That's one of the reasons I stopped subscribing to CR a couple of years ago: I saw the mags in stores a couple of weeks before I received them! Now, I just buy the issues that have reviews of stuff I'm interested in.
They did have a capsule summary of the 2006 Sonata. But because of the new Sonata, they no longer include the '05 Sonata in their rankings.
LOL...if you think thats bad, you should see how steamed I get if C/D is on the newsstand before in my house. But like backy, I dont like paying for things I could read for free, I suppose.
And of course, I'm objective enough to accept that some products I like are not going to score well all of the time, so if you are asking if I see value in CR, absolutely. And the IIHS.
Hyundai publicly, officially announced that instead of launching (supposed be the USDM only)3.3L Sonata in the US first, they will slip it into the current 2.0/2.4 KDM lineup in April. I'm quite surprised to see Hyundai doing this since they have never put bigger engines into their domestic cars due to high price of gas and helluva registration fee for larger engine cars in Korea.
Many ppl in Korea strongly feel that it's for testing purpose as well as competing against its domestic rival, Renault-Samsung's Nissan Teana(Maxima) based SM5/SM7(7 has Nissan VQ23 and slightly detuned VQ35 engines) models, and depending upon the test of result, the US launching date for 06 Sonata could possibly be delayed. Maybe 2.4 I4 model first, then V6 comes out later?
I think they anticipate only a handful of 3.3 Sonata sales in Korea, since their upcoming all new TG(XG350 successor) is supposed to come out this summer and have the same engine(2.7 version also for KDM TG) with pretty much similar price range. That's why ppl speculate that it's only for beta testing, or it could be a great testing for the TG330 which shares lots of components with the new Sonata. BTW, the main model of TG for the US is supposed to be Lambda 3.8L one, which is also being sold and tested on Hyundai's its domestic luxury brand, EQUUS 3.8L model.
I don't think a couple of months of period testing by domestic consumers is long enuff for any cars, but you don't wanna be the first buyer and go thru potential problems, which I did with 95 all new Ford Contour.
being objective on CR's part would be nice, as well. I've read things from not only CR but other pub.'s as well where they haven't even researched the rig far enough to get the correct photo of the Korean car they're reviewing! It's as if they're saying, oh, they're "throwaway cars anyway, no one will even notice." Hard to respect them and many other mag.'s I won't name.
BTW-Edmunds.com puts a lot more into reviews than them. Way more!
"It's as if they're saying, oh, they're "throwaway cars anyway, no one will even notice." Hard to respect them and many other mag.'s I won't name."
Wow, way to read in to things. In the June 1999 issue, Car and Driver place pictures of a 4 cyl cloth Camry in their comparison test of a V6 leather model, and readers caught it and it showed up in the Letters to the Editor. I dont think that C/D feels the Camry is a throw-away car.
I remember a year or two ago, when there was a CR test of the Honda CR-V, and on the cover they mistakenly put a Pilot. Clearly, a big mistake, and they should have felt a little pie on their face, but its not anything more than a mistake.
When did CR post the picture of the wrong car Korean car intentionally? Editing mistakes do happen, and Edmunds.com makes more than their fair share. Edmunds may write more, but CR keeps their cars for months and 5000+ miles, and uses the same calculation and course for calculating fuel economy on every car, something I appreciate.
I think its clear that CR doesnt slant against Korean cars, as in the reliability article in the April Auto issue, the Sonata's excellent showing is detailed in like the third paragraph.
Per the rules in the new Hyundai Sonata sweepstakes, "One (1) Grand Prize winner will receive a 2006 Hyundai Sonata LX equipped with 5-speed Shiftronic™ automatic transmission, and 3.3 Liter V6 engine. The approximate retail value of this vehicle is $24,300."
24K - that seems kind of steep to me. I assume it's the top rung model with leather and all that jazz, but that's pretty much on par with a Camry LE. The jury is still out (no one has driven one yet), but I fear that Hyundai might be embarking on a GM pricing strategy (higher sticker prices, higher rebates).
I called the local dealer today to find out when they expected the new 2006 Sonata to be available. The salesman's response? "2006." I informed him that in actual fact, most manufacturers introduce the model year the preceding fall. (I think this really may have been news to him.) I added that the new Sonata was supposed to come out this spring. He then put me on hold. When he came back, he asked me for my name and number, so he could get back to me. I declined and politely ended the call. At first I was relieved that he couldn't have had caller ID, but now I'm not so sure.
is there any 06 owner who wants to share with some people like me, his/her experience with their new car?, I would like to see some impressions and of course some ratings!. , so far no body has rate it yet! we are looking in to buying one (lx with package3), but we do not know if we can get approved for a credit, does any one knows if a number in the low 600's is even considered?. thanks !
it has been a good year or so since CR showed the complete wrong model of the Korean car they slammed nicely to the mat and pinned in a quick count. I find very little pickins of any great value in that magazine. I do enjoy MT and C&D and Auto and a British one I believe they title 'Car', of all things. They often don't like Korean cars but usually have the intelligence to find something positive to prospective buyers.
Anyhoo-another Hyundai car giveaway contest. Whoo-hoo! Let's get crackin'!
I had a similar experience recently at my local Hyundai dealer. I stopped in to drive the new Elantra GLS 5-door and afterwards was shooting the breeze with the salesman. "So, what do you think about the new Sonata?" I asked him. He gave me a blank look. "What new Sonata?" I told him about the NF Sonata. "Really?!? I haven't heard about a new Sonata!" He asked me what I knew about it, so I told him. "Hmm, I'll have to check on that," he said. I then asked him if he knew anything about the all-new Accent and Santa Fe, and probably Elantra, also due in 2005. He said he'd heard about the Santa Fe but not anything about the Accent or Elantra. What do these guys do when there are no salespeople in the showroom?? Don't they know how to use the Web like us folks who don't sell Hyundais for a living?
if we internet car types could get a discount on new cars for how much we knew about the rig a lot of us would be getting 50% off the purchase price! No doubt! For some reason I don't think the car companies would dig our idea very much.
Dont be mislead by your salespeople telling you they know nothing of the new models coming. Its a Sales response used in almost every industry. "You go to war with what you've got today".
Every company has a new product in development and every salesman wants a better product to sell more. Those Salesmen of yours are instructed to play dumb. Why would they sell any cars today if all they did was spend their day talking about a new model down the road.
Conversation in a dealers showroom:
"Dear Ms. potential '05 Elantra buyer, This '05 Elantra is a really nice car that has these features...but the one coming out in 5 or 6 months will blow the doors off this one. Will that be cash or finance for the one we just test drove?"
I can tell you that if any salesmen discussed improved models soon to be released with customers in a showroom they probably will be looking for another job.
Very valid point Craig. We want to sell a car today. Some people play stupid, others genuinely are stupid. I'm an F&I manager, and I continually update my salespeople on what's coming. Hyundai provides little to no information on upcoming models. So without me, my salespeople may know something is coming but don't seem to have the ambition to get info on their own.
if they don't have the gumption to research and learn more. I wouldn't be surprised if 40-60% of salespeople don't have the drive to learn what's coming down the pike from the carmaker.
Yes, I understand that they need sales from what's on the lot now but if they don't look ahead a tad I don't think they're very useful in the long run. danf1...you must have some salespeople that do research ahead, don't you? Yikes.
I agree that is not a good salesperson. I have about three out of twelve who will do the research on their own. I think most of them know that I will have the info before they can find it so they rely on me. Some of them are illiterate when it comes to any usage of the internet and some are just lazy.
I am in sales. I know all about "selling what's on the truck." This is different. This is a sales rep either lying to a customer ("No, I haven't heard about the new Sonata"), or not knowing anything about new models coming out within a few weeks. Both are inexcusable behavior, IMO.
I was in a Mazda dealership the other day and struck up a conversation with a sales rep. He was very knowledgable about Mazda cars, and also knew quite a bit about competitive cars. When it was clear I was not going to buy a car that day, he mentioned the new Mazda5 that is due soon and even tracked down a brochure (his only one, so we just looked at it). THAT is the kind of behavior I like to see from sales reps--not acting like they don't know anything, or actually not knowing anything about the cars they sell.
That is the type of salesperson I was, and I encourage my salespeople to be. Unfortunately, most don't want to do the work. These are the people who are here for a job as opposed to a carreer. It shows in their paychecks, so they only hurt themselves.
But to stay on topic, I Just passed out the model breakdown, spec sheets, and options for the 2006 Sonata in our meeting this morning.
also, please post anything new on the XG350 replacement being dubbed the 'TG' if you get it. That is one sharp looking large car.
BTW-the last time the Sportage was in for service I hopped out to the lot and chatted with a very helpful guy selling Kia's. He gave me a Sportage brochure, opened the door to a Spectra5(sweet new Kia there)and knew tons about those two vehicles of Kia's that I'm most interested in. He was polite, smart about the rigs and helpful. I just have a great feeling that if I wanted to pull the trigger then(the new Sportage wasn't in at that time, though)it would have been an accommodating buying experience.
"I was in a Mazda dealership the other day and struck up a conversation with a sales rep. He was very knowledgable about Mazda cars, and also knew quite a bit about competitive cars. When it was clear I was not going to buy a car that day, he mentioned the new Mazda5 that is due soon and even tracked down a brochure (his only one, so we just looked at it). THAT is the kind of behavior I like to see from sales reps--not acting like they don't know anything, or actually not knowing anything about the cars they sell."
Exactly! I was talking to a Hyundai salesman at the Jersey Auto Expo about a month ago. He pulled up to me because as I was just getting out of siiting in the XG 350. I said i Like this car. I was asking him questions about Hyundai's mew plant in Alabama. He said its already done meaning already built. I said a Sonata is out in the spring as a 2006 model. He said yes. I also asked its going to be built in the US and he said yes. He also said a new Santa Fe is due for 07 will blow up to Honda Pilot size and will be built in the US. Finally, he said a new XG will be out for 07 and will look like an Audi a little bit. Finally, he gave me his card. He was very nice in telling me all about Hyundai's future vehicles.
microsite earlier this AM and noticed how many safety features are standard on the new Sonata. Also, a 5-speed tranny will be available with the 2.4L 4 cyl.engine. That base Sonata is loaded with everything IMO and mileage estimates are a very healthy 24 city and 34 highway. Like Pontiac's new roadster the Solstice, Hyundai plans to keep the price around $20,000, too.
If Hyundai expects to sell many '06 Sonatas, they'll have to keep selling prices starting at well below $20,000, considering a new Camry LE automatic can be had for under $16,000 in some markets. The base Sonata has more standard safety equipment than the Camry LE, however. But an Accord LX with ABS and side curtains can be had for around $18,000 in some markets, so that starting selling price for the new Sonata will at least need to beat that.
I couldn't agree more. Hyundai has long depended on value shoppers - it's the great value equation that put me in the seat of an Elantra 3 years ago. If it prices the new Sonata at parity with - or God forbid higher than - the Japanese competition, they're going to lose a good chunk of their existing core market. That means they're going to need conquest buyers coming over from the likes of Toyota and Honda and I, in all candor, can't imagine hordes of these folks switching to Hyundai.
$24K+ for a loaded Sonata... not a good sign. You've gotta think that puts a base Sonata somewhere in the $18-19K neighborhood.
I thought I read somewhere that Hyundai is aiming for higher production numbers with this new Sonata. Hmmmmm... now might be the time to start shorting Hyundai Motor stock.
I'm still looking forward to catching a glimpse of the new Sonata (knock on wood) at the Twin Cities Auto Show starting next week. 6 more days - WOO HOO!
The Accord's msrp is for the DX model. Even if you take the LX model, the msrp is still lower than the CR-V.
Toyota (toyota.com) RAV4: $18,750 CAMRY: $18,195
If you look at the content to price ratio, the Camry gets a lot more bang for money because the msrp above is for the Camry LE while the RAV4's msrp is that of the base model.
Even looking at the current Hyundai line-up...
TUSCON: $17,499 SONATA: $16,449
I would expect the Sonata's pricing to be a little lower or similar to the Tuscon. It just seems to be the standard in the industry.
Hyundai also expects that most of the Sonata's sold in the US will be V6 models. Most of the Accord's and Camry's sold in the US are 4 cylinder models. That probably means that the V6's will be competitively priced to the 4 cylinder Accord's and Camry's.
"...$24K+ for a loaded Sonata... not a good sign. You've gotta think that puts a base Sonata somewhere in the $18-19K neighborhood..."
Assuming the $24,300 sweepstake prize is an LX with all the factory options, that figure represents a jump of about $1,700 in MSRP over a 2005 LX with all the factory options. This in itself is not terribly out of line, considering the bigger engine and all the other improvements. However, nobody pays MSRP for the 2005 Sonata! So the real question is how much and how fast the 2006 Sonata will be discounted. Without any discount, the real price jump from a loaded 2005 LX to a loaded 2006 LX is approaching $6,000, and that's a big jump.
I would expect the Sonata's pricing to be a little lower or similar to the Tuscon. It just seems to be the standard in the industry.
That's an interesting comparison. And since the base Sonata will have similar equipment (ABS, SACs, 4-cylinder engine, 5-speed tranny) to that of the base Tuscon, the prices would have to be fairly comparable. $17,495-17,995 starting price for the Sonata seems about right. That would undercut the MSRPs of the Camry LE and Accord LX, but the Sonata would have more equipment than either of them.
I really don't expect the V6 Sonata (i.e. GLS) to be priced like I4 Accords and Camrys... but we can dream.
from my sources, currently there over over 600 cars that have already been built at the new Montgomery Plant, slowly but surely full production is getting closer and closer, but there is a small delay on the part of Mobis, their Tier 1 Supplier, seems there are still bugs to work out in the paint department with terrible mottling issues popping up.
cars that are built are currently being driven by Hyndai execs.
2nd row seat MUST have a 3-point belt in the center, it is a defacto standard on cars these days. If the new Sonata does not have a 3-point belt in the center seat, it is a stupid design decision on Hyundai's part.
The center belt is unbuckled from its lower anchor in that picture. Hyundai has done this so that you can fold down the rear seat without having a belt hang it up. It has been that way in the current Sonata for as long as I can recall.
Does anybody have information on the 06 Sonata being at the MPLS car show this weekend? I've talked to several dealers in the area who all have told me they didn't know. The story I got was...there's one Red 06 sontata floating around to some cities' car shows and nobody had information about it making it up to MPLS.
Since you have the model breakdown, spec sheet, and options for the 2006 Sonata, would you please tell me if a GLS 5-sp manual is an option. Thanks. I hope Hyundai has not relegated the manual transmission only to the base model.
Unfortunately many manufacturers feel that you are a cheapskate if you want the manual tranny so you only get the cheapest model. Camry is the same way and others as well. Of course many of us want the manual because it is faster and more fun as well as being cheaper and more efficient.
I'll be perfectly honest - I would drive a manual Corolla over an automatic Lexus any day of the week.
At least Hyundai offers the manual some are dropping it altogether. I am also pleased by the improvements in fuel mileage.
The reason few family sedans are offered with manual transmissions in the U.S. is that hardly anyone wants them. In Europe and Asia, you can get just about any car with a manual transmission--because more people drive a stick there.
It would be nice if Hyundai would follow the lead of Honda and Toyota and offer manual transmissions in more upscale versions of the Sonata. For example, you can get the top-trim Accord EX 4-door with a stick (although only the 4-banger), but they also offer the 2-door Accord V6 with a stick--a 6-speed. Maybe Hyundai could drop the 6-speed from the Tiburon into a Sonata V6 and call it the Sonata GT.
A few years ago you could get a manual in a loaded Sonata. I remember well a 2001 GLS with leather, moonroof, abs, and a stick. The main reason I remember it is because it sat on our lot forever. I love driving sticks, but most dealers don't want them as people like me are a rare breed.
When I bought my CTS there was not a six speed within 200 miles, so I got the auto. I guess I did just what I shouldn't have done but I needed to get the new car while I still had my wife convinced that it was ok to trade the TT.
the 2006 Sonata has a tape deck incorporated into the radio? I have an XM satellite radio MyFi and have found that the reception is best with the tape deck rather than the MyFi FM transmitter. How about the 2005?
Comments
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
They did have a capsule summary of the 2006 Sonata. But because of the new Sonata, they no longer include the '05 Sonata in their rankings.
And of course, I'm objective enough to accept that some products I like are not going to score well all of the time, so if you are asking if I see value in CR, absolutely. And the IIHS.
~alpha
Many ppl in Korea strongly feel that it's for testing purpose as well as competing against its domestic rival, Renault-Samsung's Nissan Teana(Maxima) based SM5/SM7(7 has Nissan VQ23 and slightly detuned VQ35 engines) models, and depending upon the test of result, the US launching date for 06 Sonata could possibly be delayed. Maybe 2.4 I4 model first, then V6 comes out later?
I think they anticipate only a handful of 3.3 Sonata sales in Korea, since their upcoming all new TG(XG350 successor) is supposed to come out this summer and have the same engine(2.7 version also for KDM TG) with pretty much similar price range. That's why ppl speculate that it's only for beta testing, or it could be a great testing for the TG330 which shares lots of components with the new Sonata. BTW, the main model of TG for the US is supposed to be Lambda 3.8L one, which is also being sold and tested on Hyundai's its domestic luxury brand, EQUUS 3.8L model.
I don't think a couple of months of period testing by domestic consumers is long enuff for any cars, but you don't wanna be the first buyer and go thru potential problems, which I did with 95 all new Ford Contour.
anyhow, we all just need to wait and see.
BTW-Edmunds.com puts a lot more into reviews than them. Way more!
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Wow, way to read in to things. In the June 1999 issue, Car and Driver place pictures of a 4 cyl cloth Camry in their comparison test of a V6 leather model, and readers caught it and it showed up in the Letters to the Editor. I dont think that C/D feels the Camry is a throw-away car.
I remember a year or two ago, when there was a CR test of the Honda CR-V, and on the cover they mistakenly put a Pilot. Clearly, a big mistake, and they should have felt a little pie on their face, but its not anything more than a mistake.
When did CR post the picture of the wrong car Korean car intentionally? Editing mistakes do happen, and Edmunds.com makes more than their fair share. Edmunds may write more, but CR keeps their cars for months and 5000+ miles, and uses the same calculation and course for calculating fuel economy on every car, something I appreciate.
I think its clear that CR doesnt slant against Korean cars, as in the reliability article in the April Auto issue, the Sonata's excellent showing is detailed in like the third paragraph.
~alpha
24K - that seems kind of steep to me. I assume it's the top rung model with leather and all that jazz, but that's pretty much on par with a Camry LE. The jury is still out (no one has driven one yet), but I fear that Hyundai might be embarking on a GM pricing strategy (higher sticker prices, higher rebates).
Thoughts?
Where did you see the Hyundai Sonata Sweepstakes...in the US? Canada?
we are looking in to buying one (lx with package3), but we do not know if we can get approved for a credit, does any one knows if a number in the low 600's is even considered?. thanks !
Anyhoo-another Hyundai car giveaway contest. Whoo-hoo! Let's get crackin'!
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Every company has a new product in development and every salesman wants a better product to sell more. Those Salesmen of yours are instructed to play dumb. Why would they sell any cars today if all they did was spend their day talking about a new model down the road.
Conversation in a dealers showroom:
"Dear Ms. potential '05 Elantra buyer, This '05 Elantra is a really nice car that has these features...but the one coming out in 5 or 6 months will blow the doors off this one. Will that be cash or finance for the one we just test drove?"
I can tell you that if any salesmen discussed improved models soon to be released with customers in a showroom they probably will be looking for another job.
Craig
Yes, I understand that they need sales from what's on the lot now but if they don't look ahead a tad I don't think they're very useful in the long run. danf1...you must have some salespeople that do research ahead, don't you? Yikes.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
I was in a Mazda dealership the other day and struck up a conversation with a sales rep. He was very knowledgable about Mazda cars, and also knew quite a bit about competitive cars. When it was clear I was not going to buy a car that day, he mentioned the new Mazda5 that is due soon and even tracked down a brochure (his only one, so we just looked at it). THAT is the kind of behavior I like to see from sales reps--not acting like they don't know anything, or actually not knowing anything about the cars they sell.
But to stay on topic, I Just passed out the model breakdown, spec sheets, and options for the 2006 Sonata in our meeting this morning.
BTW-the last time the Sportage was in for service I hopped out to the lot and chatted with a very helpful guy selling Kia's. He gave me a Sportage brochure, opened the door to a Spectra5(sweet new Kia there)and knew tons about those two vehicles of Kia's that I'm most interested in. He was polite, smart about the rigs and helpful. I just have a great feeling that if I wanted to pull the trigger then(the new Sportage wasn't in at that time, though)it would have been an accommodating buying experience.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Exactly! I was talking to a Hyundai salesman at the Jersey Auto Expo about a month ago. He pulled up to me because as I was just getting out of siiting in the XG 350. I said i Like this car. I was asking him questions about Hyundai's mew plant in Alabama. He said its already done meaning already built. I said a Sonata is out in the spring as a 2006 model. He said yes. I also asked its going to be built in the US and he said yes. He also said a new Santa Fe is due for 07 will blow up to Honda Pilot size and will be built in the US. Finally, he said a new XG will be out for 07 and will look like an Audi a little bit. Finally, he gave me his card. He was very nice in telling me all about Hyundai's future vehicles.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
$24K+ for a loaded Sonata... not a good sign. You've gotta think that puts a base Sonata somewhere in the $18-19K neighborhood.
I thought I read somewhere that Hyundai is aiming for higher production numbers with this new Sonata. Hmmmmm... now might be the time to start shorting Hyundai Motor stock.
I'm still looking forward to catching a glimpse of the new Sonata (knock on wood) at the Twin Cities Auto Show starting next week. 6 more days - WOO HOO!
Base MSRP's
Honda (hondacars.com)
CR-V: $20,195
ACCORD: $16,295
The Accord's msrp is for the DX model. Even if you take the LX model, the msrp is still lower than the CR-V.
Toyota (toyota.com)
RAV4: $18,750
CAMRY: $18,195
If you look at the content to price ratio, the Camry gets a lot more bang for money because the msrp above is for the Camry LE while the RAV4's msrp is that of the base model.
Even looking at the current Hyundai line-up...
TUSCON: $17,499
SONATA: $16,449
I would expect the Sonata's pricing to be a little lower or similar to the Tuscon. It just seems to be the standard in the industry.
Hyundai also expects that most of the Sonata's sold in the US will be V6 models. Most of the Accord's and Camry's sold in the US are 4 cylinder models. That probably means that the V6's will be competitively priced to the 4 cylinder Accord's and Camry's.
I wouldn't worry too much about the msn banner.
Assuming the $24,300 sweepstake prize is an LX with all the factory options, that figure represents a jump of about $1,700 in MSRP over a 2005 LX with all the factory options. This in itself is not terribly out of line, considering the bigger engine and all the other improvements. However, nobody pays MSRP for the 2005 Sonata! So the real question is how much and how fast the 2006 Sonata will be discounted. Without any discount, the real price jump from a loaded 2005 LX to a loaded 2006 LX is approaching $6,000, and that's a big jump.
That's an interesting comparison. And since the base Sonata will have similar equipment (ABS, SACs, 4-cylinder engine, 5-speed tranny) to that of the base Tuscon, the prices would have to be fairly comparable. $17,495-17,995 starting price for the Sonata seems about right. That would undercut the MSRPs of the Camry LE and Accord LX, but the Sonata would have more equipment than either of them.
I really don't expect the V6 Sonata (i.e. GLS) to be priced like I4 Accords and Camrys... but we can dream.
cars that are built are currently being driven by Hyndai execs.
it seems that it does not have the 2nd row center head rest/restrain like this one http://members.lycos.co.uk/ah900/s0s0/31.jpg , also did they take out the 3 point seat belt on 2006 2nd row middle seat (a step back on safety)????, however, there is a 3-pt-seat-belt for 2005
http://www.hyundaicanada.com/HYUNDAI/Pages/Documents/type1/DocumentAction.aspx?Dispatch=Di- - - - - splay&DocumentID=207&LanguageID=en?
Do you guys think the Hyundai execs had to pay for their new Alabama Hyundai's?
Speaking of nearly-free Sonata's it's just about time to bop over to the Hyundai site and play the giveaway game for today.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
"3-point rear seat belts, including rear-center position" located on the features section
Anybody know?
I'll be perfectly honest - I would drive a manual Corolla over an automatic Lexus any day of the week.
At least Hyundai offers the manual some are dropping it altogether. I am also pleased by the improvements in fuel mileage.
It would be nice if Hyundai would follow the lead of Honda and Toyota and offer manual transmissions in more upscale versions of the Sonata. For example, you can get the top-trim Accord EX 4-door with a stick (although only the 4-banger), but they also offer the 2-door Accord V6 with a stick--a 6-speed. Maybe Hyundai could drop the 6-speed from the Tiburon into a Sonata V6 and call it the Sonata GT.
When I bought my CTS there was not a six speed within 200 miles, so I got the auto. I guess I did just what I shouldn't have done but I needed to get the new car while I still had my wife convinced that it was ok to trade the TT.