires.michelin-us.com/catalog/tires/energymxv4plus.html

Sorry jmess, but your comment about a Sonata handling like "your father's oldsmobile" is waaaay off base. If I were you, I would report your experience to your rental car company ... sounds like you got a dud Sonata.

jimpimms

I, too, disagree, jmess. I drive a 5-spd Elantra GT on a daily basis, but on the weekends, I look forward to driving my wife's '02 Sonata. While it's not as agile as the Elantra around corners, it negotiates curves nearly as well, soaks up rough pavement much better, and in Shiftronic mode, it's quite a competent passer. I'm constantly amazed that this car handles as well as it does, given the boulevard suspension tuning. It's a much more satisfying driving experience than I ever expected. By the way, I keep the tires at 35 psi, and there's no squealing. As far as styling, it's head and shoulders above sedans that cost $10,000 more. In comparison, my father's Oldsmobile was "a great wallowing dumpling".

denp3

I also own a 02 Sonata. I have also have no tire squeal with the Michelin MXV4 tires. The styling is what led me to the Sonata. I have always owned Domestic cars until I purchased this Sonata in April 2002. I found the craftsmanship to be above the American made. I found no imperfections when the car was delivered. I always had them in the Domestic made cars.

anonymousposts

Those Michelins are good tires. I had them on a 99 Accord EX and when I traded the car with almost 40,000 miles on it the tires still looked like new and had alot of tread left. Just keep em rotated and they should last upwards of 50,000 miles.

zmoney

I called Hyundai concerning the HP misprint and the rep said somebody would call because I have the full warranty already. However, they have yet to call me. What do you think they will offer me? What should I request? Thanks in advance for you input.

jimbeaumi

They will offer you what they are offering all affected customers. It's on their website at www.hyundaiusa.com

jim3039

I'm shopping for an Elantra for my Mother In-Law. I have noticed on the TMV pricing that a basic 2002 Sonata (not GLS or LX) with ABS and moonroof is less than a 2003 Elantra with ABS, $15,539 vs. $16,081. Can this be true?. Or, am just missing something in the equation. Please advise. Thanks

jimbeaumi

That sounds like a loaded Elantra GT, the only model I can think that will price out at over $16K (sticker!), but you would likely pay less than that. Just about every car line will have some overlap between a loaded car and a larger model with nearly nothing on it. Incidentally, sounds like a great deal on a midsize IF you want nothing more than ABS and moonroof (does it have CD? leather?). Both cars offer excellent value.

csandste

I have an Elantra GLS, not a Sonata. I've driven a number of Sonatas, however. In the dark ages I owned two Renaults (no jokes). In some ways Korean cars are a bit like French cars in that they're quite softly sprung. They certainly won't keep up with the best handling Japanese cars like Mazda. I think the overall feel of the cars is far better than most of the present generation of GM cars, however. This may change as Bob Lutz brings better cars to market.

frohling

I was offered an extra 5 years roadside assistance for having a model that was advertised as having 170hp but actually only has 163hp. I thought that was pretty lame considering that advertising the wrong horsepower could result in a consumer fraud law suit. Has anyone been offered the other choices such as an extended 5yr warranty? Also, has anyone heard of a suit that may be going on now as a result of this false advertisement?

paulv4

To join the suit see: www.shslitigation.com

saber86

Is this the first time CR has recommended any hyundai vehicles to their recommended buy list? If this is true, than this is a major accomplishment for hyundai cars.

jimbeaumi

Is that a special issue? Or is it the regular December issue of the magazine? To answer your question, this would indeed be the first time Hyundai has been a CR recommended vehicle. Excellent!

saber86

It was their annual car buying issue for 2003. It had all the invoice pricing, different options, and so on. The cover is yellow and I saw it at the walmart. You may have to go to a store where they have large magazine selection like walmart to find one.

The CR had a "Recommended" label next to Sonata. As usual, they had best buy next to accord and camary.

I think this just goes to show hyundai is finally getting some recognition for improving quality and better and bigger things to come.

jimbeaumi

I think you may have been looking at Consumer Digest or one of the other impostors. Consumer Reports does not and has never rated cars "Best Buy". They only use that rating for other products. Cars get a "Recommended" rating at most. As of the April auto issue, the Sonata was at the bottom of the "Family cars" ratings list.

backy

You must be referring to the predicted reliability ratings in the April 2002 CR issue. The Overall Ratings for Family Sedans have the Sonata (LX V6) ranked 12th out of 31 cars, behind the usual suspects (Passat, Camry, Accord...) but ahead of Mitsubishi, Infiniti, Mazda, and every U.S. make in the class.

jimbeaumi

Thanks, I should know enough to specify which list I am referencing. Sonata is indeed at the bottom of the predicted reliability ratings. And I was not surprised that this car was rated as well as or better than ALL the U.S. makes in the overall ratings. The Big 2.5 shouldn't being playing catch-up with a Korean brand, but it looks like they are. Hmmmm ... it reminds one of the catching up they have had to do for years with Japanese brands.

backy

I just saw the Consumer Reports (yes, CR, not Consumer Digest or something else) 2003 Auto Buyer's Guide and confirmed that the Sonata is now "Recommended" because of a big improvement in reliability--in fact, predicted reliability is now Above Average, a really big improvement over its rating last April, when CR rated it dead last in its class. Not only that, but CR has also put its "Recommended" label on the Santa Fe. It would have recommended the Elantra too, since its predicted reliability has improved to Average, but for one thing: the poor IIHS offset crash test result. It did not rate the Accent, Tiburon, or XG350 either because of insufficient data or because it has not tested them.

jimbeaumi

This is indeed very very good news! I knew those models would improve by the time the next Auto Issue was published (April issue). Watch their sales continue to rise.

chetbob

Looking for some input on gas mileage. I have a 2002 Sonata LX with 8500 miles.When car was new was getting 22.5 miles per gallon. Now 7 month later am getting about 17.5 miles per gallon same type of driving. The car runs great. Took it to the dealer and he said he put it on the machine and every thing checked out fine. Just doesn't seem natural for such a drop in mileage. Any thoughts I can hit the dealer with. Bob in Florida. Thanks

saber86

thanks on the reconfirmation. I thought i was in a twilight zone for a moment *L*

johnnyboy3

I am 6' 3" and have a 2002 Sonata with a sunroof. Head room is a problem. Anybody know of a way to lower the seat beyond its factory limitations?

nato1

I too feel the pain, I am 6'5" and my hair does touch the headliner. I adjusted the seat ('02 gls) all the way down in the front and back of the seat, it works but not the ideal. That doesn't bother me as much as the rear-view mirror. Since the mirror is only hinged at the mirror and not at the windshield, it creates a little blind spot in forward view to the right. It's not a real problem, but maybe something that added to future models.

nato1

It makes me wonder if cr is just getting on the band wagon. How can cr keep a low rating of a vehicle(s) that has had double digit sales increases, and no signs of letting up?

sidenote:
Can cr discount the increases of warranties by most (if not all) car manufactures, wasn't the cause of Hyundai? (or at least the notion of a car can be built for less money with more features with a clause that says if it breaks we will fix it?)

I would think that it is in thier best interest give Hyundai a nod of achievement. IMO I do feel that Hyundai has made great strides in quality and consumer satisfaction, and that the change of the cr rating is well warranted.

jimbeaumi

CR does not "get on the bandwagon" nor do their ratings have anything to do with sales. They have not recommended the Sonata due to less-than-average reliability scores, submitted by owners of those cars. Those scores are apparently improving.

As for your other comments, giving Hyundai a "nod" makes no difference to CR, as they do not have any reason to recommend or not recommend a vehicle.

nato1

CR has given the '02/'03 Sonata a red bullseye or partial red to everything except the predicted depreciation, which has a worse than average rating. This will most likely change for next update due to the fact that cars that hold together will have a higher resale value. So, in the CR forecast they have changed the 'predicted' reliability of the Sonata from much worse than average to a better than average. (went from 'much worse than average' ('01) to better than average '02/'03). I didn't major in statistics, but 'an about face' on a forecast of reliability (even if it's from a relatively conservative group such as CR) gives Hyundai a 'nod', it may not be direct, but it is still a nod.

backy

CR did give Sonata a direct "nod". It is now one of their "Recommended" cars. That's as big a nod as they will give a car.

What is puzzling to me is, how did CR figure out in the months since their April Auto Issue that the Sonata's predicted reliability (also the Santa Fe's) has improved so much? They haven't done a reader survey since the April issue came out. Isn't that how they gather the statistics to determine predicted reliabilities?

nato1

backy, you know what i'm sayin'.
Even the Elantra and the Accent went up a notch. The only thing I can think of was maybe CR is including IIHS and other crash/insurance data in thier models. May be the data has changed? (a hanging chad, OOPS!)

jimbeaumi

Of course the data have changed, hence the new rating. It would be impossible for CU to send out all surveys at once, then compile them all at once just for the April issue. That is why they can offer updates on ratings between April and April. And I think it is a good thing, because people need latest information as soon as it is available. Good for Hyundai!

backy

in their decision on whether or not to recommend a car--unfortunately for Hyundai, with the Elantra. This is relatively new for CR. They used to recommend a car if it performed well in their tests and had at least an Average predicted reliability. Now there's one more bar to cross: good NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores. Sonata made it, Santa Fe made it, Elantra did not.

Jimbeaumi, this is the first time I heard that CR spreads their annual surveys out over the year. I always thought they sent them all out at one time, because I always get mine the same time each year. Maybe they do it by last name or something.

jimbeaumi

I should have stated that as a guess (although I thought I had read it somewhere -- I should always be certain before posting!). I did pick up the New Car Preview and just opened to page 4. They state, "New Car Preview is the first CR publication to include the latest results." This would suggest that last April's auto issue relied on results from last year's survey. Backy, maybe you remember: is the deadline on mailing in the survey May 31, or something like that? I have forgotten. Tabulation takes longer than one would think if results are just being published (it is over 400,000 surveys, though). I don't think I have ever received the survey before the auto issue.

As for the Elantra, I am also disappointed that it doesn't get the "check" mark, due to the crash figure. You know what? I would still buy the car regardless. Luck or skill, my cars remain mostly untouched -- and you recall that the passenger "cage" maintained its shape well on the Elantra (I'll award my own points for that -- hee hee).

I also noticed two other things: the XG350's reliability is also reported as "average" (but they have yet to road test it), so that could be another recommended model. And the Kia Optima doesn't have the same recommendation that Sonata has, even though they are essentially the same. Odd, considering GM, Ford, Chrysler twins typically are included.

backy

Good catch! That is strange that the Optima would not be recommended also, even though CR hasn't tested it (at least I don't recall a test report), because it is the Sonata's twin. It would make a good Letter to the Editor for someone who really cares about whether the Optima is "Recommended". I don't; to me, the Sonata got the best of the DNA compared to its twin.

I don't recall the cut-off date for the surveys, but I thought I always got mine before the April issue. Oh well, in a few months we can verify that, when the surveys come out again.

csandste

Don't these come out of two different plants? Back in the days of the worst GM cloning, there were quality differences based on which car was assigned to what plant.

csandste

For years the long wheelbase vans (Fenton, MO) had worse reliability records than the short wheelbase (Canadian)ones in the CR tests.

jimbeaumi

A very good point about separate plants. And I do remember seeing one length of those vans recommended over the other.

Backy, the survey may come soon before or soon after the April issue but definitely not in time for the data to be included (I think you've also come to this conclusion). I usually get any mags the first week of the previous month (April in March), and most magazines are about six weeks lead time, so April issue is started about mid-January, maybe end of January.

killerk

Hey, guys. I selected 12yr/120K since I rack up 20K/yr.

Neways, I started to get this clattering noise when I turn on the fan. It's so annoying!!! I remember seeing an old post about a leaf getting into the duct but can't find it.

How do I access the fan to remove the leaf? Thx.

timnielsen

OK, today I bought a Sonata base, with the 2.7 engine. Actually I traded in my 1 day old Elantra GT which I realized was just too damn small for me.

But, I hate the 15" wheels with the lousy 'wheelcovers' and want to put 16" Alloy wheels on it. This shouldn't pose a problem at all, should it? I mean, the other GLS and LX have them, so there is no reason I can't put them on, is there?

The only thing I thought is that since the higher models have 4 wheel disc brakes, maybe something about the back wheel means I can't put 16" rims on there?

Anyone have a good source online to find rims for their Sonata? I tried Tirerack.com, but it said they don't stock any wheels that would fit the Sonata.

Would love to get some nicer wheels on there.

Tim

timnielsen

Actually it wasn't a trade-in really, it was through their 3-Day exchange program. I had three days to turn the car back in, as long as I didn't put on more than 150 miles, and as long as I was upgrading to something of equal or greater money.

I loved the Elantra, and if anyone in the Mpls area is looking for a 2002 Elantra GT, I know that White Bear Hyundai has two, and the one I returned to Metro Hyundai is in brilliant condition, heck I even went through checking all the fluid levels, torque settings for the lugnuts, air pressures, etc. It's Carbon Blue, with moonroof, mudguards and carpet, and I paid $13995. I've heard of people getting cheaper, don't know, but I know that was only a few buck above invoice before the rebate, and Metro Hyundai doesn't charge any ad fees at all, never even came up.

Jeremy Dominick is a great guy there, who I bought the car from, and I highly recommend him.

My new Sonata is great. I hate the wood trim, so I bought the base with the 2.7 liter, and eventually will put 16" or at least alloy rims, I hate the wheel covers.

Nice car, definitely an improvement over my 2000.

Tim

nato1

The problem with hyundai is that they use a non-standard size bolt pattern.
Check out these guys:
http://www.1stopcustomwheels.com
and if you find what you want, there should be a local tire shop that can get them for you to mount and balance some rubber.
The brakes will fit on the upsize. The only thing you need to find out is the rim offset, the distance from the back of the rim to the back of the hub. This will ensure that you don't rub on the sheetmetal or suspension.

tb88

I just received the following letter re: SONATA 4 cyl - 2001:

Dear Hyundai Owner,
At Hyundai, we value you as a customer and appreciate your business. That's why we believe you deserve the truth from us.

It is for this reason that I'm writing to you. We made an error in the information published about the horsepower of the engine in your Sonata. The horsepower rating was published as 149, when it is actually 138.

I want you to know that this error does not impact the safety or reliability of your Sonata. Be assured that I have taken steps here at Hyundai to make sure that this does not happen again. For further details on this issue and the steps we’ve taken, please visit www.HyundaiStatus.com.

I hope you’ll accept my personal apology. I'm very proud of the cars we make. And, I'm equally proud of the people around the world who build, sell and service our cars. More importantly, I want you to be proud of the car you drive.

To back up my apology, I would like to offer you a choice of one of the following enhancements to your Hyundai vehicle.

· Extending your Roadside Assistance Benefit from 5 years/unlimited miles, to 10 years/unlimited miles.

· Extending your New Vehicle Limited Warranty from 5 years/60,000 miles, to 6 years/72,000 miles.

· Or, extending your Powertrain Limited Warranty from 10 years/100,000 miles, to 12 years/120,000 miles for original owners.

Please indicate your choice on the enclosed, postage-paid reply card.

If you have any questions or concerns, we would like to hear from you. www.HyundaiStatus.com.

Thank you for being a Hyundai owner.

Sincerely,

Finbarr J. O'Neill
President and CEO

saber86

for the article click here

suprise to find camary is slipping in quality

rkw2

My Subaru Forester needed a new timing belt so I was able to get a 2002 Sonata Base with 6 cylinders as a loaner car (dealer sells Sub, hynd and Isuzu). I drove about 150 miles today. My impressions were all very positive and above my expectations. Plenty of power, quiet, solid door feel, smooth shifting, good steering, quality radio, comfortable seats etc. A couple of things I didn;t like were blind spot on rear passenger side, heard tires going over ridges in the road, interior lights don't go on automatically when unlocking doors with remote entry, CD but no tape cassette (i like books on tape). Will definately look for this car in about 2 years when I'm ready for my next new car. I wish it had ABS/traction control.

Unfortunatley it was raining and chilly most of the day so I could not use moon roof.

spiritz

Hyundai has reserved more than 1 billion dollars for recent 3 quaters alone, for their future warranty expenses.
It's up to nearly 50% of their net profit for the same period.
No car maker in the world reserves that much.
Reservation of 5% of total sales volume for warranty alone?
Couldn't believe my eyes.

nato1

No car maker in the world has the same/better warranty. (except isuzu)
So relatively speaking the other car companies reserves are in ratio to the applicable warranty.

spiritz

Assuming that approximately 1,000$ is necessary for warranty on each car they sell, 1 billion dollar can cover as much as "1,000,000 cars"!!
As far as I know, Hyundai's total U.S. sales are not up to half a million.
I am a shareholder of Hyundai Motor Company, so I'm restless because Hyundai might intentionally overestimate the amount of future expanses for warranty, to reduce dividend for each shares.
D**n it!

csiemssen

I am in the New Orleans area, looking at purchasing a 2003 Sonata LX. Any recent purchases out there ? And your thoughts.