Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

backy

Has your daughter ever tried to hook up more than two remotes on her '03 Elantra? And do you have more than two remotes on either of your Santa Fe's? I am trying to see if there is a pattern here, and if what the dealer told me about my Elantras is true.

ctalk

You must put snow tires on all four wheels. I have seen it, where some people just put it in their front wheels (if it is a FWD car) Yes, it does increase traction when accelerating. But turning may cause problems. The front wheels won't keep the rear of the car from stepping out. It is much better to put it on all four wheels, for maximum traction.

I have Nokian HAKKAPELIITTA 2, winter tires.

They're great, but are more geared towards really bad weather.

I believe there is a tire thread we should continue this conversation in, or the host will be mad :P

zen2

Don't know if that was a pun or not. But thanks.
I don't know why it is off topic, since we are talking
about the Sonata.

ctalk

Don't know if that was a pun or not.

What?

Well, I was talking about tires :P

pat

There's no reason why we can't talk about winter tires for the Sonata right here ...

mamamia2

The salesman at my Hyundai dealership told me hardly anybody is buying the 4 cyl. Sonata... His buyers are interested in the V6.

Well, I decided having one V6 car in the family (an '05 Accord EX, which my wife has the honor to drive) is enough... I got the ONE 4 cyl. Sonata they had on the lot...

Are there any 4 cyl. Sonata owners here? Are there any specific issues with the 4 cyl. Sonata?

backy

Could it be that with the prices of the V6 Sonatas so low (like $15.5k advertised price in my town for a GLS V6 with moonroof), most people would rather have a V6? After all, with the $500 extra rebate on the V6, there's only a $800 difference invoice-wise between the I4 and V6.

I'd rather have the I4 myself, but those V6 prices are mighty attractive.

ctc1

I have a 4cyl GLS that I'm very happy with. Took 2 weeks for local dealers to find one for me. Lots were full of 6cyl's and dealers were caught off guard by the demand for the 4cyl GLS. When matched against competion it is a very good deal with this level of equipment.

mamamia2

(like $15.5k advertised price in my town for a GLS V6 with moonroof)

------- Well, that's just too damn good to be true.... Look again on the ad... I bet you'll see a tiny "stock number" attached to the price... When you arrive at the dealership they'll tell you "oh, we just sold that one car an hour ago, but we have other cars.... not at that price, though"....

I would believe it when I read here ONE poster who was able to get a GLS V6 with moonroof for $15.5k.... Maybe a demo...

stockmanjoe

Yes I love my 4cyl. I specifically wanted it. They tried to talk me into a 6cyl. They only has a few on the lot had to walk around a bit and the salesman finally pointed over - "oh there's one". I love it it has plenty of power (how much do you need unless you plan to illegally street race with Bruce Springteen and the boys, although I doubt they be caught dead in a Hyundai LOL!)

The people who "need": six cylinder (like my wife for example are absurd) Thay deseve to be complaining about their gas mileage. Mine is great.

backy

Yes, the ad did have a stock number on it. But at least it didn't have a ton of 4-point-font text at the bottom of the ad referring to phases of the moon etc. So some lucky person got a V6 Sonata at that price. The dealers in my area are pretty good about noting exceptions like "demo" on ads. There may even be laws about that kind of thing in my state (Minnesota).

I've seen posts in the Prices Paid discussion about deals almost as good at that one. But of course, not everyone will get that good a deal.

Several years ago I jumped on an ad like that one, on the then all-new '01 Elantra. It was a great price, several hundred bucks under invoice at a time when there were no public rebates on the car. It was a one-only deal of course. So I went up to the dealer. They had just sold the car! But they had another one with the same equipment, which they offered to sell me at the same price after I pushed a bit. So it shows that the one-only offers may be better than they appear.

stockmanjoe

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Cold and snowy doesn't go away for about 10 months in someparts of the country. I used to live to in Beaufort SC, a bit south of Myrtle Beach, Again well south of the Mason-Dixon line.

lxcan

Hi Guys and Gals, I'm new here but I'd like to thank all of you for your posts. The posts on this forum played a big part in my decision making process. I bought a GLS V6 Premium (it's not called LX in Canada) 3 weeks ago. And WOW!!! This car is simply AMAZING!!!! but I'm sure you all already knew that. Honestly, I think it's the best value for your money. And I was shopping in the Lexus IS, BMW 3 series and MB C Class range.

The Sonata has just about everything you could want and all of the safety and comfort features you need. In Canada we don't get standard ESC and Traction control, with the V6 GLS model (it comes with the Prem.) and there is no option at all for the 6 disc changer. But everything else is there including day time running lights and auto lock at your pre-determined speed.

As a proud new owner, I actually look at 06 Accord, Camry and Altima drivers and wonder if they know how to read. I read every magazine article, news paper review, forum discussion and TV test drive I could get my hands on. This car rides better than a lot of the "high end" cars on the road today. Has great acceleration and handling, a nice sound system, and solid brakes. AND, is really, really,.... no, really quiet.

If you're reading this trying to decide what car to get next, forget about the 80's stereotypes about Hyundai. That was 20 years ago. And boy have they come a long way.
Take one out for a test drive. If you don't like it, don't buy it. It's that simple. I, on the other hand, am recommending this car to everyone that asks. And yes, while others may not be able to, the 06 Sonata LX can.

zen2

Or "with all rebates, including loyalty, and 3500 trade".
That's got to be at least 18K or above invoice,
even after 2K rebates.

johnap2

<<<Are there any 4 cyl. Sonata owners here? Are there any specific issues with the 4 cyl. Sonata?>>>

I had a very specific reason for going with the I4 engine rather than the higher performance V6, gas mileage. I was trading in a 4x4 SUV (Explorer) THE DAY before the huge increase in gas prices back in early September.

I drive mainly city miles and the gas mileage in my other vehicle was horrible. I was pumping 50-75 bucks a week just in fuel. I decided if I was going to buy a new car it would be much, much better on fuel usage.

I test drove the GLS I4 and the LX V6. While the LX does have some added comfort features the GLS with sunroof made the most sense for me. I am very happy to say I am getting 20-plus miles to the gallon and now only have to fill up once every two weeks.

The answer for each person is different. I was able to balance my need for a frugal, yet very capable I4 Sonata, with the added luxury a GLS Package 4 offers. While I may not win a race I will certainly be happier at the gas pumps.

pcs15394

I bought my Sonata LX (Silver Blue) on 12/12/05 and have yet to receive my survey. I like the Silver Blue as well (Crystal Silver in Canada). Although there are times I wish it had more Silver than blue. Mine definitely appears Baby Blue metallic in most light.

bobad

My sales lady said the same thing. One possiblilty we came up with: Customers come in to buy Sonatas to get a loaded V6 for about the same price as a 4cyl Honda or Toyota.

Truth be told, if I were interested in a 4cyl, I may not have been so attracted to the Sonata.

sonatame

Well, if you have too much silver in Canada no one would see your car with all the plowed grey snow on the side of the road!

targettuning

No to all questions, because...in the case of the 2 Santa Fe's there were only two of us driving them so no need to have more. My daughter is single so once again no real need to have more than the Hyundai issued two. The only reason I have 4 for the Stratus is because the originals were getting rough looking (still worked though) so I got a couple more on ebay.. but the point is all 4 of those co-exist and were able to be programmed and work. I am working on the theory that there is no technical reason you couldn't have 10 if you desired. Pretty much the same as making spare keys..as long as you care to keep buying key blanks to be cut you can.

lightfootfl

To all, thanks for the info offered. I received email this AM from one of the "car/truck FOB's" dealers from ebay who told me that his information is that the new Hyundai's are all limited to only the 2 fobs operational. FWIW. That really doesn't make me happy, but at least saves me another few dollars - about buying another couple of them. Oh well.

lightfootfl

Having just bought mine 2 days ago, I don't have a survey yet. I do really like the color of mine though. It does look almost silver at times, but like you say, mostly a light baby blue. Just what I wanted.

backy

Thanks much for checking on this for us. It just proves that we should not confuse technological posssibility with reality.

Another example, for the Sonata: it is technically possible to have a tuning control on the steering wheel. Many other cars have that. Sonata does not.

lightfootfl

Re the tuning bit. My Sonata has a "mode" button on the wheel that changes from am, fm1,fm2,cd. But like you said not tuning capability. I am able to tune the stations I like anyway, with 12 fm presets and 6 am's. Then if I plan ahead I can get by. Besides it isn't any effort at all to reach over and push the scan/search button or even the dial to make changes. I wouldn't want to have to do it while driving in traffic though. (dial, that is)

backy

That's the whole point. It would be nice to have a control on the steering wheel to switch stations besides just AM, FM1, FM2. It's possible, even easy to do. Hyundai just chose not to do it on the Sonata (but there is such a control on the '07 Santa Fe, so maybe the Sonata will get one someday).

danf1

All hyundai cars equipped with keyless entry can only accomodate two remotes at one time. They did this to protect the customer. I learned this myself the hard way a few years ago and had a fairly upset customer who wanted 3 remotes programmed for an XG350.

ontop

This car rides better than a lot of the "high end" cars on the road today.

Oh really - what "high end" cars are you comparing the Sonata to? Cuz I've test driven an 06LX twice and I liked the car, but didn't think it was anything better than other cars I test drove. Actually when pushing the car through a turn there was a good bit of body roll. The price was the one thing that separated this car from the others - pure and simple. Didn't care for the fall off front seat either. And the front end styling still reminds me of an Eastern European taxi from the 70s. I liked the car but didn't think I'd hang onto it that long and figured resale after 2-3 years would be horrendous.

The car may be good for you, but most people, even those who can read, will shy away from Hyundai until a few more years pass and their negative reputation on the street fades. Maybe bag the Hyundai name ala Datsun/Nissan.

snakeweasel

The car may be good for you, but most people, even those who can read, will shy away from Hyundai until a few more years pass and their negative reputation on the street fades.

I would disagree with that. I would think that when people research the hyundai they may be more in tune to purchase one. The "few years" have passed and Hyundai has proven themselves.

Maybe bag the Hyundai name ala Datsun/Nissan.

Actually it was always Nissan, they adopted the name Datsun because they asked German engineers for a good ideal for a car name. The Germans asked how soon they needed a name and Nissan said today and the Germans replied "Dat soon?"

Actually what happened is Carl Benz came home one day and told his wife I made a second car. His wife said "I hope you don't name this one after your daughter". Nope he said I am naming it after one of our sons. His wife asked which one and he said "Dat son." Hence the name Datsun.

Actually my understanding is that Nissan was afraid that if they failed it would hurt the name Nissan in the U.S. in the future so the took the name Datsun and after they "proved" themselves they dropped Datsun.

bryan200k

Yesterday I had stopped in at the local Hyundai dealership to check out a couple cars and mentioned to the salesman about the Sonata not having 'break away' side mirrors. His reply was that break-away side mirrors cause too much wind noise, and thus Hyundai choose to make them stationary beginning with the 06 Sonatas that are being built in the US. He said that everything that comes from oversees has break-away mirrors. My reaction to this guy's explanation is that he is feeding me a line of BS. What does anyone else think? Does his argument have merit, or is this just a 'line' that he is using to rebuff a complaint?

snakeweasel

Sounds like a load to me.

mister694

It is actually true. No BS. Believe it or not.
BTW I am new here but I bought my Sonata on July 25th currently at just under 6000 miles. I have had 2 problems.
Rattles... 1 was a defect from the factory with a mounting point in the roof. The other is a bad seal on the passenger side which is not fixed yet. It will be fixed shortly, but it surprised me at how this wind noise sounded just like the door rattling.

Other than the two things above I love the car... I will be here quite often.. but for now, Hello to all!!!!

danf1

It may well be a load of bovine excrement, but that is what Hyundai has told us. Don't shoot the messenger.

sonatame

I have drove the BMW 700 series, Jag X-type and A6, which the Sonata proves to be as quiet a ride as any of them. True the BMW wrap around seats that puts most recliners to shame and the A6 plush seat with beautiful real wood around you blow the Sonata out of the water along with the astronimical price(I thought the X-type was over rated and was not very comfortable for the money). I would take the Sonata back seat comfort over the A4 and 500/300 series Beamers (try sticking anyone over 5'6" in the back seat for a long ride). I also think the power of the Sonata is far ahead of the Volvo 60. I have also found that the Sonata leather seat does break in after a few hundred miles to become a little more comfortable. I am only 5'8", but have wide shoulders so the Sonata seats fit me well and the side room is very pleasant. As far as the front end I can park next to the A6s on the lot and you catch a lot folks looking twice to see the difference. Yes, they are glances, but just the same the shapes are very similar. Time will tell for maintenance, but from my audi experience I am already ahead of the game within two months.

snakeweasel

It is actually true.

I have driven a few of the older Sonatas and don't recall any wind noise.

Sounds like a load to me.

targettuning

I stand corrected. Not being able to let this go I called my Hyundai dealer, and one other local dealer and received the following information from the service managers. The maximum number of keyfobs able to be used on most new Hyundai cars is three (3). This artificial limit has some bearing on the engine immobilizer feature. So, as far as I am concerned that is the final word....the 2ea. issued with the car and 1ea. additional. Not that I understand Hyundai's decision to artificially limit these, but there you go folks.

targettuning

Regarding the front end styling check this site: The Hollywood Extra (http://thehollywoodextra blogspot.com) and have a look at what Toyota is now selling as the Australian version of the Camry. It is called the Aurion there and not to be sold here in the USA. Look familiar? If this isn't a direct, more or less, copy of the Sonata. I guess Toyota likes the 70' European taxi retro look too!!

sonatame

I saw the 2007 at a show and the camry now looks more like the Sonata with essence of studabaker

targettuning

The actual reason for the loss of "break away" side mirrors..which by the way are folding mirrors is this. When all Hyundai vehicles were shipped from Korea via boat they packed them in the holds and folding the mirrors flat made for a few extra inches of space to place the next row of cars closer. This couple of inches compounded over thousands(?)or however many cars can be put into one of these boats made for "X" number of extra cars more in one shipment. Now that they are built in Alabama no more need for that space, plus the more simply designed i.e. fixed mirrors save a few cents per car. Viola!!! fixed mirrors.

blnewto

Wondering if anyone else has had this happen. I shift over to manual mode and use the shifter through the gears, I have the vehicle in 2nd gear and it abrubtly shifts to 1st when the RPMs get down to about 2500, this shoots the RPMs up to about 4500, so it's something I want to get fixed if possible. Thanks for any help w/ this as I absolutely love this car (06 GLS V6) and the shiftronic is a blast to drive, just want it to keep from having a mind of its' own, lol.

sonatame

I have played a lot with the shiftronic on rentals racing around and have never had it automatically down shift on me at all, but I have had it not shift up to 5th at less than 40 mph. Having the car do what yours did does not sound normal or that good for the car.

targettuning

I don't yet have an '06 Sonata but I recently rented a V-6 GLS to see if I still liked it over a longer period of time than the "around the block" test drive...I mostly do. I fooled around with the Shiftronic a little and it seems to me that car also did this. What is the road speed at that 2500RPM? Since the car is not entirely subject to the drivers whim when in Shiftronic mode it can, for example, upshift when exceeding the redline in say, second gear to preserve itself. A downshift may also be unavoidable when the car (computer) senses it needs to be in a lower gear to prevent lugging. I admit 2500 rpm in 2nd gear probably doesn't constitute lugging. Just a possibility.

backy

OK, so now we have conflicting info: statements from 3 sources (all from Hyundai) indicating the max limit is 2 remotes, and the sources you checked which say 3. So maybe some adventurous Sonata owner will go buy another remote and get it programmed (or try to), and then we will have a definitive answer.

backy

Except that the '06 Sonatas that were shipped from Korea had fixed mirrors too--so space must not have been that big of an issue.

Personally I think the reason the Sonata no longer has folding mirrors is because of cost: cost for the folding mirrors, and cost of designing the car so that the wind noise from a folding mirror is not excessive. If wind noise were a problem, then why does the Azera (even quieter than the Sonata from what I've read) have folding mirrors? Also, my two Elantras have folding mirrors and there is no wind noise from them.

haefr

The former requirement for break-away mirrors to minimize injury to pedestrians from a glancing blow was initiated during the Carter administration, but subsequently relaxed by the current Secratary of Transportation, Norman Y. Mineta. (three guesses which business-friendly President nominated Mr. Mineta in 2001 to the post)

haefr

While not directly addressing the issue with the new generation Sonatas, the 2003 Sonata Shop Manual indicated only two FOBs could be programmed to a given car. It wasn't a case of programming the FOBs, themselves - it was a matter of how many FOBs the car's on-board keyless-entry/alarm system reciever could be programmed to recognize.

snakeweasel

I would bet that the number of pedestrians hit by a cars mirror but not the rest of the car are relatively few and far between.

sonatame

I would bet that the number of pedestrians hit by a cars mirror but not the rest of the car are relatively few and far between.

Except for the morons walking between cars dragging excessively large luggage at the airport parking lots. Lets face it, these are the same people who try to force 2' of luggage in a 1' hold.

cxc

Fifteen staff members of MotorWeek, public television's automotive magazine, tested and compared more than 150 cars and trucks in categories such as small car, luxury sedan and convertible. The awards were announced Thursday at the Chicago Auto Show.

The Sonata was selected because of its "tremendous value combination of roomy comfort, quality assembly and most of all safety," MotorWeek host John Davis said in a statement.

mamamia2

http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/dc2006/

lxcan

¨ontop¨, did you not read where I said I was cross shopping the Lexus IS, Bimmer 3 Series and the C Class? As far as the price tags go on those cars, they are "high end". But seriously, buying the sonata just made sense to me. Now I have an extra 15-25 grand to buy a used sailboat. With a car that's practical, economical and still luxurious, I dare to be different in my neighbourhood (where Lexii, Mercs and Bimmers are common-place).

And remember guys, cars don't appreciate. Why not put that extra dough into life's other pleasures.

goodegg

I almost bought a Sonata LX. Thought it was a good car and priced right. Wasn't quite ready to take a chance on a Hyundai. And didn't like to have to explain away to others any stigma associated with the car I want to have in my garage for the next 5 years.

In 3 years we'll see how the new 06 model is holding up. Could make a good first car for my daughter. The price should be right then too.