Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

snakeweasel

And, the more I read Hyundai and KIA boards, you'd better not plan on relying on the warranty at all.

Oh I don't know, I know someone who brought their Hyundai in just after the warranty expired and the problem was still fixed for free.

snakeweasel

Well, THAT could be it....... But we won't know, unless you wait for your gas tank to be empty, and fill it up with one of the major name brands, like BP, Shell, Exxon, etc. And, even better,

The dirty little secret that the oils companies don't want you to know is that its all the same gas. Go to any gas station and you might be filling up on Shell gas, or Exxon gas, or BP gas etc. So filling up at costco you might be getting BP gas. Fill up at BP and you just might be getting Citco gas.

bhmr59

Check your owners' manual for recommended fuel.

The '05 manual (2.7L V6) says "DO NOT USE METHANOL." It says to use unleaded with octane of 87 or higher with up to 10% ethanol. If the car doesn't run right, use 100% unleaded gasoline. Methanol will cause problems including engine damage.

Does the 3.3L engine require 91 octane? If not, why spend the (in my area) extra $.20 per gallon.

calleo

Has anyboby had the Software update. www.hmaservice.com/scantool updates / latest software 11-28-05
NF 3.3 Drive feel improvement 05-01-015
In case somebody has does it cure the problem ?

Or what does it cure ?

snakeweasel

If the car doesn't run right, use 100% unleaded gasoline.

Unfortunately our all wise and powerful government has dictated that in some areas all gas has to have a certain amount of ethanol. I would have to drive 30-40 miles before I could get 100% unleaded.

haefr

Those fans cut in and out on demand - which translates to idling or low vehicle speed operation. At any sustained speed over 20 mph, I doubt the fans continue to operate very long - even with the A/C compressor engaged. Since the fans are more likely to operate when idling or moping along in urban crawl, you can test their noise level on your driveway. After thoroughly warming the engine with a several mile drive, allow the engine to idle with the hood up and listen for their activation. If all is well, the noise will be a slight-moderate roar over other engine noise. There shoudn't be a high-pitched whine sound unless Hyundai or its supplier did a poor job designing the fan blades (doubtful) or a bad bearing (equally doubtful this soon). I'd like to know more about the whiring, turbine-like sound, though. Does it fade or cease upon deceleration or acceleration? Is it more noticable at certain vehicle speeds?

haefr

Yep - I'd have to drive to the next state for 100% unleaded. So far, though, I haven't had any drivability problems with the 10% gasohol we have in California. One side benefit with the ethanol content is that over time it will move accumulated water out of the fuel system for expulsion out the exhaust. Brazil is almost 100% ethanol based for private and light commercial vehicle fuel. Brazil grows LOTSA sugar cane. Brazilians pay an average of 16 cents a gallon for denatured ethanol vehicle fuel. Rum is cheap in Brazil, too. Brazil is looking better and better as a retirement destination all the time. Remember when Americans only paid 16 cents a gallon for vehicle fuel? I do. It was about the same time I still had hair to part.

snakeweasel

So far, though, I haven't had any drivability problems with the 10% gasohol we have in California.

I haven't had any problems either, but I do notice a drop in mileage with the stuff. I can easily get 2-3 MPG more on the stuff I buy downstate.

bhmr59

The "use 100% gasoline" was a non-direct quote from the manual, not my suggestion. Also, the previous poster didn't know if he was using ethanol or methanol and said it could be up to 15% rather than the recommended 10%. While all gasoline is basically the same, CostCo could blend in a higher % of ethanol (or methanol, as the case may be). I don't know...I don't belong to CostCo and have never used their gas. Although most likely isn't methanol.

rgt2

We can't buy 100% gasoline here in Phoenix, nor in the southern counties. Most northern counties add as well. It's either ethanol or methanol in winter and vise versa in summer, I can't remember which. But all the pumps state that it contains up to 15% of one in the winter and the other in the summer. New Mexico gas didn't state that they add either, and we did use 89 octane and the car drove much better with higher mpg.All gasoline in Maricopa county and Pinal county are required to add 15% or up to 15%.

mtnman1

And, the more I read Hyundai and KIA boards, you'd better not plan on relying on the warranty at all.

I bought a new Sonata back in 2003. The dealership I bought it from has a great service department and has never given me any problems with warranty issues. I've had two things go wrong which were under warranty. I brought the car in, told what the problem was and they fixed without haggling me in any way. I really don't believe that Hyundai dealerships would want to damage their reputations when they are trying to build market share.

moderate

Has anyone driven the new Ford Fusion? I think it feels a lot better than the Sonata. I was wondering what others thought. I can see that there is a lot of (negative) discussion about the warranty on the Sonata. This new Ford feels increadably solid and quiet. And it costs a lot less too. I guess I could always buy an extended warranty and still cost less than the competition.

averigejoe

My experiences with Korean warranties have been good. But reading the boards leads me to believe many people are having less than satisfactory warranty service.

averigejoe

Fusion/Sonata. Are you saying that with similar equipment you think the Fusion can be purchased for less? Or the MSRP is less? Or both?
I'd be very surprised if that is true.

moderate

I saw the post earlier that said the Ford was the ONLY midsize sedan under 20k. I'll try to find it and repost if I can figure out how...

moderate

I'm sorry I'm not tech savy enough, but there is a previous post that has a scan out of CR that shows a comparison. It shows the Fusion 4 cyl SE (19,976) vs. the Sonata 4 Cyl GLS (21,345).

ctalk

I guess you read wrong.

You can get a Hyundai Sonata GL for $17,895 or $18,795 with A/T.

Sonata Pricing

The model you saw on CR was a GLS. There is one model lower, it's the GL.

moderate

I guess your talking about the GL, and I was refering to the GLS.

ctalk

I saw the post earlier that said the Ford was the ONLY midsize sedan under 20k. I'll try to find it and repost if I can figure out how..

I was replying to your post that stated that the Ford Fusion was the only midsize that you can get under 20k.

Which is wrong.

moderate

I just took a look at the Ford site. You can get a Fusion for 17,795. So basically the same price.

Have you driven the Fusion?

ctalk

Can we take this conversation to a forum?

If you read the title, the topic is "Hyundai Sonata 2006+."

I suggest the comparison forum between the Sonata, Accord, Fusion and Camry.

And yes, I have driven the Fusion.

averigejoe

EPA classifies the Elantra as mid-size and the Sonata as large.

moderate

Sorry, i'm new at this. What did you think of the Fusion?

w9cw

Here in the midwest, summer or winter, it's very hard to find gas without 10% ethanol. Gas without ethanol can be found, but it's certainly not an easy task. Of course, this is where the majority of corn in grown in the USA, and farmers are doing everything to increase ethanol penetration and production. E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gas is being rolled out in a number of areas, and the Flex-Fuel vehicles can burn this mixture. Unfortunately, the Sonata is not one of these.

tenpin288

Unfortunately, the Sonata is not one of these

Unfortunately, there are very few vehicles certified for E85 fuel. Here's a site you can check to see if a vehicle has been re-engineered/certified for E85 fuel:

National E85 Coalition

stockmanjoe

I bought a Ford ONCE.

averigejoe

Sonata GL / Fusion I4 SE
$17,895 / $17,900
105 cu ft / 100 cu ft for passengers
16.3 ft / 15.8 cu ft for luggage
17.9 ft / 19.4 ft turning radius w/107" wheelbases

Sonata has as standard equipment: More horsepower, ABS, traction control, electronic stability control, 6 extra airbags, better city and highway mileage, bigger gas tank, shorter length and width, longer warranty, heated mirrors, wider tires, security system and more that the Fusion does not have.

The Fusion is poorly equipped compared to the Sonata and the Fusion costs more too!

rgt2

The dealer that we bought our Sonata from sells both Fords and Hyundais. I liked the looks of the Fusion, but too much chrome,and the interior looked kinda cheap to me. Comparing apples to apples at dealers and not online, the Ford was always more money.
The Sonata is better equiped and less money.And the other thing that's against the Fusion is...it's a Ford.I just couldn't buy it.Ford/Mazda have always had problems with body, trim, and interiors. I don't think that will have changed for the Fusion.

backy

Hi, welcome to the Hyundai Sonata 2006+ discussion! As you are new to this, you may not realize that the Town Hall has some discussions set up to discuss specific vehicles, and some for other purposes, e.g. for comparisons. As our Host would probably tell you, this discussion is for people who want to discuss the Sonata. There are other discussions for comparing the Sonata to other cars like the Fusion. I notice you found one of them, the one for the Sonata vs. Accord vs. Camry vs. Fusion. There is also one on Mid-size Cars, if you want to compare more than just these four.

snakeweasel

Here in the midwest, summer or winter, it's very hard to find gas without 10% ethanol.

Not sure where you are in the midwest but once I get away from Chicago it gets mighty easy to find gas without ethanol.

Unfortunately, the Sonata is not one of these.

Not many cars can, the bad thing about E85 is the lousy mileage you get out of it. Cars typically get 25-40+% less mileage out of E85 than 100% gasoline. Pay 9% less and get 30% less mileage :confuse:

kwonc71

Ron Tonkin Hyundai, Portland , Oregon. 3 of GLs with Auto $13,995 after all rebates. 3 of V6 GLSs $15,499 after all rebates. Can't even buy Civic DX without A/C for $13,995. The same Sunday ad, I found one dealership with Fusion base model on sale for $15,999. No one can't beat Hyundai until Chinese bring their cars in.

kwonc71

My LX now has about 2600 miles. I can tell many drivers stare at my LX. Absolutely love my car without problems other than one minor rattle from the gear shifter area. Service manager told me that he will take care of it at the first oil change. I like this car way better than my old GLS without power seat. Leather seat with power is way more comfy, and I like seat heater too. 17' wheel gives more solid and spottier feel. Great sound from MP3 stereo system too. I burned Hysteria-Def Leppard( My favorite Sonata driving song at 70 MPH or faster), and 100 more 80's music on one single disc. It's like having a disc changer. Fantastic brake, so far the best brake that I ever had on my cars. Fast car! Especially, from 60 to 80mph, sometimes car nails(small nail) my back to the seat. Have not lost a single race at stop lights yet. Those days with 2000 base Sonata, embarrassed by Civic warriors, ran over by Accord, barely lost to Camry, and Altima speed want to be days are gone. Only bad thing is speeding problem. I found my self doing over 80MPH often and sometimes over 90MPH too. It does not feels like I'm going that fast, but that's what speedometer shows....I better watch out.

pat

Hi - welcome. Backy gave you some good advice about a couple of discussions more appropriate for some of your questions.

There a lot of search features on the left side of the page that will help you find other discussions. The Browse by Vehicle is very useful.

If you need any help finding your way around, feel free to drop me an email - just click on my name to see my profile.

Have fun!

backy

I have been told by a representative of the IIHS that their crash test results for the '06 Sonata should be published by the first week of March.

sonatame

Not sure what you used to drive, but the halfway mark for the speedometer is 80 and I too find myself there quite often. This is one of the smoothest cars I have ever driven for acceleration and it is really hard to keep the speedometer at that 2/5 mark. I have been renting a lot of the Sonatas as well with the 16" wheels and although the ride is good the 17" wheels do make a difference in handling. I do like this car and wish I had more time to spend driving it.

wdlp65

Sounds really great, I just purchased a 06 LX V6, Dark Cinnamon with beige leather interior, sunroof and 6 disc changer.
I really like the car, and everybody who has seen it really likes it too!
I only have 200 miles on it so I haven't really gotten into the pedal very much, but I can tell it has some pick up!
Cannot wait to get her out on the highway for a run or two!

sonatame

The dark cinnamon is a nice color, mine is solid black and it gives the front end a little different look with everything black except for the slanted H and the lights. Each time I take the car out, people drive by to see what kind of car it is. At this time my car only is driven during good weather, so you can imagine that it stays show/like condition. Since I rent a lot I do get to race around in the Sonata and as I stated earlier, one of the smoothest fun cars I have ever driven. Drove my Fiance's Accord yesterday and I really noticed the noise difference. The Sonata is truly built toward the Audi A6 and although it does not have all the computer glossy extras, I think the ride is much closer to the A6 than the price would indicate.

stockmanjoe

Sonatame:

I have a dark cinnamon and love that color. I wish I got the sunroof though. I totally agree with your post. It is so much like a A6. I have gotten several complements from people on its looks already. I drove the Accord and the Sonata and the Sonata beat it hands down. Yes the Accord is very noisy.

ctalk

That's great!

In a few months, I may be purchasing a second car.
I can't spend as much as I did on my Accord. I also don't think I need two Accords.
I'm looking around the price of a Civic LX-EX.
The Hyundai Sonata and Ford Fusion will be on my list.

Currently, the Sonata is near the top of my list. It is quite appealing with all the standard features. I won't mind trying a Hyundai. Also, I have a friend that works at the dealer so he can offer me high incentives. Oh yeah, I may be able to buy the LX V6 if he offers me a great price. The top model is the one I'm most interested in.

With the crash test from IIHS coming out, it's perfect timing!

averigejoe

What is your budgeted amount? What's the most you'll spend for the car not including tax, title and license?

mamamia2

I'm looking around the price of a Civic LX-EX.
The Hyundai Sonata and Ford Fusion will be on my list.

You can't compare a Civic to a Sonata or a Fusion.... These are two totally different car categories.... It's like saying "I may have a hamburger, or maybe I'll get myself ice cream"....

The Civic is a small, sporty, noisy car, that's geared for youngsters. Sonata (and Fusion, which I have not driven) are large cars, with much larger engines, quiet, smooth and designed for older (more mature?) segment of consumers.

I just leased a Civic for my daughter, and bought myself a Sonata. Two totally different beasts.

And as to the claim that the Accord is noisy, yes, Honda cars are more SPORTY in general. The Accord is built more stiff and noisy, while the Camry, built for more "older" people -- is quieter, smoother and more refined.

I would actually say that, now owning a 2005 Accord, and after leasing Camrys for many years in the past, the Sonata is more resembling the Camry in its nature, ride and smoothness, than the Accord.

sonatame

I rented a Sonata with the sunroof and the only thing I did not like about the sunroof is the single swith for tilt and open. I'm sure folks who use it all the time have no trouble closing it, but it would be nice if there was an indicator that said it was completely closed or not. I went by wind noise as far as being closed.

As far as my earlier comment about the noise of the Accord, it is not wind or the obvious, but the transmission that I can hear. Yes music will drowned out the noise, but after being in the quiet Sonata you can hear every little noise in another car.

sonatame

Since you already own an Accord, I would recommend the Sonata LX. I enjoy both cars and what is really nice is that both cars have enough power to get you from A to B or across traffic in a hurry. The main difference is that the Accord has more of a cockpit feel to it where the Sonata has more of a luxery feel without a complicated dash (Euro). Both have outstanding handling and if you are looking for reliability the the 5-year warranty, 10-year drive train warranty and road-side-assistance makes this the perfect car to add to your fleet.

94hawkskin

Do you have to let off the gas to shift the manumatic or can you just keep your foot on the gas while shifting. Just wanting to know. Haven't even used mine yet, but I want to make sure in case I want to try it out.

sonatame

The manumatic doesn't seem to shift as quickly without a slight decrease in rpm. It also does not shift into 5th until you hit 40 mph which is interesting for those who go up and down hills in city limits. It is fun to use, but not even close to a manual.

bhmr59

I think that explains why some have complained about "tranny fishing" while driving at about 40 mph. As one poster said he likes to drive at 40 to 45 in the rpm range of 1500-1800 (?).

Simply put, it appears the automatic tranny is doing its job and downshifting at the appropriate time. In a manual shift, the engine would likely be lugging at 15 or 1800 rpm in 5th gear.

sonatame

It also would explain why folks who are going down hill at less than 40mph feel a drag.

backy

You can't compare a Civic to a Sonata or a Fusion....

Sure you can! All are 4-door sedans and are in the same price range (for the 4-cylinder Sonata and Fusion). If your goal is to get the best/most 4-door sedan for a certain amount of money, they can be definitely compared--and I have done so. Each car has certain advantages, obviously, which will help the buyer make the decision one way or the other.

snakeweasel

Sure you can! All are 4-door sedans and are in the same price range (for the 4-cylinder Sonata and Fusion).

Oh no you can't, at well over 6 foot 2 I fit very comfortably in a Sonata or a Fusion (well I tried a Milan and think they should be the same) but in a Civic the door is pressed into my side and my head is touching the ceiling. I need a crowbar to get in and out of that car.

backy

Which means you did compare the cars, right?