"I do not doubt the problems dgs4 has described concerning the Hyundai Sonata they've owned. It is unfortunate that machines like cars are not "perfect" out of the factory and from time to time exhibit problems that are either incapable of being addressed by the dealer or the manufacturer and therefore leave the consumer with a generally negative impression of their ownership experience."
I don't expect perfection. I would have been okay with maybe one or two of these problems, but five problems in one year of ownership is too much for me. It's not like a rattle or something like that you might hear every so often, but rather all the time. Every time I drive the Sonata it shifts poorly, every time!. Every time I drive over anything but glass smooth pavement I have to listen to the bucket of bolts that consituets a suspension system. Every time there is a change in interior temperature I have to listen to the dashboard plastic pop and crack as though someone set a bowl of Rice Krispies on my dashboard. Every time I turn my stereo up more than half way I have to listen to my left speaker rattle the entire door. Lastly, when I am using the car navigation system, I have to keep my fingers crossed it gets me to my destination without locking up. I don't want to have to deal with those issues on a new car, sorry if that seems "nitpicky" to some of you.
I don't doubt for a minute I will not have some issue come up on my Fit, but I seriously doubt I will have five issues like my Hyundai. It took a full year for all of the Sonata issues to rear their ugly head, so the verdict is still out on my Fit. But Honda didn't get their stellar reliability reputation for no reason, and thus I assume my issues will be mild if any.
The Sonata was a good car when it was working perfectly. But it just kind of "fell apart" in the year I owned it, and regardless of whether a dealership service bay will be able to fix all my issues (I hope so for the sake of the future owner, who I have told about all the issues I'm dealing with), it puts a bad taste in my mouth, has soured the ownership experience, and would have left me wondering what else I was going to have to deal with down the road. Now I don't have those worries.
Love my car but have already had "5" warranty issues taken care of by the dealer. So don't believe everything you hear about that "stellar Honda reputation" as you call it...it just isn't there as far as I'm concerned. Just remember that there ain't no perfect car out there...or everyone would have 'em!
The Sandman :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
I just want to mention I'm an example of a fully satisfied 2009 Sonata buyer. Have had zero problems at all. The only issue...was a pinecone that somehow got stuck in the wheel, but luckily no damage to the car. Beyond that, I've only had to do basic maintenance. Generally as long as I don't push hard, shifts are very smooth, shifts are only noticeable when you do something weird or rev it up. I don't see anything particularly different about the suspension compared to other cars either, it's doing just fine as is. So I think this whole thing is YMMV. Test the car and see if you like the feel before making any judgements.
"Now that you've sold your used Hyundai for $20,000, it doesn't make any sense to continue saying that Hyundai's lose their value "badly". I paid 20k plus TT&L for my loaded V6 Sonata brand new. You got top dollar for your Sonata. You may have overpaid when you bought, but your Sonata certainly didn't lose value "badly". "
I actually just re-read this and I have to strongly disagree. I doubt your claim that you bought a V6 Limited with navigation for $20,000 even. The car stickers for $27,500 so you mean to tell me they took $7,500 off the price? That either means one thing, you're lying about the discount you got, or that dealership lost serious money on the sale of that car to you. $4,000 off the price, sure, I could believe that as cheaply as these things sell for (and with good reason) but $7,500 is a bit much to swallow, even for a Hyundai. And yes, I guess I did overpay because I only got $1,500 off MSRP, but I bought my 09 Limited very shortly after the 09's hit the street. However I should have demanded $4,000 off the way everyone else does with these cheap Sonata's.
Lastly, if you are telling the truth it's exactly due to people like you that Hyundai's don't hold their value worth a damn. Why would anyone buy a used one when they can get a new one for the same price? However $7,500 depreciation is hardly considered "good," as a matter of fact it's terrible. 27.27% is way above average for first year depreciation, which ranges from 10% to 20%. Again, the fact you got a new one for dirt cheap does not mean I'm getting a good deal at $20K. If my Hyundai held it's value like an Accord I would have been able to sell it for for $23,500 instead of $20,000. You live and you learn.
first year depreciation, which ranges from 10% to 20%.
No offense, but you're out of your mind.
The only thing that can come anywhere near holding 90% of its value (10% depreciation) after 12 months on the road is a BMW 3-series. First year depreciation of 20-25% (75-80% value retained) is common for mainstream Japanese brands. For a typical US midsize sedan with heavy fleet sales, you can expect to lose 35-40% in the first year.
If you only got $1500 off MSRP, you really got "took." No wonder you are so bitter about your experience, as well as not taking your car to dealer to address any issues that came up.
Four years after having bought my '05 Sonata, the previous generation (which adds to depreciation), it is worth about 40 -45%%, as a trade-in, of what I paid for it including dealers fees but excluding state tax. This is not uncommon for any car.
IMO. depreciation should be based on actual price paid--that's what affects me. But pricing guides such as Edmonds can't really track "real street" prices of new car sales so they use MSRP.
Face it, man, you overpaid (a lot) when you bought the Sonata. I wouldn't pay $20K to buy your used Sonata when I could easily buy a new one for about $22K.
"Face it, man, you overpaid (a lot) when you bought the Sonata. I wouldn't pay $20K to buy your used Sonata when I could easily buy a new one for about $22K."
Oh, you're right. No question about it. My Sonata is in perfect condition with very low miles and this girl really likes my car because it is the exact option and color combo she wanted. She already got approved through her credit union, I'm very excited to unload the car and I'm also happy she's getting a car she is going to love owning.
I will never buy another Hyundai again however. They will never hold their value against Japanese cars because everyone expects to purchase a Hyundai for way below even invoice cost. How Hyundai dealerships make any money is beyond me with every customer nickle and diming them to death. But you get what you pay for I guess. Cheap prices for a cheaply made vehicle.
And yes, average new car depreciation is 10% to 20% in the first year. Sure, it's probably worse for brands like Hyundai, Kia, and the domestics, but "average" new car depreciation is what I'm referring to. Go do your research before you slam my post. If you think a Honda Accord loses anywhere near as much value in the first year as a Hyundai Sonata you're delusional.
Don't be too quick to call the man a liar! I purchased a 2009 Sonata Limited V-6 W/O Nav but with Bluetooth, cargo mat, mudguards, Cargo net and floor mats on 3/30/09 for 19500.00 OTD. Had $4500 in rebates plus dealer discounts.
Ray: Where did you purchase your Sonata? It sounds exactly like the type I'm looking for, and the price sounds good also. I'm in Mrrrrrlund, between Bawllllamrrrr and D.C. so I've learned about FitzMall and Fairfax Hyundai, but I'm willing to drive further for a good deal. Thanks, Bob D.
Don't worry there are a lot of naive people out there like you. My father used to brag about his new car deal when he paid sticker price but was able to talk them into including a free side view mirror (sometime around 1960).
BTW; At the height of the high gas prices it was almost impossible to find a 4 cyl Sonata. My limited 4 cyl with NAV was $20,549 (not including taxes and title). This price was lower than the demo price from another dealer. This was without $750 owner loyalty rebate. The 6s were readily available at the time and there was more bargaining room.
If you're willing to check our Fairfax Hyundai, also take a look at Brown's Manassas Hyundai. I got a pretty good deal there last September and they are pretty friendly.
I purchased my Sonata from McCarthy Hyundai in Olathe, Kansas. It replaced a 2006 Sonata LX V-6. I had NO problems with it in 53000 miles 0f driving. I have had no problems with my new Sonata.
Does anyone out there own a current-generation Sonata with the manual transmission? I'm interested to know how it drives, what kind of mpg to expect, and so on.
I have to chime in here and agree with a few of the items dgs4 listed in the original list of complaints about the 2009 Sonata that he/she is now selling. I have a 2009 Sonata V6 Limited with about 26,500 miles on it. I've had it for one year and have written to this forum about several of these issues in the past. The difference between us is that I've actually taken my car in for these issues. Unfortunately, most of the issues still persist.
1. Transmission: Rough shifting from 1-2 and then jolting when slowing down from a highway ramp when it downshifts. My car has done this since day one. I took it to the dealership about it and they reset the adaptive learning control on the transmission (the computer learns how you drive the car and adjusts how it shifts accordingly). This helped and it is a little better, but it still does it and it is very annoying to me. I have read reviews that the shifting on these is rougher than competitors, however. It is what it is, I guess.
2. Navigation locks up. I had this issue as well. I took it in to the dealer and they performed an update to it (there was a known issue about it). That did help, but it still locks up every so often - just less frequently than before.
3. Suspension noises and crackling in dashboard. These are there and I notice them, but they do not bother me as much as the first two items.
4. Speaker vibrating at medium volume. I have this issue in my passenger door speaker. I believe there is something rattling inside the door though - not the speaker. I plan to have the dealership look at this the next time I take it in for an oil change.
5. This has not been mentioned, but mine stalled out twice when turning the steering wheel while stopped when I first bought it. There was a recall for this ("Rough Idle" it was called) and the dealer fixed it with a computer update that took over an hour.
6. My car pulls to the left on the highway. I've written in about this - I had four alignments, tires balanced, etc - it still does it. There was a recall on a part in the cradle assembly of some of the models manufactured early on that was causing this to happen. Mine was manufactured with the good part though (the dealer can look at the code on it to tell if it's the recalled part or not). So right now they still don't know why it is doing this. They said the technical place they call is aware of it, but doesn't have a fix for it yet.
I feel like when you purchase a new car, you shouldn't have to take it into the dealer constantly and that is all I have done my first year of ownership. In addition to oil changes/standard maintenance, I've had to make several additional trips to the dealership. I had an older car before this one and it was always in the shop so I bought this new car thinking I would not have to take it in all of the time. I'm happy that Hyundai has good customer service and the warranty has covered these things but it has been a real inconvenience taking time off work and trying to find time to take the car in and waiting for these repairs. The dealership by me is only open 7:30am - 6pm M-F and not open on weekends. Yes, I could drop it off before/after work, but then I have to bother someone for rides back and forth.
I feel like Hyundai is working on the quality of the vehicles, but it is just not there yet. But listen - long story short - you cannot get all of the features in the top of the line model in any other competitor model for anywhere near the same price. The final selling price on my car was $24,300 and I have every bell and whistle I could get on it. The Camry, Altima, and Accords are at least 10k more with all of the features. So at the end of the day, yes this car has some issues, but I do love all of the features and do not have any regrets purchasing it (most days).
PS I drove a Ford Fusion V6 last weekend while on vacation and while it was a decent ride, the V6 was a joke. I've driven four cylinders with better pickup speed. So I'm not even comparing the American car competition to the Sonata.
On your NAV lockup I would take it back to the dealer and complain. Mine lockup up about 4 months ago and the dealer ordered a replacement and swapped out the radio/NAV unit. The new unit has worked flawlessly and as a side benefit I had XM radio until last week (9 months) when they finally turned it off.
Have an '09 that I bought new in summer of 2008. Just the basic GLS with 4 cylinder 5-speed.
Have about 10,000 miles on it so far with not a single problem.
I live in a rural area, commute 25 miles one way to work on 2 lane roads. Usually average 50-55 mph over about 20 of those miles, with the rest at 25-30 mph with 1/2 dozen stop signs and stop lights along the way. Now that things have warmed up, I'm getting 32 mpg over a tankful. Can easily make 450 miles + on a fill-up. Even in the dead of our normally very cold northern Maine winters, was still getting around 26-27 mpg; worst was probably 24 mpg when we had a 10 day stretch of temps at -20 to -30 every morning. I haven't done enough 4 lane long distance driving to give you any numbers on that.
The 5-speed is probably not the most refined transmission out there, but it's OK. It's a bit stiff shifting from 1st to 2nd, but rest of the gears are smooth. Noticed in the cold weather that the stiffness increased in all gears. I contacted the dealer and asked about putting a winter weight transmission fluid in - was told absolutely not as it uses some sort of specialized fluid (apparently Mitsubishi does too), and putting anything else in would ruin it.
Have to admit that even after 10,000 miles, I still stall the thing out once in a while when taking off in first gear. I blame that mostly on 2 things - my own inattention to what I'm doing, and the fact that the engine idles at low RPM, and needs a bit more gas starting out than other 5-speeds I've owned.
On the occasions when it's been needed, it handled any sort of downshifting and high revving that I've given it.
I just purchased one, 500 miles. I'm happy with it. I've driven manuals, Toyotas, my entire driving history & the Sonata shifts fine, actually a little smoother. I was stalling it every now & then in the first few days, but I've got a good feel for it now. I agree with the other poster about giving it enough gas in first or reverse. I don't think I'll have anymore problems with stalls now that I'm used to it, except for the occasional brain fart.
Use caution with Manassas Hyundai at 8651 Centreville Rd., RD in Manassas, VA. The deal that was made with me was not what I ended up with. The Sales Manager, Chris H., left for the day and when I met with the Finance guy, it was too late. They tacked on a large amount of money that was more than listed on the sticker. The Sales manager also said he could make the interest rate on the loan whatever he wanted too. Unfortunately, Chris H. can lie to your face and not do a very good job in covering it up. Beware. I've also had problems with the used cars and was almost sold a defective car that should have been sent back to the auction.
"I feel like when you purchase a new car, you shouldn't have to take it into the dealer constantly"
Bingo, that statement sums up my feelings to the tee (by the way, I'm a male). The only reason to buy a new car and not buy a used car which is financially FAR more sensible than being new, is because we don't want to deal with any potential problems a used car may have. I probably would have been better in a used car than my brand new Sonata! Unacceptable number of problems in a new car. Taking it to a dealership to have it repaired is an unbelievable inconvenience, and it's one I did not want to deal with by buying new instead of used.
Well the car is gone and I couldn't be happier. The girl who bought my car is super happy, especially because I took it in to the dealership before I sold it to her to have as many of the issues fixed as possible. I hope for her sake they all work out.
Lastly, I have since come to learn how lucky I am to have gotten $20K for my car. When I brought my car in for service I ended talking with the used car sales manager and told him I was selling my brand new 09 Sonata. He asked me why and I told him, and then he asked me how much I was getting for it. When I told him $20K he looked kind surprised and said "that's a great deal". He told me he would have only given me $15,500 for it! Wow, do these things lose value. He confirmed that you can get a brand new one with all the rebates and everything for like $22,000 so why would the dealership pay me $20,000 for my used one? Incredible. Thanks to all you people buying a $27,500 car for $20,000 because it's you folks who have destroyed the resale value of these cars. I suppose that's great if you plan on keeping it till it's paid off, but if you plan on selling it before then you better have a good chunk of money to pay off the negative equity.
Never again for me with Hyundai. I could sell my 2009 Honda Fit for close to what I paid for it because Honda's hold their value. I could do the same with a MINI. Basically I could do the same with any car that is not treated like a cheap, disposal appliance the way Hyundai's are. Lesson learned. Take care, best of luck to you all, and may your Sonata be problem free even though mine wasn't.
I have about 2000 miles on my Limited, and before I take it in for the first oil change, I wonder if anyone can help me: I like the automatic locking feature on startup, but am not so crazy about all the doors unlocking when I shift into Park.
I know this can be programmed, but can it be programmed to lock, but not unlock? I can open my own door and don't care to have them all unlock at once.
when we bought our sonata SE, the sales mgr assured us that according to the owners manual, this feature can be reprogramed. As it turned out the factory engineers had not written the software. We refused to take delivery and in two weeks the factory engineers provided the software to all H dealers.
Talk to your service mgr. this is a new issue for the 2009 as of Feb. 2009. We have the 4 cyl. with 2800 miles and so far it's a great car !
Sorry to hear that as well. I purchased mine from there last September and had a good experience. I even got them to match my outside financing for rate and terms.
I'm curious... How did they tack on "a large amount of money that was more than listed on the sticker"? Were you going to pay them what was listed as the sticker price on the car. As for it being too late, you can always back out as long as you haven't signed the finance papers accepting their loan or you haven't given them any money as a deposit yet.
Well, I finally had a couple of trips with good gas mileage. Mostly, I have been getting about 23-24 MPG with the I4 in the Northern Virginia area. I've tried driving in Automatic and Shiftronic modes with not much of a change in either.
Last weekend I took a trip up to NJ and back and got averages of 30.9MPG and 31.3MPG. It was finally good to see that my car has that capability. I don't think I've ever had a car before come that close to its highway mileage estimate.
I just traded in a 2007 Santa Fe SE. The Santa Fe was an incredibly good vehicle and felt a lot more expensive than it was. It still amazed me everyday how quiet the vehicle was and how well it handled. I loved how expensive the interior looked and how great the vehicle looked on the outside.
However, the gas mileage left much to be desired, and I was never happy with the fact that I did not purchase a Limited. I was considering adding leather myself and already added a DVD player (which was replaced by a second DVD player and it had stopped working). I also had to add an aftermarket MP3 jack that I added via a hardwired FM modulator. I realized that it was better to buy a vehicle from the dealer with all the features you wanted rather than to try to piecemeal it yourself and deal with all the hassles that came with someone adding something to your car.
Everytime someone added something to my car they wound up breaking a screw cover, cap or something that had to be replaced at the dealer
When I originally purchased my Santa Fe I was considering a 2007 Sonata Limited. However after I saw the interior of the Santa Fe and drove it I was sold on the Santa Fe. The interior on the Santa Fe was so much more luxurious and it had a firmer more European ride. The V6 also "jerked" a little when stepping on the gas from a complete stop...something my wife did not like.
However, when the 2009 Sonata's came out I immediately noticed how they had fixed the issues I had with the Sonata's interior and it now looked like they had transferred the interior from the Veracruz into a sedan. I found myself looking at 2009 Sonata's whenever I saw one in the parking lot and peering into them to check out the interior.
When I saw that you could also get a 4 cylinder Limited now I realized that with all the rebates, Hyundai Loyalty, and the gas savings from the 4 cylinder it was now practical for me to purchase a 4 cylinder Sonata Limited and get all the features I wanted...including NAV.
So now I am a proud owner of a Silver Hyundai Sonata Limited 4 Cylinder with Navigation. I cannot believe how luxurious this car looks on the inside and well it compares to to not only the more expensive Camry and Accord but also the much more expensive Acura TL, Lexus ES, and others.
For the first time in years I test drove the competition. I didn't even bother with the Camry or the Accord because they weren't going to offer enough to make trading in my Santa Fe reasonable. But I did test drive the 2009 Chevy Malibu and the 2010 Ford Fusion.
The Malibu's interior did not look as good as it did in pictures and upon closer inspection flaws were evident. The cover to the center console looked like it was tacked on, and I was able to lift up the "cover" on the automatic transmission on the V6 LTZ I test drove. The car also drove a little heavy although the V6 with the paddle shifters was fun to drive. The 4 cylinder was so underpowered that I cut the test drive short.
The 2010 Fusion had a much better interior than the Malibu. Although it wasn't as daring everything was better put together and it had a more Germanic appearance to it. I test drove the 4 cylinder and the 6 cylinder and I liked the 4 cylinder more. Although it wasn't as powerful it was noticeably lighter and handled better than the 6. I also loved the sync and I think it is better than anything else out there. I wanted the Navigation with sync.
I really had my mind set on getting the Fusion...except they weren't offering incentives on the 2010 and I would have had to get a 2009. The dealer did not have a 2009 for me to test drive either. However....I was going to let the dealer bring one in for me to test drive...however I told my wife I wanted to test drive the Hyundai Sonata before I committed to the Fusion.
I went to the local Hyundai dealer (Alexandria Hyundai), and my wife and I both test drove the 4 cylinder Sonata Limited. After driving the 4 cylinder I did not even bother to test drive the 6 cylinder. The only problem was the dealer did not have any 4 cylinder Sonata Limited's with NAV and a dark interior. I have two little kids and a dark interior was a must. The Santa Fe had light grey...and that is a recipe for trouble. I actually had to have the carpet replace after red punch got spilled in it.
They had to drive in a car from another of their dealers. It was a cocoa metallic with cocoa interior. I really wanted a silver, but the cocoa metallic looked pretty good so I went with it.
Well...on the day I was going to pick up the car the salesman called and told their had been a small accident while the car was being delivered and some small scratches about 2 inches square had been inflicted on the rear left portion of the bumper. However they still wanted me to come and get the car since it was only some minor scratches.
Well, when I got their the minor scratches were actually gouges in the actual bumper. It was pretty small, and in an unobtrusive spot, but it was still gouge in a new car. I was willing to still take the car if they took some more money off of it (I was willing to take as little as 500.00 off. But they would not budge.
I even looked at a Silver Limited with Dark Grey interior (no NAV) that they had on the lot but I realized that I really wanted the NAV. My wife was willing to take the damaged Limited with NAV, but unwilling to take a Limited without NAV. She said I should get the car with all the features I wanted so I would not regret it later like I had with the Santa Fe.I was unwilling to take the Cocoa Metallic Limited with NAV if they did not take more off the price.
So...I left the dealer without the Cocoa Metallic Limited with the Cocoa interior. However...my wife and I decided we wanted to go to Fairfax Hyundai and see what they had in stock. It turned out they had a Silver Sonata With Cocoa interior on the lot.
I arrived an hour before closing on Memorial Day and left with the exact vehicle I wanted with all the features I wanted. I also eventually wound up saving almost 15 dollars a monthly payment for the same exact term!
Am I glad I listened to my wife and did not buy the Silver without NAV! I would have wound up with the same monthly payment driving a car that did not have every feature I wanted! I love the Navigation and it is just as good and as easy to use as the Garmin Nuvi I used in my Santa Fe. The Infinity Sound system is AWESOME, and has just enough bass and plenty of highs. The bass in my Santa FE SE was tolerable but it lacked high notes.....it also plays DVDs (although it only plays when the car is in park).
Also, the 4 cylinder does not jerk like the 6 cylinder and takes off from a stop more smoothly...even when you step on it.
Now...the bad...I have not noticed the suspension issues, but the 4 cylinder Sonata is not as quiet as my V6 Santa Fe. The V6 Santa Fe was the quietest vehicle I had e
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i have a leased 06 sonata GL which i would like to turn in a month before lease end. at the same time, i would like to buy a new 09 sonata. should the dealer subtract the residual value of my leased vehicle from the price of the new vehicle? can i still qualify for the $3000 cash back incentive hyundai is offering? can i take advantage of the loyalty incentive even if i have only leased my 07 sonata? thanks so much!
The dealer won't subtract the residual value of the leased car from the price of the new vehicle unless you first purchase the leased vehicle, and then there's no guarantee the dealer will give you a trade-in value equal to the residual.
You can get any rebates available to the general public on the new car. You should check with the dealer (finance person there) re the loyalty rebate question; it's very possible that if you are still leasing the car when you buy the new one, that will count for the loyalty rebate.
I got to take a long (about 200 miles) drive in a nearly new (800 miles) 2009 Limited I4 with nav the other day, through the Texas Hill Country. I was a front seat passenger on the outbound leg and driver going home. It was a very pleasant drive. The A/C coped well with the 100 degree heat, the XM radio and audio system (tuned to my FIL's favorite station) sounded good, the transmission shifted smoothly going up and down the hills, and the car was very quiet except for a little occasional wind noise (it was a windy day) and tire thump over big tar strips. I noticed no suspension noise, although some of the roads we drove on were not in the best shape. We didn't use the nav as we knew the route.
I got 32.5 mpg on the 100-mile return leg, measured by the computer. My FIL said the best he or his wife had gotten on the car was 28 mpg, also measured by the computer. I drove with a light foot and stayed pretty close to the speed limits, which were 55-70 most of the time except when going through towns.
The power seat could be very important if the seating position of the base model is not comfortable to you, or if multiple people will drive the car regularly.
The Sonata sold in the USA does not have DRLs. You can simulate them by turning on the headlights and leaving them on. They go off automatically when you remove the key.
Personally I think the silvery trim on the base GLS looks fine with the grey interior, but the woodgrain looks better with the camel interior (which you don't want anyway). The package also has a trip computer, which I find useful but not essential.
I absolutely love the accessory package one. If not just for the power seats + steering wheel audio. Also love the automatic light and trip computer. I think it's totally worth the small cost of $500 for extra convenience. I remember it can come with either woodgrain or metalgrain, depending on style.
Drove this yesterday and it was absolutely a great driving car. I had just driven numerous Volvo S40's within the hour of trying the Sonata and the power seat was better in the Sonata...I was astounded! Great car the Sonata and a good buy especially with the $3k rebate on remaining '09's, which are few & far between here in South Florida especially Broward County. My salesperson said the 2010 model will have more Genesis styling ques and will be a better car overall, it just won't have the great rebates until a few months out. I can wait.
Try it...I'm sure you'll love the Sonata. Hyundai has come a long way and my kid still loves her '08 Accent. And a few years ago i would never have even considered a Korean car over a Japanese model. But they've won over this diehard and I gotta feeling a Sonata will be my next drive!
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
I don't think there should be any doubt that the Sonata has a suspension problem. I've posted at least a half dozen professional reviews whereby the driver specifically went out of his or her way to criticize the Sonata suspension as flawed, and just today, came across this Cars.com heavy-handed criticism by Cars.com editor Mike Hanley:
But as Cars.com editor Mike Hanley points out in his review, the “Sonata's suspension is loud when traveling on rough roads; from the driver's seat, it sounds as if the suspension has more than 100,000 miles on it thanks to all its rattling.”
So, with each passing review, it would appear that those who complained about their Sonata's suspension are vindicated, no?
If I owned a new car that rattled that much, I'd drive it straight to the dealer and demand it be fixed or replaced. I've never driven a new car, any new car, that had a suspension that rattled to that extent. And I've been driving new cars since 1976. Including many Gen 4 Sonatas.
I do not believe anyone denies that the suspension clunks and is louder than expected. The debate is whether it is a safety issue or just an annoyance and whether it is a "Lemon Law" item. I look at the Sonata as an inexpensive vehicle that gets you from point A to B. If money was not a concern I would have purchased a Honda. If you look at the prices people report purchasing a Sonata for it is much less expensive than the competition.
...The Mazda6 rides very firm and is sometimes bouncy, which is predictable if you want a midsize sedan that handles sportingly. The sometimes-bouncy ride could, however, be off-putting to those who don’t necessarily want a performance experience. If that experience isn’t on your list of “must-haves,” then the Sonata’s softer suspension and more comfortable ride might be a better choice. But as Cars.com editor Mike Hanley points out in his review, the “Sonata's suspension is loud when traveling on rough roads; from the driver's seat, it sounds as if the suspension has more than 100,000 miles on it thanks to all its rattling.”
Maybe it's just me, but I'd much prefer a sporty suspension that may be firmer, but is solid and doesn't make unnerving noises, than one that sounds like it's broken or has 100,000 miles on it when it's new, like so many have commented on with the Sonata.
A firm suspension has never bother me. In fact, if a car is solid, I prefer a firm suspension. This attribute is what makes the 'European' flavor driving experience a premium one.
With the Sonata, it would appear many get the worst of both worlds: A very softly sprung suspension that gives little handling capability along with clanking and clunking noises when riding over bad roads.
That's not something that is acceptable in new car.
The Mazda6 rides very firm and is sometimes bouncy, which is predictable if you want a midsize sedan that handles sportingly. The sometimes-bouncy ride could, however, be off-putting to those who don’t necessarily want a performance experience. If that experience isn’t on your list of “must-haves,” then the Sonata’s softer suspension and more comfortable ride might be a better choice. But as Cars.com editor Mike Hanley points out in his review, the “Sonata's suspension is loud when traveling on rough roads; from the driver's seat, it sounds as if the suspension has more than 100,000 miles on it thanks to all its rattling.”
I doubt Cars.com editor (aka head honcho) Mike Hanley has any reason to lie about his bad experience with the Sonata's ride quality, do you?
I doubt Cars.com editor (aka head honcho) Mike Hanley has any reason to lie about his bad experience with the Sonata's ride quality, do you?
Not likely, although our experience directly refutes his experience. We own an 09 Sonata Limited (my wife's daily driver) and we couldn't be happier. It is quiet, rides comfortably, and does not exhibit any undue handling or ride quality problems on our "very rough" roads here in the mountains of south-central PA. You need to remember that these problems that are reported by car editors are usually found while driving these vehicles at maybe 90%+ of the suspension limits while most of us "ordinary" folks will rarely exceed 50-60% of the car's limits. Hence the great disparity between reviews and most real-world experiences.
Oh, and I would hardly call what he said "lambasting" the Sonata's suspension. He did say it was noisy/rattled but nowhere did he mention that it was unsafe or a poor handling vehicle. Methinks your protestations are a little too strong, but to each their own. :P
Problems that are reported by car editors are usually found while driving these vehicles at maybe 90%+ of the suspension limits while most of us "ordinary" folks will rarely exceed 50-60% of the car's limits.
What about unexpected situations, emergency handling, etc.? That's when confidence in the car's suspension matters most to me. So I want them to push the limits, so they can tell me how it handles when it matters.
He did not mention that it was unsafe or a poor handling vehicle, just noisy. Our experience so far is that it is a very competent handling car and very safe, with the included ABS/TCS/ESC. In fact, go back a few months and you will find that the Sonata was second in a 10 car comparo by Motor Trend, losing only to the Passat. Motor Trend Comparo
I would hardly call what he said "lambasting" the Sonata's suspension. He did say it was noisy/rattled but nowhere did he mention that it was unsafe or a poor handling vehicle. Methinks your protestations are a little too strong, but to each their own
He was driving a brand new Sonata. If this isn't "lambasting" the suspension quality, I have no idea what would be:
"Cars.com editor Mike Hanley points out in his review, the “Sonata's suspension is loud when traveling on rough roads; from the driver's seat, it sounds as if the suspension has more than 100,000 miles on it thanks to all its rattling.” '
Not to be a nitpicker or split hairs over semantics, but to me his comments do not rise to the level of "lambasting" as far as the usual accepted definitions are concerned.
From Dictionary. com: definition of "lambaste" 1. to beat or whip severely. 2. to reprimand or berate harshly; censure; excoriate. 3. To give a thrashing to; beat. 4. To scold sharply; berate.
Sorry, he made a comment, an observation, a personal (albeit professional) judgement. He did not "lambaste" the Sonata's suspension. :P
Comments
I don't expect perfection. I would have been okay with maybe one or two of these problems, but five problems in one year of ownership is too much for me. It's not like a rattle or something like that you might hear every so often, but rather all the time. Every time I drive the Sonata it shifts poorly, every time!. Every time I drive over anything but glass smooth pavement I have to listen to the bucket of bolts that consituets a suspension system. Every time there is a change in interior temperature I have to listen to the dashboard plastic pop and crack as though someone set a bowl of Rice Krispies on my dashboard. Every time I turn my stereo up more than half way I have to listen to my left speaker rattle the entire door. Lastly, when I am using the car navigation system, I have to keep my fingers crossed it gets me to my destination without locking up. I don't want to have to deal with those issues on a new car, sorry if that seems "nitpicky" to some of you.
I don't doubt for a minute I will not have some issue come up on my Fit, but I seriously doubt I will have five issues like my Hyundai. It took a full year for all of the Sonata issues to rear their ugly head, so the verdict is still out on my Fit. But Honda didn't get their stellar reliability reputation for no reason, and thus I assume my issues will be mild if any.
The Sonata was a good car when it was working perfectly. But it just kind of "fell apart" in the year I owned it, and regardless of whether a dealership service bay will be able to fix all my issues (I hope so for the sake of the future owner, who I have told about all the issues I'm dealing with), it puts a bad taste in my mouth, has soured the ownership experience, and would have left me wondering what else I was going to have to deal with down the road. Now I don't have those worries.
The Sandman :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
I actually just re-read this and I have to strongly disagree. I doubt your claim that you bought a V6 Limited with navigation for $20,000 even. The car stickers for $27,500 so you mean to tell me they took $7,500 off the price? That either means one thing, you're lying about the discount you got, or that dealership lost serious money on the sale of that car to you. $4,000 off the price, sure, I could believe that as cheaply as these things sell for (and with good reason) but $7,500 is a bit much to swallow, even for a Hyundai. And yes, I guess I did overpay because I only got $1,500 off MSRP, but I bought my 09 Limited very shortly after the 09's hit the street. However I should have demanded $4,000 off the way everyone else does with these cheap Sonata's.
Lastly, if you are telling the truth it's exactly due to people like you that Hyundai's don't hold their value worth a damn. Why would anyone buy a used one when they can get a new one for the same price? However $7,500 depreciation is hardly considered "good," as a matter of fact it's terrible. 27.27% is way above average for first year depreciation, which ranges from 10% to 20%. Again, the fact you got a new one for dirt cheap does not mean I'm getting a good deal at $20K. If my Hyundai held it's value like an Accord I would have been able to sell it for for $23,500 instead of $20,000. You live and you learn.
No offense, but you're out of your mind.
The only thing that can come anywhere near holding 90% of its value (10% depreciation) after 12 months on the road is a BMW 3-series. First year depreciation of 20-25% (75-80% value retained) is common for mainstream Japanese brands. For a typical US midsize sedan with heavy fleet sales, you can expect to lose 35-40% in the first year.
Four years after having bought my '05 Sonata, the previous generation (which adds to depreciation), it is worth about 40 -45%%, as a trade-in, of what I paid for it including dealers fees but excluding state tax. This is not uncommon for any car.
IMO. depreciation should be based on actual price paid--that's what affects me. But pricing guides such as Edmonds can't really track "real street" prices of new car sales so they use MSRP.
Face it, man, you overpaid (a lot) when you bought the Sonata. I wouldn't pay $20K to buy your used Sonata when I could easily buy a new one for about $22K.
Oh, you're right. No question about it. My Sonata is in perfect condition with very low miles and this girl really likes my car because it is the exact option and color combo she wanted. She already got approved through her credit union, I'm very excited to unload the car and I'm also happy she's getting a car she is going to love owning.
I will never buy another Hyundai again however. They will never hold their value against Japanese cars because everyone expects to purchase a Hyundai for way below even invoice cost. How Hyundai dealerships make any money is beyond me with every customer nickle and diming them to death. But you get what you pay for I guess. Cheap prices for a cheaply made vehicle.
And yes, average new car depreciation is 10% to 20% in the first year. Sure, it's probably worse for brands like Hyundai, Kia, and the domestics, but "average" new car depreciation is what I'm referring to. Go do your research before you slam my post. If you think a Honda Accord loses anywhere near as much value in the first year as a Hyundai Sonata you're delusional.
BTW; At the height of the high gas prices it was almost impossible to find a 4 cyl Sonata. My limited 4 cyl with NAV was $20,549 (not including taxes and title). This price was lower than the demo price from another dealer. This was without $750 owner loyalty rebate. The 6s were readily available at the time and there was more bargaining room.
- Merg
1. Transmission: Rough shifting from 1-2 and then jolting when slowing down from a highway ramp when it downshifts. My car has done this since day one. I took it to the dealership about it and they reset the adaptive learning control on the transmission (the computer learns how you drive the car and adjusts how it shifts accordingly). This helped and it is a little better, but it still does it and it is very annoying to me. I have read reviews that the shifting on these is rougher than competitors, however. It is what it is, I guess.
2. Navigation locks up. I had this issue as well. I took it in to the dealer and they performed an update to it (there was a known issue about it). That did help, but it still locks up every so often - just less frequently than before.
3. Suspension noises and crackling in dashboard. These are there and I notice them, but they do not bother me as much as the first two items.
4. Speaker vibrating at medium volume. I have this issue in my passenger door speaker. I believe there is something rattling inside the door though - not the speaker. I plan to have the dealership look at this the next time I take it in for an oil change.
5. This has not been mentioned, but mine stalled out twice when turning the steering wheel while stopped when I first bought it. There was a recall for this ("Rough Idle" it was called) and the dealer fixed it with a computer update that took over an hour.
6. My car pulls to the left on the highway. I've written in about this - I had four alignments, tires balanced, etc - it still does it. There was a recall on a part in the cradle assembly of some of the models manufactured early on that was causing this to happen. Mine was manufactured with the good part though (the dealer can look at the code on it to tell if it's the recalled part or not). So right now they still don't know why it is doing this. They said the technical place they call is aware of it, but doesn't have a fix for it yet.
I feel like when you purchase a new car, you shouldn't have to take it into the dealer constantly and that is all I have done my first year of ownership. In addition to oil changes/standard maintenance, I've had to make several additional trips to the dealership. I had an older car before this one and it was always in the shop so I bought this new car thinking I would not have to take it in all of the time. I'm happy that Hyundai has good customer service and the warranty has covered these things but it has been a real inconvenience taking time off work and trying to find time to take the car in and waiting for these repairs. The dealership by me is only open 7:30am - 6pm M-F and not open on weekends. Yes, I could drop it off before/after work, but then I have to bother someone for rides back and forth.
I feel like Hyundai is working on the quality of the vehicles, but it is just not there yet. But listen - long story short - you cannot get all of the features in the top of the line model in any other competitor model for anywhere near the same price. The final selling price on my car was $24,300 and I have every bell and whistle I could get on it. The Camry, Altima, and Accords are at least 10k more with all of the features. So at the end of the day, yes this car has some issues, but I do love all of the features and do not have any regrets purchasing it (most days).
PS I drove a Ford Fusion V6 last weekend while on vacation and while it was a decent ride, the V6 was a joke. I've driven four cylinders with better pickup speed. So I'm not even comparing the American car competition to the Sonata.
Have about 10,000 miles on it so far with not a single problem.
I live in a rural area, commute 25 miles one way to work on 2 lane roads. Usually average 50-55 mph over about 20 of those miles, with the rest at 25-30 mph with 1/2 dozen stop signs and stop lights along the way. Now that things have warmed up, I'm getting 32 mpg over a tankful. Can easily make 450 miles + on a fill-up. Even in the dead of our normally very cold northern Maine winters, was still getting around 26-27 mpg; worst was probably 24 mpg when we had a 10 day stretch of temps at -20 to -30 every morning. I haven't done enough 4 lane long distance driving to give you any numbers on that.
The 5-speed is probably not the most refined transmission out there, but it's OK. It's a bit stiff shifting from 1st to 2nd, but rest of the gears are smooth. Noticed in the cold weather that the stiffness increased in all gears. I contacted the dealer and asked about putting a winter weight transmission fluid in - was told absolutely not as it uses some sort of specialized fluid (apparently Mitsubishi does too), and putting anything else in would ruin it.
Have to admit that even after 10,000 miles, I still stall the thing out once in a while when taking off in first gear. I blame that mostly on 2 things - my own inattention to what I'm doing, and the fact that the engine idles at low RPM, and needs a bit more gas starting out than other 5-speeds I've owned.
On the occasions when it's been needed, it handled any sort of downshifting and high revving that I've given it.
Bingo, that statement sums up my feelings to the tee (by the way, I'm a male). The only reason to buy a new car and not buy a used car which is financially FAR more sensible than being new, is because we don't want to deal with any potential problems a used car may have. I probably would have been better in a used car than my brand new Sonata! Unacceptable number of problems in a new car. Taking it to a dealership to have it repaired is an unbelievable inconvenience, and it's one I did not want to deal with by buying new instead of used.
Well the car is gone and I couldn't be happier. The girl who bought my car is super happy, especially because I took it in to the dealership before I sold it to her to have as many of the issues fixed as possible. I hope for her sake they all work out.
Lastly, I have since come to learn how lucky I am to have gotten $20K for my car. When I brought my car in for service I ended talking with the used car sales manager and told him I was selling my brand new 09 Sonata. He asked me why and I told him, and then he asked me how much I was getting for it. When I told him $20K he looked kind surprised and said "that's a great deal". He told me he would have only given me $15,500 for it! Wow, do these things lose value. He confirmed that you can get a brand new one with all the rebates and everything for like $22,000 so why would the dealership pay me $20,000 for my used one? Incredible. Thanks to all you people buying a $27,500 car for $20,000 because it's you folks who have destroyed the resale value of these cars. I suppose that's great if you plan on keeping it till it's paid off, but if you plan on selling it before then you better have a good chunk of money to pay off the negative equity.
Never again for me with Hyundai. I could sell my 2009 Honda Fit for close to what I paid for it because Honda's hold their value. I could do the same with a MINI. Basically I could do the same with any car that is not treated like a cheap, disposal appliance the way Hyundai's are. Lesson learned. Take care, best of luck to you all, and may your Sonata be problem free even though mine wasn't.
You might want to submit your experience to our Dealer Ratings & Reviews page so that others will find it more easily.
I know this can be programmed, but can it be programmed to lock, but not unlock? I can open my own door and don't care to have them all unlock at once.
Thanks for any help.
Talk to your service mgr. this is a new issue for the 2009 as of Feb. 2009.
We have the 4 cyl. with 2800 miles
I'm curious... How did they tack on "a large amount of money that was more than listed on the sticker"? Were you going to pay them what was listed as the sticker price on the car. As for it being too late, you can always back out as long as you haven't signed the finance papers accepting their loan or you haven't given them any money as a deposit yet.
- Merg
Last weekend I took a trip up to NJ and back and got averages of 30.9MPG and 31.3MPG. It was finally good to see that my car has that capability. I don't think I've ever had a car before come that close to its highway mileage estimate.
Woohoo!
- Merg
However, the gas mileage left much to be desired, and I was never happy with the fact that I did not purchase a Limited. I was considering adding leather myself and already added a DVD player (which was replaced by a second DVD player and it had stopped working). I also had to add an aftermarket MP3 jack that I added via a hardwired FM modulator. I realized that it was better to buy a vehicle from the dealer with all the features you wanted rather than to try to piecemeal it yourself and deal with all the hassles that came with someone adding something to your car.
Everytime someone added something to my car they wound up breaking a screw cover, cap or something that had to be replaced at the dealer
When I originally purchased my Santa Fe I was considering a 2007 Sonata Limited. However after I saw the interior of the Santa Fe and drove it I was sold on the Santa Fe. The interior on the Santa Fe was so much more luxurious and it had a firmer more European ride. The V6 also "jerked" a little when stepping on the gas from a complete stop...something my wife did not like.
However, when the 2009 Sonata's came out I immediately noticed how they had fixed the issues I had with the Sonata's interior and it now looked like they had transferred the interior from the Veracruz into a sedan. I found myself looking at 2009 Sonata's whenever I saw one in the parking lot and peering into them to check out the interior.
When I saw that you could also get a 4 cylinder Limited now I realized that with all the rebates, Hyundai Loyalty, and the gas savings from the 4 cylinder it was now practical for me to purchase a 4 cylinder Sonata Limited and get all the features I wanted...including NAV.
So now I am a proud owner of a Silver Hyundai Sonata Limited 4 Cylinder with Navigation. I cannot believe how luxurious this car looks on the inside and well it compares to to not only the more expensive Camry and Accord but also the much more expensive Acura TL, Lexus ES, and others.
For the first time in years I test drove the competition. I didn't even bother with the Camry or the Accord because they weren't going to offer enough to make trading in my Santa Fe reasonable. But I did test drive the 2009 Chevy Malibu and the 2010 Ford Fusion.
The Malibu's interior did not look as good as it did in pictures and upon closer inspection flaws were evident. The cover to the center console looked like it was tacked on, and I was able to lift up the "cover" on the automatic transmission on the V6 LTZ I test drove. The car also drove a little heavy although the V6 with the paddle shifters was fun to drive. The 4 cylinder was so underpowered that I cut the test drive short.
The 2010 Fusion had a much better interior than the Malibu. Although it wasn't as daring everything was better put together and it had a more Germanic appearance to it. I test drove the 4 cylinder and the 6 cylinder and I liked the 4 cylinder more. Although it wasn't as powerful it was noticeably lighter and handled better than the 6. I also loved the sync and I think it is better than anything else out there. I wanted the Navigation with sync.
I really had my mind set on getting the Fusion...except they weren't offering incentives on the 2010 and I would have had to get a 2009. The dealer did not have a 2009 for me to test drive either. However....I was going to let the dealer bring one in for me to test drive...however I told my wife I wanted to test drive the Hyundai Sonata before I committed to the Fusion.
I went to the local Hyundai dealer (Alexandria Hyundai), and my wife and I both test drove the 4 cylinder Sonata Limited. After driving the 4 cylinder I did not even bother to test drive the 6 cylinder. The only problem was the dealer did not have any 4 cylinder Sonata Limited's with NAV and a dark interior. I have two little kids and a dark interior was a must. The Santa Fe had light grey...and that is a recipe for trouble. I actually had to have the carpet replace after red punch got spilled in it.
They had to drive in a car from another of their dealers. It was a cocoa metallic with cocoa interior. I really wanted a silver, but the cocoa metallic looked pretty good so I went with it.
Well...on the day I was going to pick up the car the salesman called and told their had been a small accident while the car was being delivered and some small scratches about 2 inches square had been inflicted on the rear left portion of the bumper. However they still wanted me to come and get the car since it was only some minor scratches.
Well, when I got their the minor scratches were actually gouges in the actual bumper. It was pretty small, and in an unobtrusive spot, but it was still gouge in a new car. I was willing to still take the car if they took some more money off of it (I was willing to take as little as 500.00 off. But they would not budge.
I even looked at a Silver Limited with Dark Grey interior (no NAV) that they had on the lot but I realized that I really wanted the NAV. My wife was willing to take the damaged Limited with NAV, but unwilling to take a Limited without NAV. She said I should get the car with all the features I wanted so I would not regret it later like I had with the Santa Fe.I was unwilling to take the Cocoa Metallic Limited with NAV if they did not take more off the price.
So...I left the dealer without the Cocoa Metallic Limited with the Cocoa interior. However...my wife and I decided we wanted to go to Fairfax Hyundai and see what they had in stock. It turned out they had a Silver Sonata With Cocoa interior on the lot.
I arrived an hour before closing on Memorial Day and left with the exact vehicle I wanted with all the features I wanted. I also eventually wound up saving almost 15 dollars a monthly payment for the same exact term!
Am I glad I listened to my wife and did not buy the Silver without NAV! I would have wound up with the same monthly payment driving a car that did not have every feature I wanted! I love the Navigation and it is just as good and as easy to use as the Garmin Nuvi I used in my Santa Fe. The Infinity Sound system is AWESOME, and has just enough bass and plenty of highs. The bass in my Santa FE SE was tolerable but it lacked high notes.....it also plays DVDs (although it only plays when the car is in park).
Also, the 4 cylinder does not jerk like the 6 cylinder and takes off from a stop more smoothly...even when you step on it.
Now...the bad...I have not noticed the suspension issues, but the 4 cylinder Sonata is not as quiet as my V6 Santa Fe. The V6 Santa Fe was the quietest vehicle I had e
See you there!
You can get any rebates available to the general public on the new car. You should check with the dealer (finance person there) re the loyalty rebate question; it's very possible that if you are still leasing the car when you buy the new one, that will count for the loyalty rebate.
So, do you have two Sonatas--a 2006 and a 2007?
I got 32.5 mpg on the 100-mile return leg, measured by the computer. My FIL said the best he or his wife had gotten on the car was 28 mpg, also measured by the computer. I drove with a light foot and stayed pretty close to the speed limits, which were 55-70 most of the time except when going through towns.
about the option, I think it's called accessory package 1, with the power seats and woograin interior. Any thoughts if it's worth it?
Also, I think I read somewhere that the woodgrain only comes if you get the camel interior, not the dark. Is that true?
Third, does the sonata have daytime running lights?
Thanks very much for your help!
The Sonata sold in the USA does not have DRLs. You can simulate them by turning on the headlights and leaving them on. They go off automatically when you remove the key.
Personally I think the silvery trim on the base GLS looks fine with the grey interior, but the woodgrain looks better with the camel interior (which you don't want anyway). The package also has a trip computer, which I find useful but not essential.
Try it...I'm sure you'll love the Sonata. Hyundai has come a long way and my kid still loves her '08 Accent. And a few years ago i would never have even considered a Korean car over a Japanese model. But they've won over this diehard and I gotta feeling a Sonata will be my next drive!
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
http://ask.cars.com/2009/03/hyundai-sonata-and-mazda6.html
But as Cars.com editor Mike Hanley points out in his review, the “Sonata's suspension is loud when traveling on rough roads; from the driver's seat, it sounds as if the suspension has more than 100,000 miles on it thanks to all its rattling.”
So, with each passing review, it would appear that those who complained about their Sonata's suspension are vindicated, no?
If money was not a concern I would have purchased a Honda. If you look at the prices people report purchasing a Sonata for it is much less expensive than the competition.
...The Mazda6 rides very firm and is sometimes bouncy, which is predictable if you want a midsize sedan that handles sportingly. The sometimes-bouncy ride could, however, be off-putting to those who don’t necessarily want a performance experience. If that experience isn’t on your list of “must-haves,” then the Sonata’s softer suspension and more comfortable ride might be a better choice. But as Cars.com editor Mike Hanley points out in his review, the “Sonata's suspension is loud when traveling on rough roads; from the driver's seat, it sounds as if the suspension has more than 100,000 miles on it thanks to all its rattling.”
A firm suspension has never bother me. In fact, if a car is solid, I prefer a firm suspension. This attribute is what makes the 'European' flavor driving experience a premium one.
With the Sonata, it would appear many get the worst of both worlds: A very softly sprung suspension that gives little handling capability along with clanking and clunking noises when riding over bad roads.
That's not something that is acceptable in new car.
The Mazda6 rides very firm and is sometimes bouncy, which is predictable if you want a midsize sedan that handles sportingly. The sometimes-bouncy ride could, however, be off-putting to those who don’t necessarily want a performance experience. If that experience isn’t on your list of “must-haves,” then the Sonata’s softer suspension and more comfortable ride might be a better choice. But as Cars.com editor Mike Hanley points out in his review, the “Sonata's suspension is loud when traveling on rough roads; from the driver's seat, it sounds as if the suspension has more than 100,000 miles on it thanks to all its rattling.”
I doubt Cars.com editor (aka head honcho) Mike Hanley has any reason to lie about his bad experience with the Sonata's ride quality, do you?
Not likely, although our experience directly refutes his experience. We own an 09 Sonata Limited (my wife's daily driver) and we couldn't be happier. It is quiet, rides comfortably, and does not exhibit any undue handling or ride quality problems on our "very rough" roads here in the mountains of south-central PA. You need to remember that these problems that are reported by car editors are usually found while driving these vehicles at maybe 90%+ of the suspension limits while most of us "ordinary" folks will rarely exceed 50-60% of the car's limits. Hence the great disparity between reviews and most real-world experiences.
Oh, and I would hardly call what he said "lambasting" the Sonata's suspension. He did say it was noisy/rattled but nowhere did he mention that it was unsafe or a poor handling vehicle. Methinks your protestations are a little too strong, but to each their own. :P
What about unexpected situations, emergency handling, etc.? That's when confidence in the car's suspension matters most to me. So I want them to push the limits, so they can tell me how it handles when it matters.
Motor Trend Comparo
He was driving a brand new Sonata. If this isn't "lambasting" the suspension quality, I have no idea what would be:
"Cars.com editor Mike Hanley points out in his review, the “Sonata's suspension is loud when traveling on rough roads; from the driver's seat, it sounds as if the suspension has more than 100,000 miles on it thanks to all its rattling.” '
From Dictionary. com: definition of "lambaste"
1. to beat or whip severely.
2. to reprimand or berate harshly; censure; excoriate.
3. To give a thrashing to; beat.
4. To scold sharply; berate.
Sorry, he made a comment, an observation, a personal (albeit professional) judgement. He did not "lambaste" the Sonata's suspension. :P