Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

jimpimms

Although the OEM tires are around $190-$200 apiece, you can find a few all-season or 3-season tires on The Tire Rack, hovering around $100 each. For example, Kuhmo ECSTA ASX ($91), Yokahama AVID V4S ($103), Kuhmo KH11 ($108), Avon Tech M500 ($115).

ergsum

I have already replaced the OEM 17" tires on my GLS with a set of the Yokohama AVID V4S. The Michelins had poor traction in wet conditions and even worse in snow (ESC light flashed like a disco). The Yokohama AVIDs corner better, but your will give up some ride quality (minimal) for the improved handling in all weather conditions. The car definitely feels sportier.

johnjj

I've had mixed feelings. There's a lot of similarity between the Sonata and Azera. But, I would have wanted the passenger power seat, dual zone temp control, and a few other minor items. But, I don't need more horse power, a larger car, or spend thousands of dollars more.

So what about you. Anyone who bought the 2006 Sonata lately, wish they had waited for the Azera, and why?
John

cjk27

I purchased a sonata about a month ago. I just decided that I want to get a "factory" spoiler/lip for it. Could anyone point me in the right direction?

netscorer

Here's the place I bought mine from couple of months ago:
YourHyundaiParts.com
Got a hell of a trouble finding a 5/8'' drill required to install the spoiler. Otherwies the installation took all 15 minutes.
Cheers,

Netscorer.

zen2

I haven't driven the Azera, but I have seen it, and I don't see that much difference between the two to warrant paying more. The only thing I wish I had is the power seat. In fact I may end up trading at the end of the year for another Sonata, but one with a power seat.

haefr

"a charge for activating the automatic door locks is NOT a WARRANTY ITEM and is NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY."

You're absolutely correct jimstrenk. Part of the problem is that some take-yer-money-ships are charging to activate the feature, but some are comp'ing new owners as a courtesy. (The actual procedure is simple to do with the multifunction ""High-Scan" handheld computer tool that reads fault codes and "talks" to the engine control module, the transmission control module, and the vehicle control module to share information and re-program operational characteristics as firmare updates are released as downloads to the take-yer-money-ships' service departments.) Hindsight being 20/20, for anyone contemplating the purchase of an '06 Sonata, POINT OUT to the salesguy and new car sales manager before signing the contract that the automatic door locks are to be activated at no additional charge as part of the final prepping. If they're stupid enough to test your resolve over the issue, you're probably better off taking your business elsewhere - their after-sales service may be even worse than their pre-sales service. If they get uppity with you, at least they painted you a picture of what may be in store.

jimpimms

From my experiences with traction control on the Elantra GT, and my current Sonata LX, the best thing to do when starting in snow is to turn it off. Once you get moving, switch it back on. Traction control systems use a variety of methods to regain traction, one of which is to selectively apply braking on the wheels that are spinning, which conspires to bog the car down in snow, especially so on inclines.

I had an occasion recently where I tried to exit a local restaurant's lower parking lot during a mild snowstorm. With ESP activated, the best I could do was to get halfway up the short but fairly steep driveway. Once I deactivated it, I was able to brute force my way to the top, and out.

llamania

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060104/UPDATE/601040441/1148-

Troy-based Delphi will provide receivers to Washington, D.C.-based XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. for Hyundai's Santa Fe, Azera and Elantra models.

snakeweasel

Is that correct? It seems odd that they would have it in the Azera and Elantra but not the Sonata.

johnap2

Before I got a chance to actually see one in person and test drive it I was wishing I waited. I guess people have a tendency to think the grass is greener on the other side! After test driving it and seeing it I am SO glad I got the Sonata. The Azera does not do much for me. In my opinion, the Sonata has a nicer interior and a more solid look. I didn't think it drove any better either. A lot more expensive too!

zen2

I may be mistaken, but everything I've read about
traction control and stability control (ESC) indicate
that they are two different animals. ESC keeps you
from skidding, traction control keeps your wheels from spinning. Turning off ESC would do nothing to your
traction control. I would never turn off the ESC if
it were snowing. It's helped keep me from skidding
off the road a couple of times in the two months I've
had it.

jnt

Is that correct? It seems odd that they would have it in the Azera and Elantra but not the Sonata.

It could be other supplier like Visteon, Autonet or Mobis on the Sonata.

BTW, How do you like the MACH DSP radio option in your Sonatas?

jt

snakeweasel

Yes it could be another supplier, but having different suppliers for the same item on different models doesn't seem like the best way to do things.

As for the MACH DSP radio option, it really doesn't matter to me I am no that much of an audiophile for that to really matter.

backy

Edmunds has added a Sonata LX to their long-term test fleet; here is their first report:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/LongTerm/articleId=108652

desertguy

Thanks for the heads up backy. All & all a great review and I'm not fond of Emunds test editors at all. I did just sent an email to them regarding their statement that the car has "decent set of airbags." What the heck does that mean? The car has six, front, side, and side curtain. Compare that to a Camry which only has two as standard equipment. Any model Camry.

blnewt

Thanks for the link backy
They must really be driving the poop out of it to get that poor mileage. We've averaged about 25 in town and just took a long road trip and avg'd 29 in our '06 GLS V6. It's only got 1200 miles so I know we'll break 30MPG once it's settled in. The testers probably broke it in by redlining it every chance they could, LOL.

backy

I suspect you are right. I think these auto editors push their test cars pretty hard--and are not bashful about admitting it. Maybe if I had a 235 hp V6, I'd be flogging it a lot, too. One big reason I wouldn't buy the V6.

bman900

Is Hyundai's new Lambda V6 engine built in Korea or Alabama? Many Japanese autos that claim to be domestic are only assembled in North America; often the engine/transmission and other parts are actually built overseas, then installed in the vehicle in the US. Is this also the case with Hyundai?

icarus2

20,853 Sonatas were sold to become the "biggest winner", carving out 155% jump from Dec. 2004, while 26,370 Accords sold to become the "biggest loser", slashing off 31%. I'd appreciate your informative analyses or interpretations.

tb88

20,853 Sonatas were sold to become the "biggest winner", carving out 155% jump from Dec. 2004, while 26,370 Accords sold to become the "biggest loser", slashing off 31%. I'd appreciate your informative analyses or interpretations

There are losers for each winner...
Hyundai carved its increase in sales from Japanese auto sales as well as from that of the 3 "little - big three".

haefr

The appearance of a bare-naked V6 engine block, open-deck cylinder bores clearly identifiable, whizzing along the assembly line in initial TV ads in early 2005 touting the new Alabama factory suggests the new Lambda series engines are assembled in Alabama. Dunno where they're cast and machined, though.

haefr

Hyundai carved its niche for the new Sonata by offering REBATES up the wazoo, and rental agency fleet sales.

jojoe

Well they are selling very well in Canada and there are no special rebates here.

backy

It's called "grabbing market share"--a tried-and-true marketing strategy. And it's working.

delta4

"Hyundai carved its niche for the new Sonata by offering REBATES up the wazoo, and rental agency fleet sales." haefr

That is a very bold statement. Rebates aside, Does anyone have any reliable data to support this claim concerning agency fleet sales? What percentage would this be compared to retail?

tb88

I bet close to 50% of the 21k sale was Fleet sale!
A lot of rentals are either Hyundai or Kia...
Cheap for the Rental cos to buy, but rent almost as high as Toyota/Honda... therefore good profit.

delta4

"I bet close to 50% of the 21k sale was Fleet sale!" - tb88

Again, does anyone have a basis other than a "bet" or guess for what the actual fleet numbers were for Hyundai fleet sales? compared to their retail? Is this info available anywhere?

bhmr59

I don't care what % is to rental companies. Sales went up big. If 50% were due to fleet sales that is still a huge increase from 12/04, assuming zero sales a year ago were fleet sales.

Check one of the biggest rental companies, Enterprise, and see what they are selling their used cars for. This is supposed to be "one price" no haggle pricing. Doesn't look like Sonata takes much of a hit based on Enterprise resale prices.

I'll be renting a car in Phoenix in a couple months and will ask for a Sonata or Azera just to check it out. (They didn't have any last year when I was looking to buy an '05 Sonata.)

backy

Cheap for the Rental cos to buy, but rent almost as high as Toyota/Honda...

Come again? The rental fee Hertz charges me for a Hyundai is exactly what they charge for a Toyota of the same size class. Sonata or Camry, no difference. And as has been discussed here, there aren't many Hondas in rental fleets.

You have to wonder though... if depreciation and cost of ownership is as bad on Sonatas as some people here have claimed, you would think rental car companies would stay away from Hyundais, including the Sonata, like the plague, and stick to cars with supposedly lower depreciation and cost of ownership--like Camrys. But they don't. Hmmm...

lawrence45

I wish that I were getting 25 mpg around town in my 2006
4-CYLINDER Sonata. On the highway it's good, about 31 mpg but driving in NYC (stop and go, of course) I am getting about 13 mpg. What gives? Granted I have only 900 miles on the car and the weather has been chilly, but 13 mpg? Any reasons why the mileage should be so low? I mentioned it to the dealer and he told me to bring the car in and they'll check it out. What mileage are others getting for the I4 in city driving?

bhmr59

Your NYC stop and go driving is much more severe than EPA milage estimates or most other drivers encounter. In April or May you should see about a 25% improvement in MPG. I'm in Fairfield County, CT about 60 miles away and would say your temperature has been more than chilly.

Just filled up my '05 Sonata, 2.7L today 285.5 miles and took 14.533 gallons. About 90 highway miles in 4 trips...all the rest are under 5 miles per trip. Your stop & go traffic (especially "stop" when you get zero mpg) kills your average mpg.

silverfox1

I have a 06 Sonata LX with the V6 and also have low city mileage here in cold Wisconsin. Trip to MO gave me around 28 mpg running between 75 and 80 mph again in cold weather. My city mileage has been running between a low of 14 to 18 mpg depending on how many short trips I make. Car is not warm when shutting down. I wonder if possible O2 sensor or what ever sensor does not think car is warm during short trips and has the car running in the rich mode. I currently have 3000 miles on the car.

bhmr59

All makes of cars get crummier than "normal" mpg in cold weather. Wisconsin is known to get cold.

You'll get warm air from the climate control well before the engine is at it's warmed-up temperature.

Even when fully warmed up, you'll get lower mpg than in warmer weather. Make your trip to MO in warmer weather, driving the same speed, and you'll probably get 31 mpg or more.

johnap2

Hi all,

I just wanted some feedback in regards to the perceived quality of the paint on the new Sonata's. I know there were some problems back at the end of the summer with blemishes right from the factory, but I have not read about them on here since about August.

My issue is this:

I know automatic car washes are generally bad for the finish of a vehicle. However, I took my old vehicle ('99 Explorer) through the same car wash since it was new till I traded it in for the Sonata and never had much of an issue with scratches or swirl marks. I still take my work car through this very same car wash DAILY with no problems (black paint too!). Good enough? Right?

I took my Sonata through this car wash approximately 10 times since late August. I was drying it off a bit this morning and noticed how AWFUL the paint looks :sick: Scratches galore...and not just the "spiderwebbing" effect often expected after numerous washes. It looks like I owned the car 10-years and drove through a forest of rose bushes.

Anybody else notice if their Sonata's paint/clearcoat finish seems very delicate? I obviously will quit taking my Sonata to the car wash, but since I take so many other vehicles through this same wash without the obvious damage it seems to me the paint is more delicate.

John

quipper

Outside of the VIN metal plate, the only sticker on my driver's side door jamb deals exclusively with the tire size/pressure. I wonder if the build-date sticker has been removed.

There are markings on the top of the battery case that possibly could be considered a date of some kind. Also, I suppose if we knew when production started and the number of Sonatas built each month we could get an idea of the month in which one was built.

tb88

Outside of the VIN metal plate, the only sticker on my driver's side door jamb deals exclusively with the tire size/pressure. I wonder if the build-date sticker has been removed.

The built-date sticker is just around the corner from the tire size/pressure one... It is between the front and the back doors facing the outside.

tb88

... The rental fee Hertz charges me for a Hyundai is exactly what they charge for a Toyota of the same size class. Sonata or Camry, no difference.

I suspected that, but wasn't sure... which again gives them a nicer profit than other brands which cost 20-25% more.

jojoe

First of all I would never ,ever take any of my vehicles through a car wash that touches the paint with swirling brushes ,hanging cloth,or rollers.I do take them all through no touch car washes and have never had a problem.Our new 2006 Sonata has gone through the same no touch without any problems also.Paint job is just fantastic and I have no marks after hand washing,car (no touch) washing or after a severe wax job.

tanky1981

i was just curious as to how much other peoples v6 sonatas fuel economy changed when you use the a/c, as opposed to normal average driving without it on.

backy

I've taken my '01 Elantra through "all cloth" car washes each of the past six winters with no problems. I've found that the spray-type washes just don't seem to fully clean the car. The paint still looks new. But it is a light color, champagne. My red Elantra does seem to be more suceptible to scratching, although after nearly two winters it still looks good.

krika

my LX V6 gives the exact numbers - 14-18 mpg in city, its now past 5k miles.

94hawkskin

I just drove my 2006 inline 4 from Louisiana to Iowa and back over the christmas break and got 31 MPG and averaging 72 miles an hour on the way to Iowa, and then got 30 MPG averaging 68 miles an hour on the way back. I usually set the cruise at 78 when there is a 70 speed limit. My car now has 5,000 miles on it and I absolutley love this car.

targettuning

So, your AVERAGE speed was 72 and 68 MPH respectively? which means you were typically running at about 80 or a bit more. I mostly drive in 65-70 MPH/max. states which means that the maximum you can "get away with" unless the cop happens to be a prick is about 75-77. Given that I guess I could possibly get middle 30's. I am having a really hard time trying to choose between a V6 and the 4 cylinder balancing performance and economy. I really, really, need to rent one of each if possible for a week-end. I crave V-6 performance so I need to see how the 4 cylinder runs. I have rented 4 cyl. Camrys and thought they were acceptably quick and, at the time, wondered if a 6 was necessary. I wish I could decide......

zen2

Cruising in both is not that much different, except
for the sound level. Quite a bit quieter in the 6.
Of course the gas mileage is better in the 4. The
big difference for me, is the much better acceleration
in the 6. The first time you have a semi in your rear view
mirror barreling down on you as you try to get onto an
interstate, you'll be glad you got the 6. If all
your driving is just 5 or 6 miles to work,
or to the grocery store, you'll be very happy with the 4.
Just my opinion. (I drove both 3 times, got the 6)

quipper

Thank you. You're absolutely right. I'm embarrassed that I missed it since it is large and in plain sight.

94hawkskin

Actually I had the cruise set at about 78 when in 70 zones all the way. I-55 takes me all the way to St. Louis which is about 600 miles of straight interstate, then I take four lane hwy's all the way to Cedar Rapids, with very little stops. So, yes I did average these speeds, while only stopping for gas and the occasional restroom break. I did 1000 miles in about 15 hrs, and only broke the speed limit by about 8 mph, which you will very rarely get ticket for.

bman900

I drove my LX 6-cyclinder Sonata from Virginia to Florida going just under 80 MPH the entire way. I averaged 28 MPG which I thought was very impressive for carrying 4 adults and the trunk loaded down. Unless performance is not even a small requirement to you, I would recommend the larger engine.

blnewt

We've been averaging 25 in town and 29 on the highway in our GLS V6. We only have 1200 miles so far so I'm certain the hwy mileage will hit at least 30. Going to Vegas next week (1500miles round trip) so I'll report what we come up with.

BTW, we tested both the 4 and 6 and the 4cyl is quite impressive, much better acceleration than I expected, and still a quiet ride. Whan we found the deal we could get on the V6 it was just too easy to sign on the bottom line
BTW, the 5speed shiftronic w/ the V6 is another great bonus. This feature makes the V6 a blast to drive

jojoe

This article is about a family who has been writing their results with the new 2006 Sonata on a weekly basis,seems to be a little behind.Also some good info. for those looking to purchase this wonderful car.Three pages long.....
http://car-reviews.automobile.com/Hyundai/review/2006-hyundai-sonata-gls-v6-long- -term-test-update-no-7/1580/0