Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

chevymalibu

boltman,

thanks for the reply. So you are 100% sure your LX (V6 engine) uses a cartridge filter? the 4 cyl has a blue round one (it looks like a spin-on) near the front bumper. What does the 6 cyl filter housing/canister look like? I noticed that the blue spin on for the 4 cyl really didn't have any indentations for the filter wrench to grip. Guess that size just slips on and holds while it's turned.

yeah, I keep my filter receipts for the accord while on warranty (36K) and oil receipts. After that, I won't but will still use honda trans fluid and most likely after market stuff for antifreeze etc... Never thought of that. With the hyundai's, you'll have to keep the receipts for 100K or for me about 4-5 years of driving. I'm assuming that you don't have to buy there antifreeze nor trans fluid (and oil/filters). Heck, I baby my cars and change things more often than needed but that doesn't hurt.

Thanks.

chevymalibu

Okay, not to upset anyone that doesn't want to replace the dunkin donut spare in the sonata trunk but has anyone bought a full size spare and rim?? if so, does the 215/60/16 fit inside?? I know it won't fit and have the trunk mat/board close down even as with the donut (I got one for the accord but the trunk mat is raised cause the spare is so wide vs. the donut). I am only asking if it will fit in width wise so to speak in that wheel well. thanks for your input.

codata99

The engine and its manufacturing processes have been licensed to DaimlerChrysler. They modified it somewhat, but it's basically the same as the new Hyundai 4-cyl. engine dubbed Theta. Chrysler says 99% of their 4-cyl. vehicles will have the "world" engine.

kc206

No, the "GL" only comes as a 4. The "GLS" can be a 4 or 6. The purchaser didn't know if he had a GL or GLS. If it had a 6 then it was a GLS or LX

jhinsc

I agree with wincrasher. Not only are engine tolerances much tighter and longer lasting, they're much more efficient in burning fuel, providing a much cleaner exhaust, thereby not contaminating the oil with as much gunk as older engines did. Plus oil's have made huge strides in being able to withstand wider ranges of heat, therefore increasing the time needed between changes. Why would auto manufacturers even suggest longer oil change intervals if they were not confident that it wouldn't increase their warranty claims? Those who say this is not so should do some more research.

duckied

Hello!

Is the 2006 Sonata the only current model that has the automatic door lock feature, or do all the models have the feature and it just needs to be activated by a dealer?

boltman

duckied...

I checked HMA service and it seems only the 2006 Sonata has a TSB on this issue 05-90-006.

So I'm assuming the other models either don't have this feature or they have it turned on by default.

The choices for the locks to engage are 12,16,19,22 or 25 MPH, I chose 16 MPH and that is what the service guy said he would choose also for his car.

Another feature disabled in US Sonatas are daytime running lights, according to HMA Service these are Canada specific and they don't seem to offer the option of turning this feature on like the automatic locks.

Hope that helps.

chevymalibu

sure that will be okay for the first 100K. But if you practice 7500 dino oil changes, be prepared for smoke issues during the second 100K. Read cartalk and learn. 7500 is only okay with syn oils. Dino's will fall apart before then. Sorry.

jhinsc

No need to be sorry. I checked out cartalk and they're of the opinion that 5,000 miles or 6 month intervals is the way to go. I supposed they probably know way more than the engineers at various car manufacturers who actually designed the engines and set the change intervals.

I personally change my oil every 6 months or 7,500 miles, whichever is first. I used to change it every 2.5 - 3 months since I was driving 7,500 miles during that time. Some people may plan on keeping their cars for 200-300k miles, so maybe the shorter intervals for oil changes may be worth it for them. But most people I know start thinking about a new car when it's 4-5 years old with average miles. It's a waste of money and resources to change it more often than needed.

jimstrenk

I'm wondering if the discussion about 2006 Sonata's having a navigational system available this year has been figured out yet? :confuse:

One fellow who has posted many statements on this subject indicated that a system will be in place for the 2006 model year.

Others disagree, with the belief that if they were to be included this year, that they would have made their way onto lots as they were first introduced this last May. I tend to think that the later, rather than the former would be true.

I'm waiting to purchase a 2006 Sonata LX later this year when rebates and/or incentives begin to show up. I'd be willing to wait a little longer if a navigational system were to become available.

Any additional comments about this subject would be appreciated!

danf1

I have asked everybody up to my regional sales rep about this and they claim that it will not be available at all on the 2006. Of course this can change, but I wouldn't count on it. If there is any possibility it will probably have to be installed after purchase. That is only if Hyundai makes the system available to us.

dcibrando

well if this something that can be installed after the fact... because the dash frame around the factory cd player must be changed also

choe13

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=9741&page_number=1

A great review. First i thought it was biased, but at the counterpoint three other reviewers agreed this is one fine car. This could be the year where like Infiniti G35 overtook the Bmw 3 series, Hyundai could do to the Accord and Camry.

Could be top 10 car of the year

bikeman3

Just checked out the new Sonata, similar to last year but interior is weak especially the door panels inside, very spartan.. Are these made in Korea salesman didnt know,. Is there any rebates on this to compete with all the american mfgs

gogophers1

I just drove a 5spd (stick) '06 Sonata last night at Morrie's in Brooklyn Park, MN. It was the only 5spd they had, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was the only 5spd 2006 in the entire state of Minnesota.

Impressions: not good.

I drove a 4cyl. auto about a month ago at Metro and, interestingly enough, it felt a lot quicker. Now that could be due to the fact that I had a rather large (dare I say obese) friend riding along for this drive and the air was on full blast. Nevertheless, I thought I was going to have to get out and push at one point. Worse yet, the steering was LeSabery light. And this is the part that left me completely dumbfounded.

The GLS 4cyl. auto I drove last month, while not having "sporty" steering feel, was at least acceptable by modern standards. To the best of anyone's knowledge is the GL's steering more boosted than the GLS models? I'm curious if the "turbo-boost" steering is strictly a 5spd manual thing. If so, how very bizarre...

On an up note, the car looks fantastic in the beige color - both inside and out. I think it's strange that there's no red color option though. Honda has a medium red hue for the Accord that I think would look stunning on the Sonata. Perhaps they could send out for a few cans...I've never heard of a model that hasn't been available in red before, the Model T notwithstanding.

Of last mention, Morrie's had just over 30 '06s in stock. Sounded far fetched to me, but then I counted 'em myself. Is that the rebate train I hear comin' round the bend? Chugga chugga chugga chugga choo choo!

csandste

I thought there was a dark red.

jimstrenk

You are correct! Hyundai calls it Dark Cinnamon.

jimstrenk

Mr. dcibrando:

I might suggest that rather than posting a new message as a reply, that you simply use the reply button and then type your response. Less threads on a discussion board make tracking comments a lot easier.

It certainly makes it easier for others to follow a conversation when the reply button is used, rather than typing a new message with such cryptic topics as well. :confuse:

By the way, I've enjoyed reading some of your comments.

gogophers1

Cinnamon is brown. And dark cinnamon is dark brown. No one could mistake this color for red. It's brown. Red is red; brown is brown. There is no red, only brown.

jojoe

I have read many messages on this board over the last few weeks and read many reviews.One thing that is mentioned many times over ,is what people think the new Sonata looks like,in other words what cars did they style the Sonata after.I have the proper answer,it has its own style.I have a new GLS V6 and put the car back to back with the Accord,have to tell you,they don't look alike at all.The Sonata looks much better,also matched up the fronts and the Sonata looks much better there also.As far as all these other cars,didn't anyone notice that most of them also look similar or look much like some other car out there,and who cares. If the car is what you want and the options are what you need and the price is what you can handle,then that car is for you,and the 2006 Sonata is for me.Looks great,runs great,great package with a low price,oh and it looks just like a 2006 Sonata!

baron71

I think the dark cinnamon looks nearly black in the shade, but when the sun hits it, it looked more like a rusty/maroon color. A much darker shade than the Ruby Red on the 2005's.

dcibrando

I'm having a hard time deciding what color to choose when I get a Sonata.

I first thought silver would be cool... but now I'm thinking deepwater blue or the dark gray. Anyone seen the dark gray color?

Deepwater blue I know will be hard to keep clean huh... but it looks like it would shine and stand out a lil more than the others when clean.

fezzy

So far XM is the only option that will become avaiable and from what I read it will be a standard feature on all 2006 Hyundai's.

dcibrando

doesn't this mean they'll have to replace the current in dash cd player to something else? Anyone know when?

boltman

When I got my LX with opt pack 3 I was aware that the upgraded stereo had the 6 Disc changer, subwoofer and amplifier, it also has MP3 capability. The latter was a "that is nice" sort of option to me. All I could think is I want the XM!!! Who cares about MP3.

Now that I'm using it (at the recommendation of my friend) WOW! Forget XM and I Pod.

I'm sure a lot of you know about MP3 and it's value but for those who don't let me clue you in...

Simply put if you own a computer with a CD Burner and the right software (I use I Tunes which is free, MP3 set as the default import). Now it is simply a matter of importing ALL of your and your friends and families CD's to your computer. You can also download music from the internet... just make sure it is in MP3 format or use a program to convert it to MP3.

Now I find where the files are stored under the My Music/I Tunes folder and burn up to 700 MB worth of music to each blank CDR.

Ok SO WHAT! You might be asking...

Well apart from CD quality sound the music is compressed so now each CDR can hold about 150 songs or about 12 hours + of music!!! That is PER CDR.

Let's do the math...

12 hours x 6 Discs = 72 hours of CD quality commercial free music on tap. Plus you could have other CDR's in your car for virtually limitless music. It only takes about a minute to upload a CD and about five minutes to burn a whole CDR.

Also MP3 shows the Song name and the Album on the display, you can also set it for random play. If you use folders you can easily jump from CD to CD and song to song.

Just think your entire CD library available anytime without switching CD's. You can also use I Tunes to pull random songs out of you entire library and burn a CDR for you or to pull only high rated (by you) songs etc. The possibilities are great.

Another GREAT feature from Hyundai... BRAVO!

backy

Well said! There are cars that clearly borrow styling cues from others, e.g. the Jaguar-esque details of the '02-'05 Sonata, but in the end what's important is whether the car looks good to you.

backy

You are spot-on (no pun intended) about the difficulty of keeping a dark color clean vs. lighter colors like silver. But those dark colors look great when cleaned and waxed!

Another reason I would stay away from dark colors on Hyundais in the future is my experience with my '01 and '04 Elantras. The '01 is champagne (light beige) and the paint still looks new; very few surface scratches. However, the Rally Red '04 scratches easily, and when it does the white primer stands out. The champagne car is easier for me to touch up too. Now, these are Elantras and maybe Hyundai has a whole different painting process, and paint supplier, for the new Sonata. But I think I'd go with something like silver or beige if I got a Sonata.

boltman

I was thinking along the same lines... get Silver it is safer.

Oh well I got Ebony Black and when it is washed WOW!

I just justified it by buying all new car wash supplies and microfiber cloths and am resigned to the fact that from here on out I will hand wash my car at least once a week.
Never will I take it to a car wash unless it is one of those do it yourself type places (in order to get a pressure wash once a while).

I have already washed it once and put on a coat of Nu Finish (recommended by my salesman), I also dressed the entire interior with Meguires Gold class rubber/vinyl protectant (except for leather surfaces). I used that same protectant on all the outside black plastic trim. Looks fantastic and got rid of the pesky little water spots on the outside trim plus it made it really BLACK and not too shiny.

Even the stereo and dash look better not that they looked bad before. Just better and I know there is some extra level of protection there.

backy

You must live down South. Up here in the Frozen Tundra, professional car washes are a must in the winter. But I've found some that use the "all cloth" technique and they are very easy on the paint, and IMO do a better job getting the grime off than touch-free washes.

Sounds like you take care of your cars like I do. Did you use silicone on the door/trunk seals? Helps a lot. I like Meguire's products for leather also and their Gold Class wax. Doesn't last as long as NuFinish but shines better I think, especially on the darker colors.

boltman

Backy...

Thanks for the silicone tip!

I do live down South in San Diego so winters don't exist. Actually we did get LOTS of rain this year over 30 inches! But typically Winter doesn't show up much.

I'm happy with the nu finish shine but might try adding some wax to see if I see a difference on top.

alpha01

and I absolutely abhor that his reviews are so widely read.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2005-07-14-sonata_x.htm

This is the FIRST of any review that mentions any issue of engine surging, and also the FIRST that states outright that the Sonata isnt on par with the Camry and Accord. Surprising that Car and Driver had such a favorable impression and Healy has such scathing commentary.

~alpha

jpryba

A sound system with MP3 data disc compatibility is great, and I'm sure it'll be made standard on more cars in the next few years (right now I think it's a $500 option on the Accord -- ouch!). Even better is adding a line-in so you can hook up your iPod (or whatever other player you have) without having to mess around with a wireless FM transmitter. Who needs to carry around a bunch of CDs when you can have your iPod instead? Yes, some of us have pathetically large music collections that wouldn't fit on 6 CD-Rs

Of course, if your MP3 CDs get stolen, you can just burn new ones. If your iPod gets stolen, well, there goes a few hundred bucks...

backy

While he does have some positive things to say, overall I think he dwells too much on quibbles than on key features. For example, he rips the interior fabric on the GLS. Hey, we are all perfectly capable of determining if the fabic is OK for us or not. (For me, it's fine. The Accord EX's and Camry LE's fabric ain't no great shakes either, Mr. Healy, in case you haven't noticed.) And he goes on and on about the feel of a few knobs (which we are also fully capable of trying out for ourselves). But he says almost nothing about important things like the class-leading safety features ("There's a lot..."--gee, that's helpful), and braking and handling (nine whole words on the subject). The power surge was worth mentioning but IMO he devoted too much attention in the review to something that he admits was a sample defect.

And for an "auto expert", it's inexcusable that he either doesn't know or didn't think to mention that ALL Hyundais, including the Sonata, will have XM radio not just available, but STANDARD by next year.

anonymousposts

upfront about saying that the Sonata isn't quite a Camry or Accord,zfv most reviews have said the same things he said. The Sonata is a good car, probably much better than it's predecessor and probably much better than some of the second-tier brands. The problem is that the Sonata is just now capable of even being mentioned in the same sentence as the Accord and Camry and they are both due for a redesign within 2 years.

I am also curious as to why they do not offer a Sonata 4 cylinder with a sunroof and a manual transmission. That combination combined with a cheap enough purchase price and the warranty might be enough to make me test drive one.

jimstrenk

No. Sonatas are being built at their Alabama manufacturing facility. The 2006 Santa Fe is also scheduled to be built there.

backy

Awhile ago I posted that Hyundai should have special preview events of the new Sonata for Hyundai owners. Not everyone thought that was a good idea, but Hyundai did. Today I received two invitations (probably because I own two Hyundais) from the nearest Hyundai dealer to a "VIP Preview of the All-New 2006 Hyundai Sonata." My choice of three evenings next week. I get a $10 Target gift card just for attending plus a shot at winning a 17" LCD TV. I've already driven the new Sonata, but I'll probably go anyway to see if I can drive a V6 (they had none in stock when I was there earlier) and to get the gift certificate. Hyundai's target-marketing machine is at work!

pat

Cool beans, backy, have fun and keep us posted!

danf1

Sounds like the dealer is doing it, not Hyundai. Either way it is a good idea. I think you'll really like the V6. We do expect a full write up in the test drive team section.

anonymousposts

the Sonata isn't taking off quite as quickly as they expected. The Sonata has been out for several weeks so a true "VIP Preview Event" would have taken place back then not almost a month after it's introduction.

We got a similar offer for the 05.5 VW Jetta. We got an offer for a $50 Home Depot gift card. All we had to do is test drive one and get a salesman's card.

backy

I suspect HMA is involved because the invitations directed me to a general "Hyundai Preview Event" web site, not something specific to the dealer. Also, the invitations were mailed from Program Headquarters, Jenkintown, PA. And there is an 800 number for questions and support--quite an expense for a local campaign. Maybe HMA corporate is lending support to dealer-level marketing efforts.

backy

Hey, it's the thought that counts. Maybe I should hold out for a $50 gift card!

There is no test drive required here, however. For all they know, I could walk into the store, get my certificate, and walk out. I see "test drive a car and get a $50 gift card" offers quite a bit--they can be readily found on the refund/coupon sites on the Web.

jimstrenk

Please list your source(s). I'll be entering the market in the next few months. I want to be sure I don't suffer from buyer's remose AFTER the purchase.

gmctruck

Silicone based products are bad news! Sure they make everything look slick and shiny, but the material can not breathe so the silicone does more harm than good over time. You should use non-silicone products that allow the material to breathe, but offer the same or better protection as silicone. One such product is called 303 protetctant. It works great protecting your stuff from heat and UV damage without the slippery silicone. You can find it in RV/Marine stores or online.

choe13

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=9741&page_number=1

no comment on this? i would like to hear some comment about CandD review anyone. The cons are seriously not even real cons. MPG could be better?? Design is anynomysts, though he says the design is classy ?

I think the editor just had to put a con but really couldn't materialze a proper one

duckied

backy,

Philly had the same VIP Preview at the Philadelphia Race Track in June for the 2006 Sonata. Each VIP member received a $50 Hyundai gift card good towards anything! (I got two=$100!) It was great to test drive the Sonata around the test track. Also, they had other Hyundai's there, including the 2006 Azera and 2006 Accent, which you could sit inside of. You could also take any of the Hyundai vehicles (including the 2006 Sonata) on a test drive around the town by yourself to get a feel of how they perform on the road.

They even had a test track set up where you could compare the Sonata to the Accord and Camry. (I wasn't interested in this one, only cared about the Sonata.)

This was a positive event that definitly persuaded more people to buy the 2006 Sonata. Have fun at yours, and maybe you'll be bringing home that 17" LCD TV!

backy

That sounds like a great event, but the one I got invited to seems like it's on a much smaller scale--focused on the Sonata, at a dealership. No mention of Accent or Azera (too bad, too, because I'd like to see that Accent). Oh well, maybe they'll have cookies and punch too.

boltman

gmctruck...

Thanks for the info! I'll check the 303 stuff out.

denp44

I disagree. I have a dark cinnamon LX. It does not look brown. It is a very dark burgundy that sparkles when the sunlight hits it.

denp44

You hit it right on. Very good post. I have a LX with package 3 in Dark Cinnamon.

anonymousposts

dark cinnamon is the color I saw at the dealership it isn't really a true red or even a burgundy. It's definitely more of a raisin/brown color.