Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

ctalk

I have raced Many cars. Dodge ram, Civic, Accord LX, Subaru legacy, Saturn

Wow. I've only raced my friend (2003 Acura TL) I never knew so many people were so open to race. Also, even if you do race, you have to account for the imperfections on the road. The person beside you may have more pot holes, or a rougher surface.

averigejoe

Yeah, I know. But, you have missed my point again. Please re-read my posts.
Agreed, in a drag race from a dead stop, or accelerating from most any given speed the 2 cars should probably run neck and neck or very close to it. I am not arguing that point as I said before. In a drag race the gas pedal is floored and the cars run up through the gears to about redline and then shift to the next gear. Likewise, in a 40 to 70 mph run that allows downshifting no real measure of lower rpm torque is really tested. My argument is about lower rpm acceleration, not near redline. Near their redlines, each motor makes nearly identical torque.
To find out for sure about mid-range rpm (which some call real-world) performance, I'd like to see several tests of top gear roll on tests from various road speeds and engine rpm. It would be those tests which should prove whether my expectations are valid.
Think it through... if what you said before about similar 0-60 times and similar elapsed times for the quarter mile are true, then it is does not follow that the Accord would blow past the Sonata once both cars reach 60. If either blew past the other for the rest of the quarter mile for instance, one would be far ahead of the other at the end of that race. But that is not possible if the 1/4 mile elapsed times are nearly the same. But maybe that Car and Driver test is unusual compared to other ones somehow.
Haha, dare I even think it? ...That I trust the government for anything at all? In this case yes. I think the EPA fuel economy tests are good for comparison purposes. That is precisely the reason for the tests! And there are people on the Sonata board who are also achieving 30+ mpg. I think I read recently one over 32 mpg. It may have been in the gas mileage sedans board, but I think it was right here in Sonatas.
Also, does anyone out there have torque vs. rpm charts for the Sonata and Accord V6's? Post a link if you do.

kwonc71

Got to be kidding me. I had a 95 Accord LX with 2.2L engine. Used get not more than 23 MPG. My 06 GLS gets same MPG with 3.3L, and has not been broke in yet. My wife's Acura MDX supposed to get 18-24 MPG. We get about 14 MPG even on most highway driving. You must be dreaming.

kwonc71

So, I always get the better conditioned road than the other car? In Vancouver area, there is no main roads with pot holes. We talking about Race at the stop lights.

ctalk

So, I always get the better conditioned road than the other car? In Vancouver area, there is no main roads with pot holes.
I never said you will always get a better conditioned road. What I said is "Also, even if you do race, you have to account for the imperfections on the road. The person beside you may have more pot holes, or a rougher surface."

Also, the car beside you may have their Traction control system on, or A/C at a higher speed. You also may not know if he/she is applying full throttle. All I was saying is, if you want a more accurate 0-60 rating, you have to take into account all of these small details.

jojoe

I have had fun with our new 2006 V6 Sonata .My wife gets a kick out of me and how I have driven trucks all my life and now I take the Sonata and give her the truck.I have dragged several of those common and bland looking Accords and haven't even come close to losing yet.Oh and I was on the rough side of the road each time and had my A/C on .As far as the post saying the Sonata looks like the Accord.I totally disagree,first of all this car was designed mostly after the Audi6 (as posted on a Korean Auto site) If you put the Accord and Sonata side by side they don't even look a little similar.The back end is slightly similar,but the Sonata was designed after the Lexus on the back end,not sure which one,but thats on the Koean site also.This was all posted in here a few weeks ago and the site is listed there.I don't dislike the Honda,I have one,but for being out for so many years I would have figured they would have a much better design by now.Seems so plain .

kwonc71

I don't care about accurate 0-60 rating. That can also be changed by driver, gas, and road condition too. Even Edmunds.com and Caranddriver.com's 0-60 rating has more than a second different from each other. All I care about is beat the car next me. ****** If I lose a race, I will not roll down the windows, and tell the driver next to me " Hey, 0-60 rating on my car supposed to be faster than yours, you just lucky today". LOL.

johnap2

Who really cares which car is faster? That sounds like ego to me. I have the 4-cylinder because it is peppy and delivers better gas mileage. A family sedan isn't a race car. If I wanted to go fast I would buy a Corvette.

averigejoe

But hey, variety is nice! Each person can get what he wants if he's got the money (or credit) to buy it. A high quality family sedan that is well equipped, comfortable, roomy, economical, reliable, fast and maneuverable is a really nice car to have. Both the 4 and 6 cylinder Sonatas seem like excellent choices, but if you like speed and power, get 6 cylinders. Or if you live in the mountains, carry full loads often or need to merge onto busy highways every day, get the 6. Or if you want the equipment which only comes on the LX, you have to get the 6. For the engine power provided and the the car's interior size, both motors give excellent gas mileage. And the sale prices are fantastic.
I'm betting that 4 years after your purchase of a new 2006 Sonata, the resale value will then be as good or better than any 2006 car which was competing for your $$ back when you bought it. The Sonata's high resale value as a percentage of original purchase price will result because of its generous list of standard equipment, style, performance, reliability, actual and perceived quality, good dealer service, rebates which lowered its purchase price, and the fact that many will still have factory warranty left for the new owner. Also, by then the price of a new 2010 Sonata will not be the same smoking bargain it was back in 2006. (Remember back in 1989 when a brand new Lexus LS 400 was only $36,000 MSRP? It was a better car but undercut the established competitors' prices by 20% or so. But in five years or so, that huge price advantage was evaporating.)

mtice1979

This talk about gas mileages is killing me....People need to understand that on the MSRP label the gas averages on there are tested with no weight and on a flat surface at a constant speed. And every driver is different. Not all of us are seniors that drive 50 in a 65 mph zone. In my Santa fe I average about 15 mpg or less.

And a slight difference in gas mileage between two cars means ABSOLUTELY nothing. Obviously people drive what they like more than what they think is more efficient.

averigejoe

Nope, sorry.
Here is just one cite:
According to Jeff Plungis / Detroit News Washington Bureau:
EPA will continue to use the same test it has used since the 1970s. Known as the "federal test procedure," it is run inside a lab, on a dynamometer, at a maximum speed of 55 mph, with the air conditioner off.

backy

Maybe many people don't drive for efficiency, but with gas recently up over $3 I'll bet more people are doing it now than before. I try to drive with an eye to efficiency whenever possible, and I always exceed the EPA ratings on my cars. So it can be done. But probably not if you like to race other cars from traffic lights and go 90 on the freeway.

averigejoe

How about those EPA mileage test procedures?

This entry is directly from the 2005 EPA pamphlet:
Each vehicle in this guide has two fuel economy estimates.
City represents urban driving, in which a vehicle is started in
the morning (after being parked all night) and driven in stop and-
go rush hour traffic.
Highway represents a mixture of rural and interstate highway
driving in warmed-up vehicles, typical of longer trips in free flowing
traffic.
EPA miles-per-gallon (MPG) estimates are based on lab testing
and are adjusted to reflect real-world driving conditions for an
average U.S. motorist. Vehicles are tested in the same manner
to allow fair comparisons.

According to JOSEPH B. WHITE, Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL:
The EPA said methodology used to calculate city and highway gasoline mileage estimates includes a highway mileage segment, during which vehicles average 48 miles per hour. The EPA method assumes motorists spend 55% of their time in city driving.

And: The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a Washington-based trade group, spokesman Eron Shosteck said "Current (EPA) test procedures provide motorists with generally reliable estimates of what their gas mileage will be... They take into account various factors that motorists may encounter in typical driving situations, in both city and highway traffic."

haefr

I didn't "miss" your point at all. I disagreed with you. Try to see beyond your self-imposed barrier that disagreement implies lack of understanding.

averigejoe

I think I understand you now.
Here's my original statement:
The Sonata has not only a higher torque peak, but at a much lower rpm than the Honda. So, if both cars are being driven at that same lower rpm, the Sonata should have much more power unless the transmission downshifts.

Is it that with which you still disagree?

(What made me wonder was that you kept giving examples of performance based on high rpm situations, such as when you floor the gas and make the transmission downshift. And that was not in line with my original statement.)

xenon666

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=4018922&src=Home&pos=EditLead

averigejoe

From autos.MSN.com

Performance
0 - 60 Time (seconds)
1/4 Mile Time (seconds)
1/4 Mile Speed (mph)
Braking 60 - 0 mph (ft.)
Hyundai Sonata GLS - V6 3.3L (235 hp) 5A + ABS 7.25 15.61 93.60 132
Hyundai Sonata GL - I4 2.4L (162 hp) 5M (no ABS) 8.44 16.67 86.10 No data
Hyundai Sonata GL - I4 2.4L (162 hp) 4A + ABS 9.67 17.30 83.80 138

backy

All Sonatas sold in the U.S. have ABS. Maybe they meant the traction control was turned off for the test on the 5-speed GL?

jeffc

With the higher rebate ( $3,000), I can get the base GLS v6 for $16499 or one with a moon roof for 16,899. Thats over $5,000 off sticker.

Might pick one up Monday.

Any problems to watch for? I test drove one today that seemed to need a wheel balance. Kind of a shuddering above 55....

backy

Drive another one. It's probably just a balance problem, but no sense taking a chance on it.

danf1

Check the tire pressure too. Hyundai ships the cars with the tires overinflated to avoid flat spotting. That can definitely affect the feel of the car.

kwonc71

"Who really cares which car is faster? That sounds like ego to me. I have the 4-cylinder because it is peppy and delivers better gas mileage. A family sedan isn't a race car. If I wanted to go fast I would buy a Corvette." ........???????
You worry about gas money, and have to buy GL. I don't think you can afford a Corvette.
Live your life as you want to be. I will live my life as I want to be.

allfiredup

Hyundai Sonata managed to grab the J.D. Power Best Midsize Car in initial quality in 2004/5. Interesting that they've surpassed domestic carmakers in quality.

Motor Trend did a comparison test between the Honda Accord EX V6, Ford Fusion SEL V6, Hyundai Sonata GLS V6 and Toyota Camry LE V6 in their December issue that just hit the newstands The Sonata ended up in third place, but at least it beat out the Camby. 0-60 in 6.8 seconds, that's amazing for a mid-sized sedan, IMO. The Accord managed the same test in 6.6 seconds, but the cheaper price of the Sonata more than makes up for that .2 seconds.

zen2

Anyone found the seats uncomfortable on the GLS? I picked up my
GLS V6 last night, and we headed for the casino. Only a one hour
trip, but I had a terrible cramping type pain from upper thigh to knee.
I noticed I had the seat all the way back, even though I am only 5'8".
And I had the seat down the lowest possible. Anyone have any ideas
for adjusting the seats, or should I get some kind of cushion.

BTW, the seat adjustment felt fine on my 15 mile test drive. Of course,
they may have changed it when they went through pre-delivery.

bhmr59

Try raising the seat cushion. Front only or rear only or both.

A higher seating position is more comfortable for most people. Also try moving the seat a bit forward. "All the way back" seems a stretch for someone of your height, unless you have exceptionally long legs in proportion to your total height.

johnap2

I never questioned your ability to "live my life as I want to be." My comment was directed at the fact that we are comparing FAMILY sedans for how fast they go. Kind of an oxymoron, isn't it? Buying a GLS had nothing to do with the price of gas, but according to your thought process a person's monetary means is expressed in the car they drive? Are we in high school here? The point about the Corvette was to say if I wanted to go fast that is what I would buy....certainly not a family car.

zen2

I have the GLS V6, not the LX. Seat only goes up or down, not the front
or back. But I raised it up, and moved it forward, so I'll see what happens
tomorrow, when I go on a 300 mile trip. Thanks for the help.

Two hundred miles so far, and have found no problems. I've gone over it pretty
well, and have not found any missing pieces or anything else. No rattles, or hesitation going into any gear. Discovered the little hook by passenger seat, which is great for litter bag. So far I am impressed with the build quality, but will see how this trip goes. Since I got this car for more comfort on these 300 mile trips to
see my grandkids, I sure hope I can adjust the seat so it feels better than
it did last night.

backy

The driver's seats on ALL Sonatas have bottoms that allow the front to be raised and lowered independently. (Actually, all Hyundais have this feature, even the Accent.) On the manual seats, this is done via two knobs. On the power seat, the seat height adjuster changes both the fore and aft height.

On my two Elantras, I set the front height all the way up, then use the back knob (manual) to tilt the cushion just the angle I like it. I prefer to have the front raised up relative to the rear, for better thigh support. Also, that way, with the seat higher, I can move the seat a little more forward, for a more comfortable reach to the pedals and wheel (and giving more room in the back seat).

Check it out again and tell us if you found a comfortable position.

averigejoe

comparing FAMILY sedans for how fast they go. Kind of an oxymoron?

What is it you have against faster family sedans? Power is good to have, especially if you need it sometime. Lots of people welcome the extra power and don't begrudge the lower gas mileage of the V6 compared to the I 4.

BMW, Daimler-Chrysler, Cadillac, Lexus, Toyota, Infinity, Jaguar and many other makes have fast family sedans. Why shouldn't Hyundai have 200 or 300 or 400+ horsepower too?

It's almost as if you think it is a noble gesture to buy the 4 over the 6. It is not.

Or maybe owning the 4 cylinder is just an ego thing?

I just don't get it. Let each buy and enjoy what he likes.

averigejoe

Take another look at the non-power driver's seat in a GL or GLS. One of us is wrong.
The worst thing about the GL and GLS Sonatas is that the seat cushion in not independently adjustable for height at the front AND rear of the cushion.
The Elantra seats are much better in that regard. But when the new Kia Spectra came out, it had the same non-adjustability that the Sonatas (except the LX) have now.
It is a deal breaker for me. No GL nor GLS for me. Possibly an LX. But I really want to take the Azera for a ride before buying anything.

backy

The GLS Sonata I drove had two knobs on the left side of the driver's seat cushion. The forward knob adjusted the height of the front of the seat. The rearward knob adjusted the height of the back of the seat.

You can verify for yourself that the manual seat has two seat-height adjustment knobs by looking at TSB 05-80-003, which covers the installation of manual seats. There is a picture on p. 1 showing the two knobs. The TSBs are available on the Hyundai Service Tech website, http://www.hmaservice.com/ (need to register to use).

zen2

After the first reply, I went to the manual, thinking I had missed something.
But no, the manual simply says you use the lever to raise, or lower the
seat. In an LX though, you can raise or lower the front or the back. Maybe
I should have gone for the LX. But almost every review I've seen, here and
other places say that the seats are comfortable. I do have a cushion I
will take, just in case. I drove cross country in my 2000 Accord 3 years ago,
had no problems with the seat, but it was a power seat, with front and
back adjustability, as well as lumbar, and side support. I wish I had
that seat in the Sonata. The 2000 Accord LX-V6 cost about 2 grand
more than my current sonata. But I sure wish I had taken a 100 mile
road test before buying.

zen2

You sure that is a 2006 Sonata? I have no knobs on my seat, just a lever.

haefr

Very good point. It's not just Hyundai, either. When I took delivery of my previous car ('96 Honda Accord) I found the tires were carrying 42 lbs of air pressure. I suspect all cars are shipped with excessive air pressure for just the reason you indicated. I normally run my cars' tires toward the upper acceptable air pressure operating limit taking into consideration the car manufacturer's front/rear pressure bias. I kept my Accord's tires at 36 lbs/34 lbs front/rear respectively. On my '03 Sonata, I'm running 36 lbs/36lbs. The comfort degradation is minimal, but the tires run much cooler at freeway speed, and the handling is considerably improved over Hyundai's recommended of 30 lbs/30 lbs (less sidewall flex during emergency manuervers and better traction due to decreased tread distortion under those situations). After nearly three years, the tread depth is essentially even across the tread's width at all four corners. The bad news is that these Michelin MXV4+ all season tires are N-O-I-S-Y at freeway speeds. The worse news is they wear like freakin' iron (and I'm too cheap to trade off perfectly good rubber...).

krika

I remember someone posted in this forum that gas in the tank makes noise. I notice that in my LX '06, and it occurs when i fill up the tank. But its not the kind that was mentioned, its like the normal splashing sound of any liquid in a container. So does anyone have comments/suggestions?

johnap2

That was me that posted about the gas tank noise. I was referring to the sloshing sound it makes when you are driving. It is quite loud and almost sounds like a suspension noise until you really pay attention. I suppose it is just one of those things we will have to live with. I drive with the radio on most of the time, so it is not that big of a deal for me.

johnap2

I agree with both have different opinions and they both have merit. I don't necessarily have anything against faster family sedans it just strikes me as a bit funny there was quite a large discussion going on about which one was faster....a Honda Accord or Hyundai Sonata. Usually you would see this type of discussion in a sports car forum. I can understand wanting a bit more pick-up to merge on the expressway, but as far as I know the government sets the speed limits so if we wanna go faster we can either take it to a track or risk a speeding ticket with increased insurance premiums. If I have a car that has 400 HP and goes 175 MPH what good does that do me.....so I can speed up to 65-70 MPH faster than the guy next to me?

averigejoe

Yep. And if nobody is looking, north of 70 too.
Every vehicle ever invented was raced shortly thereafter.
Some guys just like it.

averigejoe

Looks like maybe you and I would like the Premium Package on a GLS. It includes a power seat with 8-way adjustment. I hope that means independent front and back up and down. It also includes the sunroof.

backy

The TSB is for the 2006 Sonata, yes. It's possible there was a change to the Sonata's manual seat at some point. I drove the GLS with a manual seat early this year. Maybe danf1 can verify for us by checking cars on the lot whether the GL and GLS (with manual seats) have a lever or dual knobs to raise and lower the seat cushion. Using a lever would be unusual for Hyundai; all of their other vehicles with manual seats use dual knobs--which I much prefer over the levers.

denp44

I have a 06 LX. There is no tire monitoring system available in the states.

denp44

I have the 06 Sonata LX with the V6 and it runs fine on 87 octane.
I never received any letter recommending 91 octane.
I think that would hurt Hyundai if they started suggesting that.
I am not getting the best of gas mileage. I only have 2600 miles on it, hopefully it will improve with mileage.

krika

Yep, I agree. It occurs when the tank is full and when I drive over speed bumps or apply brake. I too don't have a problem with it. The car is too awesome to point out these things as problems.

haefr

Don't be surprised if Hyundai makes a running change in the Sonata's fuel tank to include internal baffling (or revised if already present) to minimize the sloshing noise. If that happens, don't expect free replacements though. (Hmmm - what's the catch phrase again? Something like, "Future product development incurs no notification or obligation with regard to colors, accessories, equipment, or materials, yada-yada-yada.")

itzme

GLS 4 cyl... love the car, but...... I've had a loud whatm/bang on the driver's side of the car.. seems to be around the front lower section of the door. I feel like something has popped up from the road and smacked the underside of the car.

This has happened about 4 times in the first 2500 miles. The noise is a one, or two whump noise when it does happen.

I looked uder the car - can see no marks to indicate it was hit with anything. I'm stumped. Will be bringing to dealer for first maintenance check, so will bring up this item.

Car is very quiet - I do not notice any road noise associated with the tires that others have spoken about. I do, however, notice that the wind noise on the passeger side - by the mirror - is much too loud.

Anyone else with these issues?

engineer941

I too find the seats uncomfortable. I have the GLS with the power seats. I am 6 ft and experience a similar sensation with my knees and thighs. I saw one review on Edmunds that referred to the seat bottoms being too short and this may be it. I tried using a wedge shaped cushion (normally for seat back) on a long trip with narrow part of the wedge under my thighs and the thicker part out to my knees. This helps a bit.
Any other advice anyone?

engineer941

"It's not a design flaw - many cars exhibit this phenomenon to some degree. What you experienced was the result of an interior pressure node resonance which was relieved when you lowered another window."haefr

I noticed a similar effect for the first time today. I was carrng a bicycle in the trunk with the rear seats down and the sunroof open. At city driving speeds of 40 to 60 kpm I experienced a strong thrumming feeling that was very uncomfortable. I guess the resonance was changed by the larger volume of air with the trunk included. This has never happened before to me with any window/sunroof settings.

jojoe

I have not heard any swooshing or swiggling from my 2006 V6 gas tank.I have not felt any abnormal bumps from rough roads or should I say not any different from our Honda,Volvo,Jeep or my truck.On rough roads I feel bumps in all of them,but nothing that is abnormal and the Sonata is no different.This car is not that big,well not compared to my old 68 Pontiac.For all those who are wondering about this car..........it is an awesome vehicle,reviewers in general love it,they do have some issues,but most are small issues and they have the same or similar issues with most the cars they review.Bottom line it comes down to each persons own preferences.You will not go wrong with this new Sonata,sure you will find some quirks but you will also find quirks with any car you buy,its just that you might pay a heck of a lot more for those quirks.I for one like this car a lot,I have a lot of fun driving it and like the looks very much.Nothing anyone says will make me think any different.I make up my mind for myself on my own and never worry what others think.I do check reviews and check out options and costs.Then I make up my mind after test driving several vehicles and then Hoola the Sonata!!!!

targettuning

I like that...and so true. Have you ever tried to pass some doddering fool on a curvy 2 lane with short, infrequent passing zones. Invariably the fool who was puttering at 40MPH for the previous 30 miles floors it when you try to pass...then toss in an oncoming semi..I'll take performance, a lot of it thank you !!

danf1

All of the ones on my lot have a single lever. It is identical to the setup in the VW Pasaat. I know that is one of the cars that they disected when they were designing this car, but of all the parts to steal that is the worst.