Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

backy

Congrats on your new Sonata. FWIW, the distinctive smell (which BTW was absent from the car I test-drove) is not from glue but from a sealant that protects the cars for the overseas shipment. It wears off in a couple of weeks. The cars made in Alabama shouldn't have that same smell, and in fact I didn't notice any of it in the two Sonatas I sat in at a dealership in Seoul.

sonatabob

I sat in an '06 Sonata LX -built in Montgomery of course, and was really surprised at the odor inside. Could not even detect the nice scent of leather that my '05 has. Wonder what the change is because it was really offputting to the point that I had to keep the door open to get enough fresh air!

nodaclu

I thought that I had read that it would be standard on the cars coming from Alabama, but it sounds like cars are starting to trickle out of there without it, so I would have to guess it will be added in the fall, after production ramps up at the Montgomery plant.

It can't be too far away though. That's quickly becoming a "must have" on a vehicles option list, and it won't look good to have a mid-size "Camry fighter" in your stable without it.

nodaclu

Thanks for reminding me of that. That's what I orginally thought it was, but I remembered reading the about the glue thing on the boards and got sidetracked. ;-)

That sealant is necessary though. I got a peek at an '06 Sonata GL on the lot, and when I looked underneath the car, you could see where they had missed a spot with the sealant - right on a bend in the tailpipe just before the muffler. You could see the surface corrosion that had occurred.

I'll take two weeks of odor over a prematurely rusting exhaust system any day! ;-)

manofsteel2k6

I have a question on tires, and am hoping someone might be able to help. The 06 LX Sonata has 17in directional tires on it. I had a set of 17in aftermarket wheel I used to run on my old 02 Sonata, with the directional tires. However, I never ran them in the winter. I always ran the factory 16in wheels and tires in the winter. So I really dont know how these tires will do in the snow or ice.

The tread on the stock LX tires does not look like a tread that would handle the snow very well. Here in PA good traction in the winter is important to say the least. Anyway does anyone know how these stock 17s will do in the snow? Do you think I will have to buy more of a winter tread tire to run in the winter. Thanks for any help.

danf1

I'm in PA and can empathies with your tire concerns. The 17's are all season tires so they should be adequate. That being said, snow tires will make a great difference on any car.

My primary car is rear wheel drive. I got away with all seasons last year, but will probably invest in some Blizzaks for this winter.

me63

Who cares what the IIHS says. They always have an axe to grind if the car HOLDS UP to crash tests. All Hyundais are desinged to abosrb inpact, like most other cars, not to crumple. Hyundai just does it better. If I took an SUV and rammed it into a Toyota, especially from the side it wouldnt do well either. Check the NHSTA for more objective results.
Reliability is fine. Do some research on Hyundai and you will better. If you can look past a Camrys nose you would know this...Toyota has a recall of 2000-2005 SUV models because thier bearings are no good The Prius shuts off at 60 MPH, thats real safe. The Scion just sucks, and recently the Camry has battery problems.
Price..Good luck unless the car has rebates no one is going under invoice on ANY car.
Nissan...is the Chrysler of Japan..Honda isnt as good as people think, and Toyota will raise prices 3% this year. Sorry but I have owned Hyundais for awhile and your reprt sounded alittle bias?? Maybe not, then I apologize.

iluvmysephia1

no, you're correct. Toyota and Honda are both overrated, quite a bit. All one has to do is read your post above about Toyota reliability problems and contemplate the fact that Honda is overrated and a thinking person would have to agree with us.

Hyundai and Kia have come a long way and the difference between the Japanese makes and South Korean makes is growing slimmer all the time. Kia and Hyundai resale values should be much closer to Toy-Hon's righ now, as the Detroit Pistons rest up and prepare to squash the SAS one more time in the NBA Finals.

BTW-I disagree with you on the Scion intro.'s, though. The Scion xA RS 2.0 is one well-built, affordable and reliable rig. Nice to look at, too. The new Scion tC is a good car(though it does have some ticky-tack concerns now, like the moonroof wind deflector exploding at highway speeds, snapping noises coming from the rear cargo area (like plastic and metallical things ticking and tacking and snapping into each other in the cargo hold area), etc. The xA is really trouble-free so far. I have read of someone complaining about a sound coming from the front end that sounds like playing cards in bicycle spokes snapping, and this happens only during coasting towards a stop sign, at speeds of 30-35 mph down to a stop at zero mph. It's being looked at and doesn't happen to everybody (in fact, I've only seen two reports of it from a popular website I check daily). So, by and large the little Scion "jellybean" is doing very, very well so far in reliability reports. Which is very cool, because I'm interested in getting one of them.

Go Detroit!

pat

hello, the topic is the 2006 Sonata, yes? :confuse:

michaels2

Just visited my local dealer here in WI. They have had the cars for close to a month but the salesman tells me ""alot of people are looking, but we have not sold one yet"". I think most buyers today are so used to rebates (large ones ) that they won't buy a new car without some sort of incentive. I am in the market for a new car and really like the new Sonata. But will not buy one without rebate/incentive. Just too many other options out there at competitive prices.

manofsteel2k6

I havent mentioned this yet. But one thing that is absolutely incredible on this car is the turning radius. When any of you test drive, be sure to do a U turn or two. You will be amazed. Once you do it you will see what I mean. I have never driven a car that has this kind of turning radius.

I just thought i would pass that along as something to look at.

zup

Hey does anyone know when the rebate or drop in interest will start to show up? Right now, I'm getting the option of purchasing for 2.9% interest over 36 months, when can I expect 1.9% or less from Hyundai? If I have to wait months before 1.9%, then I'll just purchase it now.

mononeo

Turning radius is so important. When you have to find parking in an area of six square miles where 25,000 people live or go to class at, turning radius is very important.

One thing I don't like about the Hyundai Sonata; the auto headlamps don't have daytime running lamps. In this day and age, I think most anyone knows that you have to drive with your lights on! It's tantamount to not wearing your seatbelt...with so many studies from places like Canada, and Scandinavia that show how much safer it is, it doesn't make sense for this to not be standard equipment. It is the law in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden for all cars to drive with their lights on. Also, any cost-cutting that would occur from not offering it is lost in the fact that Hyundai has to make the Canadian vehicles different than the American ones. I realize they have an auto-off function, but if you leave the parking lights on for the daytime, this function does not work...only if you use the full headlamps at all times. They just need to make it standard equipment.

To the disbelievers, and TO HYUNDAI:
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/safety/avoid_crash/new_features/daytime2.html
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/safety/avoid_crash/new_features/daytime3_102803.html
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/safety/news_issues/releases/running_lights_111104.html-
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/safety/avoid_crash/new_features/visibility.html
http://www.hwysafety.org/safety%5Ffacts/qanda/drl.htm

It makes sense for the seamless integration of automated exterior and interior lighting in all vehicles, and Hyundai should make the move to this smarter approach.

thndrstm

I am currently negotiating a price for a GLS 4 cy.
I got them down to invoice(19,280) + 500(advertising) + 295 dealer processing + taxes-+ tags MINUS 784(cost of sunroof since I told them I don't really want one). ALso thrown in is free oil changes and yearly state inspections. Would you take it?

dcibrando

Does anyone know for sure when the navigation system will be available for the sonatas? I've read online sometime this fall, and then I've read next year. Just curious... VERY interested in this. tks

kc206

If you pay processing and advertising fees, you've already paid for the "free" sun roof.
I'd shop around for one with out a sun roof and for a dealership that doesn't rip you off with fees that many dealers laugh at.

thndrstm

I understand that. More or less, I would be getting it "at invoice".
They showed me the advertising fee on the invoice, but I assume that is a gimmick.
I can wait until one without the sunroof to come in and ask for the same discount.
Problem is we really need a car.

shado4

I think it is the XM satellite radio that will become standard on the Sonata beginning this fall. I wouldn't look for the nav system probably until the mid model cycle refresh, maybe 2 or 3 years down the road.

Of course, I could be all wrong. :P

backy

The advertising fee on the invoice is not a "gimmick." For some regions, the advertising fee is actually part of the invoice. In others (like where I live) it's not. Strange.

danf1

As backy said, the advertising fee is legit. If you can buy this car at invoice, you should do it.

danf1

Next year at the earliest. Chances are we won't see it until 2008.

nortsr1

do you live in where the advertising fee is not on the invoice?

kjnorman

I agree. I know that if i was to buy one, the next month there would be a big rebat on the car, and so I am interested in the Sonata, I went and looked at one, but will not buy until there is some sort of *big* rebate on it. Afterall, all other Hyundais have rebates, so why should I be the poor sod that buys one at list?

alpha01

Last week, I had the chance to take a test drive a fully loaded Sonata LX and was very impressed. Over the weekend, I was at Philadelphia Park Racetrack for a Hyundai sponsored and very enjoyable competitive assessment program; the Accord EX V6 and Camry XLE V6 were on hand (as well as many Sonatas). Overall, I'd say the Sonata is the victor, especially at 3K less than the other two.

Snaking through the pylons as quickly as I could, I found the Sonata LX, with its V6 and well programmed stability control, the easiest to pilot, and the most forgiving. The steering is well weighted and the 17 inch tires provided good grip. The steering didnt feel particularly quick, however, and body roll was less contained than in the Accord.

The Accord easily provided the best steering feel, with good feedback and sharp response. BUT- having driven the Accord three times around the same track, I really didnt feel as confident. Without any available stability system, it felt too easy to break tire adhesion and rotate the rear end. The tires were unimpressive and the car felt as if it 'slid' around the course more than it did feel as if it was negotiating it.

The Camry XLE V6 surprised me. I thought it was going to feel like a barge, but decent tire grip and the VSC (which beeps very annoyingly when activated) helped me cut clean lines. The steering is more similar to the Sonata's than the Accord, but the VSC is more intrusive than in the Sonata (which is typical of Toyota systems). It was not sporty, but it felt more reassuring than the Accord.

In terms of acceleration, the Accord litterally LEAPS off the line. The Sonata is similar, but subjectively, it felt like the Accord might beat it by a few ticks through the quarter. The 210 horse Camry didnt slingshot out of the gates like the other two, but it felt plenty strong, and theres a new Camry around the corner in 9 months. (Plus, theres the 225 horse variant that wasnt at the test drive).

Braking would seem to goe to the Sonata, IMO, with decent but not outstanding pedal feel but what felt like plenty of stopping power. The Accord's pedal is outstanding, but of the three vehicles, it felt as though it had the LEAST raw braking power.... ie.. I got the impression it would stop last. The Camry's pedal is softish at the beginning of its travel.

I found it amusing that twice I had to abort driving agressively because the folks in front of me were driving so slow that I caught up to them. For the rest of you who attend this event, HAVE FUN! You can be gentle when you buy the car, lol.

I also drove the Sonata GL 4cylinder around a course that did not feature a competitor. It was fine, but really, the V6 is such a gem in refinement and power that I really cant see purchasing the 4. Around the cones, it had noticeably more limited tire grip than the LX, and I found the 4 speed transmission easily perplexed when I nailed the accelerator, as compared to the V6's 5 speed.

I dont believe that this 4 cylinder would clock times like the Altima or Accord 4s, perhaps maybe on par with the Camry, but even in the Camry I can get the tires to bark off the line without brake torqueing. (And yes, I know the Sonata has TC, but it didnt activate on the start).

Thats all the time I have now, but I'll post my impressions on interior and room based on my dealership test drive shortly. Overall, this is a winner among the mainstream sedans, IMO, and moreso in V6 guise.

~alpha

thndrstm

Yes, the advertising fee IS on the invoice. I have seen it. Edmunds does not include it, but they had the exact price as Edmunds except for this fee. BTW. Edmunds TMV is MSRP. That doesnt seem to be the case now.

These cars are NOT moving.

carguy58

"no, you're correct. Toyota and Honda are both overrated, quite a bit. All one has to do is read your post above about Toyota reliability problems and contemplate the fact that Honda is overrated and a thinking person would have to agree with us."

Of course Toyota has problems with cars but their reliability rating are still tops in the industry. I am not the biggest Toyota fan in the world but they didn't get to where they are for nothing. I just don't like Toyota's styling theme right now. As far as Honda is concerned they are still good. The extertior styling 4 door Accord is what is killing them right now.

"Hyundai and Kia have come a long way and the difference between the Japanese makes and South Korean makes is growing slimmer all the time."

I agree with you on Hyundai that their cars reliability is up there with the Japanese. On kia I don't agree with you. They are where Hyundai was in 1996 in my opinion.

"Kia and Hyundai resale values should be much closer to Toy-Hon's righ now, as the Detroit Pistons rest up and prepare to squash the SAS one more time in the NBA Finals."

Resale values for Kia are not up there. Hyundai's resale values are getting better. The Santa Fe's resale value Consumer Reports rated it above average for resale value. The 05 Sonata was rated average for resale value by CR. The Elantra was rated below average for resale value. I don't think XG rates good for resale value. Not sure about the Tiburon(sweet looking car though.) Oh yeah sorry for your Detroit Pistons. Out of all people they left Robert Horry open for the game winning 3 pointer. I wanted to see Detroit win. They play the game like its supposed to be played and they play like a team. There is not one superstar on that team. Its just a collective team effort by everybody on that team.

mononeo

My father told me that the Sonata was reviewed on Car and Driver Television (on Spike TV)...He didn't TiVo it, but he told me that it was a pretty favorable review and that they said something along the lines of 'we can't say it is the best because we don't have the other cars here to compare it to.' i take that to mean that it is at least close enough to the competition, which in Car and Drivers' opinion is the Accord and only the Accord, that they can't just come out right and say the Accord is better. Look up their review called "Double Dip Dreamboats" of economy cars...I think I smell a comparison like this coming soon, and similar results as well.

Did anyone see this?

dcibrando

I just noticed something... in looking at the dash with navigation on this page: http://www.carspyshots.net/zerothread?id=11386 it is framed differently than the dash on the new US sonata w/o navigation.

What I mean is if I were to get a double din 6.5 navi system to put in... there would still be some space left because the faceplace of the current cd player in the sonata goes all the way to the top and bottom whereas the navi doesn't.
hmmm... guess you can't get one installed unless you can buy that new frame.

Do you think a US hyundai dealer could order this frame?

carguy58

"Nissan...is the Chrysler of Japan.."

How is Nissan the Chrysler of Japan? I think Mazda is the Chrysler of Japan and I like Mazda too. I seems like whenever Mazda launches a new generation of car there is always some kind of fluke problem. Are you referring too Nissan's latest round of cost cutting that started with the Carl Ghosn era? I know the current generation Sentra(01-05) has been rated below average in reliability for most of its model cycle where as the 95-00 Sentra was rated above average in reliability. Reliability on the 02 Altima recently slipped to below average. The 93-97 and 98-01 Altima's reliability was rated above average in reliability. The Quest minivan and Pathfinder Armada(not the regular model Pathfinder)was plauged by reliability problems when fthose 2 models were first launched. This was due to the fact it was being built in Nissan's new Truck plant in Mississippi. Nissan did however bring engineers from Japan to correct these problems in their new Mississippi Plant. JD powers first 90's days of ownership indicates Nissan has taken steps to correct their problems on the Quest.

The only time Nissan really slipped and hurt themselves was from 1995-1999 when they tried to be a direct competitor to Toyota in the US market. Models like the 95 Sentra and 98 Altima really didn't break any ground in the Us market. The 98 Altima sold alright but did not have the sales success of the 93 model. The Sentra was really a flop. I don't think Nissan's marketing at the time was the best either. When Ghosn came in there their marketing just alot for the better though. Nissan tried to bland down their exterior styling to compete with Toyota in the mid to late 90's and it almost put them out of business. That time was when Jerry Hircshberg was Nissan's designer for exteriors on Nissan's cars. The 95-99 Maxima while got blasted for bland or goofy exterior styling still was a great all around car at the time.

Too sum it all up Nissan's problem of late has been cost cutting. I think they cost cut too much all at once. The 02 Altima was blasted for a cheap interior which nissan did correct for the 05 model year. They even launched 05 Altima really early this year so the improved interior would be evident to buyers. I;m just shocked on how the Altima's reliability has slipped sort of from the prior 2 generations of Altima.

carguy58

Yeah wait a while the market should decide how well the new Sonata does and what kind of price it will sell at.

Does anybody know if inventory for the new Sonata' s are in Jersey now? I keep on seeing the commercial for the Sonata and um yeah thats a car!

gogophers1

It's interesting that Hyundai chose to match up the Sonata LX with the XLE (essentially a Camry Brougham) rather than the SE. Perhaps it's their way of saying, "Hey, this aint no sports sedan."

Not that the Camry SE is a sportster, but it is the sportiest of the Camry family. I assume that the absence of both the 6 and the Altima were not unintentional either (Hyundai marketing isn't silly enough to throw the Sonata on a track with these two).

Speaking of the 6, they've got a $3000 rebate on the sedans here in the Minneapolis market. That kind of erases one of the Hyundai "Advantages".

paradime

Anyone have any personal experience of buying one in Canada, especially Toronto?

codata99

The national advertising fee shown on the invoice is not a some kind of blanket due applicable to all dealers in a region. It just tells you the dealer has signed up for the voluntary national advertising co-op program. Do not buy a car from a Hyundai dealer who insists you pay the fee as they are entitled to get reimbursed for the cost AND receive additional ad subsidy later.

carzzz

Saw a few 2006 Sonata on Markham Hyundai! As many people said before, it looks much better than it appears on photo!

boltguy

Yes, it erases the Hyundai advantage for a maximum of 2 months. The rebates will then be rolling in and Hyundai will maintain it's sizeable price advantage. For the next 3-4 years until the life cycle of each vehicle comes around again.

brichele

Just wanted to give you a heads up that Hyundai's Finnce company has a 3180 captilized cost reducer if you can put 1999 down on the 06 GL auto. It works out to a 199 lease on a 38 month lease with 12K a year.

I was very impressed with the overall quality of the vehicle. I can appreciate that the GLS 4cyl only costs ~500 more than an auto GL and the intertior is a little nicer. I do not like the carbon fiber look however and the tan/ wood was not available on ext color i was interested in.

The residual was only 8000 at 39 month and 39K which seems very low to me... i guess we will explore purchasing it at the end of the lease if it has continued to impress. I found that for a "base" model this vehicle was better than ANYTHING...i looked at everything from accords, camrys, altimas, passats, jettas, civic, and infinity...only the infinity surpased but at 2x the price... the accord etc are all nice i am just saying that for the money this sonata appears to be unbeatable.

Cheers

-B

backy

None of the three Hyundai dealers I've negotiated with in the Twin Cities (MN) area over the past five years have mentioned the advertising fee as part of the invoice, or brought it up at all in fact. If your dealer is adamant about charging it, that's their prerogative--as it is yours to look around for another dealer who may not make you pay that fee.

edowado

i test drove a 2006 sonata gl today. ride wasn't bad for a v4. way better than the last underpowered 140hp sonata v4. hp is equal to my 170hp 2003 sonata v6. looks are better on the inside. outside too. exterior looks like a new toyota avalon now instead of the hybrid mercedes E and jaguar. noticed many improvements over last generation like increased trunk space, sportier dash, safety curtain air bags, standard ABS. and more engine hp. too bad they won't let you bargain on the price right now. must pay msrp.

frasierdog

I looked at both 4cy and 6cy LX models.

All of the Korean made 4 cy models had some degree of orange peel in the paint, more so on the plastic bumpers.

I saw very little orange peel in the paint on the American made LX models.

Who says Americans can't make a quality product.

One thing struck me as odd, the gas fill door was plastic? That is pretty cheap. Not to mention the paint color won't match in 3 years.

chuck1

One thing struck me as odd, the gas fill door was plastic? That is pretty cheap. Not to mention the paint color won't match in 3 years.

Many, many cars/truck have plastic gas fill doors-you just have not noticed. The paint does not seem to fade any faster on plastic than metal. Many Saturn models have plastic panels on the sides, and metal stampings for the roof and trunk lid.

frasierdog

I respectfully disagree concerning paint aging. Bumpers are not typically painted with the same paint mix as the metal body panels.

Bumpers do change color at a different rate, but it is not that noticeable since the bumper is part of a shadow line.

In this case, the plastic fuel door will be painted with the same paint, but I believe it will fade at a different rate. It may well prove to be fine. But, I still consider it cheap.

At the same time, Hyundai does have open door safety lights. So a big thumbs up on that.

fcc

It is obvious that the reason the Accord EX and Camry XLE were chosen is that they represent the two top sellers in this segment plus they are the top-end models. Seems to me that Hyundai is looking at things from a sales perspective rather than a purely subjective fun factor. The 400,000 plus units sold for each of these competitors is not achieved solely because buyers want a sports sedan. Remember that these are family sedans we are talking about. A sprinkling of pure sporty driving may be thrown in for good measure but is somehow secondary!

As good as the Nissan Altima and Mazda 6 are, and I have driven both, it makes more economical sense for Hyundai to target the top selling dogs of this segment. Why benchmark others who do not really outsell you and are striving themselves to play catch-up saleswise? There are reasons why the Camry and the Accord are the two top dogs! Also, remember that the Accord has won more Car and Driver Top 10 honors than any other vehicle in this class or any other class for that matter. We all know how the tastes of the guys at C&D are like (sporty cars rule!). Bringing along the Accord for comparison is not playing scared at all, in my opinion.

smith20

Thanks for sharing your impressions from that comparison drive. Definitely seems like the Sonata plays in the same ballpark now. Sounds like the differences between the cars are pretty minor. It'll be interesting to see if stays that way with the new models of Accord and Camry.

turnleft1

That sounds like a great time. I have been interested in driving the new Sonata. Can you tell me how you found out about this event? I would love to join in.

-turnleft

csandste

(always dangerous to compare a car you own with a car you simply sat in for five minutes-- however since the mid sized comparison forum is (strangely) restricted to imports only I thought this might be of interest)

I had an Elantra before purchasing the Maxx in February and was looking forward to the introduction of the new Sonata. I didn't get a chance to drive it, but did spend some time examining a Sonata GLS 4 cylinder on the dealer showroom:

Better than Maxx:
1. Seat surfaces, although most people complain that they look like terry cloth seem slightly better than the Maxx LS. Neither look top flight.
2. Haven't measured but it looks like there's a bit more hip room front and back.
3. Dash, especially radio/HVAC stack looked better up close than in pictures, much better than the standard GM module. Not sure if Hyundai has all of the information contained in the GM information center. Fit and finish look better than Maxx. Automatic climate control, gauges nicer finished.

Worse than Maxx:
1. Door pulls on Sonata were hard plastic and cheap. Maxx much better feel and texture. Both cars need more of these textures.
2. Front headroom was better but this may have been because Sonata had sun roof.
Rear headroom is also a lot better (not sure this would be the case with the 'Bu sedan)
3. Front leg room seemed roughly equal. The Maxx had a lot more legroom in back and you can't beat all that flexibility of reclining seats.
4. Somewhere in the Hyundai threads is a photo chop of a Sonata wagon. It looks great-- too bad it's not available. As it now stands the Sonata is every bit as slick as an Accord or Camry but it's no where as unique in its concept as the Maxx. The flexibility of the hatch plus the long wheelbase is hard to beat.
5. Throw in the stonger (despite the complaints) dealer network that Chevy brings to the table, plus the low maintenance of the timingbeltless OHV engine (Hyundai may be going to a timing chain rather than belts on its new engines) and I think the Maxx edges the Sonata out. Especially since I only paid $16K for mine and the Hyundai is still selling as close to invoice-- something that should change shortly. Since you can get a Maxx V-6 for less than a Sonata 4 and since the Maxx gets great mileage for such a large engine the value equation (at least so far) favors the Maxx.

-- Many of the advantages of the Maxx are because of its layout and flexibility. I think I might pick a Sonata over a 'Bu 4-door sedan except for my experience with the local Hyundai dealer.

--Both cars seem to be as good or better than the Camcord. The Sonata seems to be much more polished than the previous car but is less imaginative. The 'Bu is a huge improvement over the previous generation although its styling (especially the front end clip) looks clumsy, but the Maxx is a wondefully flexible and unique looking car.

I'm glad I got the 'Bu.

abacab

I've never bought a new car before, but I'm thinking of the Sonata. (Ed Kim in Hyundai Corporate has been SUPER helpful. This one man makes me want to buy Hyundai, compared to Honda's Customer Disservice line which has done everything possible to kill 20 years of goodwill toward the brand. Ed's been helpful and responsive, but on to the issue at hand...)

4 cyl or V6?
Sunroof?
What color?! (I've heard black is hard to keep clean, but it looks cool in photos...)
17 or 16 inch tires. (A review on a site said 17 inch tires transmit more road noise.)
Stereo options? (A review said it's pretty disappointing.)

I've yet to sit or drive a 2006 Sonata, but what input from those who have. I'm 6'2", 200 pounds. A review suggested it's not well suited for tall people (sightlines messed up if you adjust the seat, another said the seats too short [?!]).

I've had a piece of junk Chevy pickup for the last 15 years, and I like all the safety features on the 2006 Sonata. From your collective experience/knowledge, will this car last 15 years? What problems might one anticipate?

Regarding pricing, I've picked up from some that if I wait ~4 or 5 months when Honda's and Toyota's come out, the Hyundai's will have rebates?

Also, what about the adage 'never buy the first year of a new model, but wait until the second or third year so the bugs are worked out'? (Again, from a review http://www.automotive.com/2006/12/hyundai/sonata/reviews/index.html the reviewer suggests the suspension is still a work in progress. Another review suggested that Hyundai worked out a kink in the week or two before production regarding handling problems. One review said the LX is a harsher ride, while another review said it's quieter... I'll post all reviews at the bottom.)

So....let's say that price isn't an issue (it's a $5,000 difference between all models, right? Amortized over 15 years, that's $350 per year? And it would be my first new car ever!), what model/options/colors do you recommend, and why? Again, this will be my first new car ever!

I'm thinking Hyundai Sonata because, from what I've read, it will be five star rated on all crash tests and comes with every safety feature available, with the exception of 4WD and knee airbags.

I look forward to reading your input!

REVIEWS I'VE READ:

http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=102396

http://www.automotive.com/2006/12/hyundai/sonata/reviews/index.html

http://cars.about.com/od/hyundai/fr/bk_06sonata.htm

http://info.detnews.com/autosconsumer/autoreviews/index.cfm?id=19419

http://www.autobytel.com/content/shared/articles/templates/index.cfm/article_id_int/513

http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/jedlicka.aspx?year=2006&make=Hyundai&model=Sonata&src=vi- p

chevymalibu

Been to my local hyundai dealer several times. Finally test drove the 4 cyl. Not bad and all the safety features. Rejected the '04 sonata to get a '04 accord exl. Considering a boring camry now cause hyundai doesn't offer rebates nor low rates to finance. I'm not paying anything over invoice for a hyundai and can get a camry at below invoice and 2.9% for 48 months. Not concerned by the first 100K where warranty covers. My two 1994 camrys didn't have some issues until 150K. The dealer said the don't have any incentives to buy now cause sales are strong (the same 6 cars have been on the lot since May). I checked another dealer 25 miles away and they have about 20 cars. Most are all tan (14 of the GL's) and a few LX's in gray and black. Geez, hyundai, you'd think they'd offer white or more colors but the dealer says it's in pre-production. Also, it's classified as a "full" size car. Then put a full spare in the damn trunk instead of a donut that you can only go 50MPH on. I guess I'll wait for more colors and rebates/low rates in 3-6 months. I really don't need to buy now anyway. I'm willing to take a gamble on it if they come down on price and rates. When I checked my insurance carrier, they said the 2004 sonata was higher due to it's harder to get parts. And what's with that under-carriage protector. Every time you want to access something underneath, you have to take it off. I only took the GL out for 2 miles or so and it was okay but I needed to take it longer w/o a salesman in the back seat. I didn't like the parking brake. It was way too large and sticking up. The car was louder than an accord on acceleration and shifted rougher than the accord.

jobikay

Here is the break out

Invoice

2006 LX V6 with optional package #3 including sun roof and radio/cd/mp3/sub woofer package and destination charge = $22,840.

Advertising fee of $500 was negotiated this off the bill and not included in the amount above.

Like the car so far.

Good luck!

dcibrando

we really need someone to make a dash piece in order to put in our own navigation system . if you notice on the US model, if you take out the cd player to put in a navi, there is still going to be a lot of open space as it is curved up larger than the normal double din on the overseas model... it's not like that

i never did get any definite answers from hyundai as to when to expect the navis to be available on any model... so not sure how long I can wait

dcibrando

what is the name of the dealership you purchased from? tks!