Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

2zmax · March 2006

Did anyone hear anything specific about the 07 Sonata?
If yes, can you be so kind and point me to that direction.

backy · March 2006

Yes, exactly.

joe97 · March 2006

I'd like to find out the specifics as well

mrdisco33 · March 2006

i know i'm praying my current vehicle lasts until the 07 model debuts. hopefully they'll update the dash (or at least change the needle pointers and goto a white on black display) and include folding mirrors.

johnap2 · March 2006

Hello,

I have not really heard much about the 2007 release date, but if I were to speculate about any changes I would put my money on them being minor. It is not very common for a new model follow-up year to make major redesigns. I would bet on a satellite radio option, different exterior color options, a tire pressure monitoring system (to meet governmental mandate), and quite possibly a navigation system. I am even leery about seeing a navigation system because I think the Sonata is trying to stay within a certain price margin and these do not come cheap. I understand some overseas models have this option, but it does not guarantee a US release.

As far as any dash changes or folding mirrors I just do not think it is going to happen. Only time will tell...

John

mattnday1 · March 2006

I am actively looking in to buying an 06 Sonata - really torn by the features of the LX vs the cloth comfort and gas mileage of the GLS 4 cylinder.

I am real curious to see what they have in store starting the 1st. Advertisment is currently on the front page of yahoo and can be found at the following web address.

www.thehyundaichallenge.com

vchiu · March 2006

I considered buying a Sonata (NF)in China (where I am based now) but was repelled by the hefty price.
A china built model with 4 Cyl costs about 30K USD, no V6 available. Leather Trim. i don't even consider the sluggish 2.0 Engine.

I heard a dealer clearing some 4 Cyl Sonatas for 13700 USD somewhere in the U.S. (2 year only warranty in China BTW)

As we know, china workforce price is only a fraction of that of the US, I can't believe China models are more expensive to produce. In other words, i think Hyundai are making huge margins in China to compensate for their aggressive pricings in the US.

So When Hyundai will have reached a leading position in the US, US prices will necessarily increase. I foresee this within 5 years.

in my case, paying 30KUSD for a 2,4 seems a ripoff for me, even with leather trim

2zmax · March 2006

Dude,
The reason why everything is more expensive in China is because the wonderful Chinese government is taking a huge cut of each sale. We have a venture with Chinese gov. and they take a chunk of money for themselves. It is true that labor is cheap, but the gov. is NOT

I guess that is a price of communism

jimmy81 · March 2006

Yea - good old level economic playing field. Let the government make the cash and let the people eat dogs and cats and rats (and not even the gourmet ones).

All for the sake of sticking it to American manufacturers.

lawrence45 · March 2006

....vs the cloth comfort and gas mileage of the GLS 4 cylinder.

Gas mileage of the 4-cylinder? With 2500 miles on ours we are getting between 14 and 15 mpg in the city. Still waiting for the car to "break in".

tb88 · March 2006

i think Hyundai are making huge margins in China to compensate for their aggressive pricings in the US.

NO... One must understand that in Third World Countries as well as in in Communist countries the government levy HUGE TAXES, sometimes doubling or tripling the price of a product!
All cars in China and 3rd world cost an arm and a leg!

johnap2 · March 2006

As a preface, a good engine break-in can take upwards of 5,000 miles at which point fuel efficiency would be maximized, so you're about half-way there. I noticed NO difference in my fuel efficiency from 0 miles until now, so the results must be tiny.

Second, I also have the I4 GLS (7k miles) and often times drive with a heavy foot on both the accelerator and brake. Not very conducive for fuel efficiency, but I am still getting about 20 MPG around town. It seems like your particular car is well below curve; I would take it to the dealer to check for a problem. Even my 4-wheel drive 8-cylinder Explorer got 14-15 mpg! Something isn't right there...

mamamia2 · March 2006

There are just TOO MANY VARIANTS when measuring MPG in city driving...

If you really want to know whether your car's gas consumption is normal, measure it on the highway... Fill the tank up, and take it out for a LONG drive (assuming you are over the break-in period), and just DRIVE FOR HOURS, steady speed (65-70 since driving 85 would make the engine consume more gas), and then refill again and do your calculation.

lawrence45 · March 2006

We already calculated our mpg on the highway when driving upstate and got 31-32 mpg. Based on that, there is nothing wrong. But why such terrible mileage in the city? I would be happy with 20 mpg. The dealer says to wait until we have 5-6 thousand miles on the car but with gas prices at $2.70 a gallon in NYC, I'd like to see improvement sooner!! Any guesses as what the problem could be? Does the computer have to be adjusted?

tb88 · March 2006

We already calculated our mpg on the highway when driving upstate and got 31-32 mpg

If you are getting that on the highway, then there is nothing wrong with it.

I assume then from the MPG you are getting in the city is because of heavy stop and go traffic and/or numerous red stop sign/lights.

It is a matter of physics: It takes almost twice as much energy to lift/move a mass from standstill than to keep it moving once it is already rolling; thus the low MPG!

bhmr59 · March 2006

Also, in NYC with all the stop and go, you might as well be easy on the gas pedal...no sence is rushing to hit your brakes for the next traffic light. And remember, when you are stopped in traffic you are getting ZERO mpg.

You might be amazed at how long you are stopped in a 2 or 3 mile trip. Also, the extra gas needed to get going (vs cruising) as mentioned by tb88.

lserve · March 2006

I recently test drove a Sonata GLS V6 and was wondering if anyone has driven this and the LX. Dealer didn't have any LXs to test drive, but I would be interested to know how the larger wheel & tires change the handling or driving experience?

mamamia2 · March 2006

From what I've read, the larger, 17" wheels have a bit of better grip, but stiffer ride.

Otherwise there is no real difference in performance. The LX is just more luxurious.

kwonc71 · March 2006

Had GLS, trade in for LX. Here are good and bad of LX over GLS.

Bad: 1.More money for same looks outside
2.more road noise and harsh riding due to larger
tires.

Good: 1. Leather seat with heat.
2. Sporty, solid handling of 17" tires
3. Power seat and telescoping steering wheel are
make you way more comfortable-Major reason of
trade up
4. more toys such as: Compass, Auto temp,
Home link....

I would suggest to get at least GLS Sport with power seat and 17" tires.
At least test drive GLS with non-power seat more than 10 minutes. Non powered seat can be a major pain. If seat did not bothered my back, I would still keep my best colored Deep Water Blue GLS with same V6 in LX. However, Could not stand back pain on GLS seat.

lserve · March 2006

Thanks for the comparison. I've been reading about the stiffer ride on the 17". You mention 'sporty' is there a noticable difference? I thought the GLS was very smooth, but maybe a bit soft for my taste.

tanky1981 · March 2006

yes my car may be a 2005 sonata, however it is the new model NF, as opposed to the other sonata made in 2005, the old and crappy one.

kwonc71 · March 2006

Yes way more sharp handling and solid feel.
Best way to tell is test drive LX yourself.
A Hyundai dealership will be more than welcome to let you drive a LX. If you ok with manual seat comfort and 16" tires handling, you just keep $4,000 in your pocket by getting GLS. You can buy one for around $16,000 to $17,000 for a GLS nowadays. If you can spend little more, I recommend LX. Once you have a leather seat with heat, you won't like cloth seat anymore. There is nothing like driving with your bottom hot on a cold winter day. Especially who has hemorrhoid ( Might sounds funny, but its true that most woman have that after a giving a birth, includes my wife), its a must.

mamamia2 · March 2006

Could not stand back pain on GLS seat.

My experience is quite different. I have been suffering from my lower back for years, had to spend $900 on an office chair, had gone thru many sessions of physical therapy, MRI, doctors, bills, the whole catastrophy....

I find the fabric seats of my GLS (activating the lumber support) more comfy than the leather seat on my wife's '05 Accord. Especially on long drives.

wildcatter · March 2006

I just picked up a GLS-V6 on Wednesday and have almost 200 miles on it - MPG coming home indicated 30+ on the highway (not over 55 while breaking it in). Seems incredibley sound in construction.

I rode in a model with the 17" wheels and noticed more road noise and feel of small road imperfections; my car has 16" wheels and seems to be a more comfortable ride. As to tire size, I believe the circumference of the two tires is the same - the 16" tires have more sidewall (60) and the 17" has less (50). If they were different, they could NOT be interchanged on the cars without changing the speedometer/odometer setup. Anyone wish to challenge me on this? All in all, my wife and I are thrilled with the new Sonata.

mamamia2 · March 2006

(not over 55 while breaking it in).

First, congratulations on a good and SMART choice. But don't make yourself suffer driving 55mph for 1,200 miles, and don't make cars behind you suffer....

You don't have to drive 55, you can drive 65 and 75, just don't rev the engine more than 3,000, be nice to your car, drive soft, AND KEEP CHANGING YOUR SPEED. Taking the car out for a weekend of break in, in which you drive the whole day with your cruise control on -- IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAY NOT TO DO....

wildcatter · March 2006

Those who complain of poor mileage might want to consider how they drive. The 2002 Taurus I traded in had 62,800 miles and was running with the ORIGINAL tires and ORIGINAL brakes, and my overall gas consumption was 24.856 m/g at the 47,856 mile point (I have not put the recent data in the spreadsheet; this is a mix of city and freeway driving at speeds up to 75 mph.) I hear of people having to have brakes reworked at 30K intervals or so, and shudder to think how they must drive.

kwonc71 · March 2006

Yes it will be vary by your body. Thats Y test drive long as possible before a purchase will be the best way.

snakeweasel · April 2006

A lot of that also depends on what your driving conditions are. I have a friend who lives in down state IL who gets well over 100K on his original brakes. Of course his 35 mile one way commute is through the countryside and he hits his breaks a fraction of the times I hit mine on my 11 mile commute through the suburbs of Chicago.

My sister goes through tires faster than me, but while almost 100% of my driving is on nice paved roads a majority of here is on gravel roads.

ctc1 · April 2006

I agree I sold a Honda Accord because the seats were crippling on a long drive. Just drove 3+ hours in my new Sonata GLS I4 and I was fine plus avg. 31 mpg and car isn't fully broke in yet. Had my doubts when I bought this car, but couldn't be happier with my decision now.
,

moe99 · April 2006

I have been lurking here for a few weeks and because of Edmunds and this forum my wife and I bought a Sonota (never thought I would). We looked at the V6 with leather heated seats versions of the Mazda 6, Legacy, Accord, Altima and the 07 Camry. We decided we wanted the new Camry XLE. But thought we would check out the Sonota... Glad we did. We were surprised how much we liked the car. The best price for the 07 Camry XLE would have been invoice plus $150 with no factory rebates or incentives. With the Hyundia rebate and financing rebate we paid $18500 for the LX (no sunroof) plus TTL. We did like the Camry a little more than the Sonata but with a price difference of about $7000 I feel that the Sonata was a no-brainer. Our local dealer is the only one in the area so I was concerned that the lack of competition would affect the price I wanted to pay. But the buying process went quickly and smoothly. So thanks to this forum and to all you that post messages for helping us save $7000

tenpin288 · April 2006

In the 4/3/06 edition of Autoweek just out, they have their 1st quarter report on their long term Sonata LX test vehicle. Here's a few excerpted comments:

"Bottom line--no problems"

"...that easily compares to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, a couple of mainstays in the industry."

"...we describe the interior as functional and handsome, and we're impressed with the fit-and-finish."

"...We're finding the Sonata's drive suprisingly competent, its V6 and automatic smooth and powerful."

"...no negatives to report and we're saying things like we would recommend one to a friend who was looking in this market."

Coming from a magazine that normally is pretty hard on vehicles that are somewhat less than sports car-like, that seems like surprisingly favorable comments. They also have a review of the Ford Fusion in their Autofile section and it is looked on favorably also.

mamamia2 · April 2006

Yes, the Sonata is a NO BRAINER.

And in the next few days/weeks you'll find some really NEAT little, subtle features that may not even be mentioned in the manual, that you'd really like... Little things that nobody at Toyota or Honda bothered to think about, or was caring enough.

See, Hyundai needs to do things BETTER ("We try harder" the genius slogan Avis used when competing against giant Hertz), and they sure seem to do those things RIGHT....

kwonc71 · April 2006

Congratulation on your new half priced lexus purchase. I am confident that you will be the Hyundai lover from now on. I am enjoying my LX Sonata everyday. Its like a drug, I can not stand not to drive everyday now. If I drive my wife's MDX or Integra whole day, I drive out my LX Sonata at night. So, I can enjoy my LX even for a short time at least. Welcome to this forum.

BTW, can you share your 07 Camry test drive experience?
Y did you like Camry more than Sonata? Just curious.
Thank you.

pat · April 2006

BTW, can you share your 07 Camry test drive experience? Y did you like Camry more than Sonata? Just curious.

Let's ask moe99 to join us in the Midsize Sedans Comparison Thread to talk about that. Since that discussion already has that subject on the table, that would be better than diverting this dedicated Sonata discussion.

And maybe moe99 would like to join a discussion in which you have copied and pasted his post.

tomw6 · April 2006

Just had the transaxle/transmission in my '06 Sonata replaced by Hyundai dealer. Transmission that came from Hyundai was a REBUILT. Surprised me. Thought it would be new!! Does anyone out there know whether this rebuilt tranny is a normal procedure or am I somehow being shafted? Or where I could find out? Please help if you can. Any similar experiences?

tb88 · April 2006

Transmission that came from Hyundai was a REBUILT.

Do you have any written proof?
Some parts may have been defective, and they refurbished it... if any! It's as good as new, until it failed again.

All manufacturers use refurbished parts which didn't make it the first time. They are not going to throw away a complete transmission/engine if it can be restored.

You still get the 10/100,000 Warranty on drive train.

So what? they replaced it, didn't they!

averigejoe · April 2006

Maybe rebuilt is better than new original type if they made the original ones defective. Maybe the rebuild includes some improvement?

backy · April 2006

In something that complex there are always going to be some bad samples.

viclikescars2 · April 2006

"Does anybody out there know whether this rebuilt tranny is normal procedure..."

Let me see how close I can come. I have an 04 Amanti that just had a carrier-bearing in the differential fail. The transmission is the 5AT behind the 3.5 V-6.

The tech report says: Pt Descr: REMAN AUT ($868.14) I interpret this to mean REMANUFACTURED AUTOMATIC, which I'm sure is the same as "rebuilt".

I went in on Monday, and I got it back the next day Tues.
The replacement is indistinguishable from original. And, it returned to my normal shift-pattern within the first 50 shifts, or so.

Chances are, your replacement unit will serve you just fine.

vchiu · April 2006

This maybe one reason, but not the major one IMHO, otherwise why are Buick Regal models much cheaper than The Sonata there? I even bought a locally made Honda FIT which is CHEAPER than the US model with comparable specs.
I run a business in China and can tell you it is possible to pay little tax, depends on how things are set-up. There is a heavy import tax on imported cars though. Heard it was close to 100%.

Honda Accord/ Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata are seen as premium cars in China. the makers therefore make huge margin to keep their image high. otoh, the price war is much more aggressive in smaller cars.

vchiu · April 2006

On imported cars, yes
On locally made, not that much. I was only mentioning locally made modeles.
For example, an imported 2.4 camry is USD55K....
From july on, locally made camry will cost up to USD35K

an imported S350 is roughly sold for 150K USD...

carfax · April 2006

My transmission acted up at 55k in my 2000 sonata and they replaced it with a rebuilt and it has 25k on it and no problems. Being still under warranty they just replaced it with out questions asked. Hyundai cars don't have a transmission problem like some other manufactures do and i suspect a sensor or solenoid was faulty in your tranny. They could have just replaced either part and sent you on your way and hope nothing else goes wrong with it. A rebuilt has all new parts replaced in it and the only part that is old is the outside housing in most cases. A new car like yours might only have the sensor or what ever is wrong with it replaced and sent out to the next person with a tranny problem. The rebuilt are checked out better then the new ones and tested individually so you don't have problems a second time. You still have full warranty so enjoy your new car and don't worry about it. I know it is very frustrating when a tranny or motor goes on a new vehicle, but Hyundai doesn't have a lot of these problems and i hope this is the last major one you have.

ckeller · April 2006

I have sonata lx v6 with 8000 miles on it.I will be taking
to the dealer mon.besides the very expensive 7500 mile
service.I have a vibration in the seat and steering wheel
when stopped at a light,to a lesser degree when not in gear.
Has anyone else had this kind of problem and what did you do,or where can I get info

ckeller

backy · April 2006

The 7500 mile service should not be "very expensive"--nothing more than an oil change and a few inspections. What does your dealer charge for it and what do they include in it--anything beyond what the manual recommends?

ckeller · April 2006

they want $175 for the service which is oil change,tire rotate and inspections

ckeller

backy · April 2006

Highway robbery. Most dealers include a set of inspections in a full-service oil change. Do you know any other good mechanics you could take your car to? Or call around to other Hyundai dealers.

ckeller · April 2006

they claim it needs special oil 5w20 plus a very costly
filter.Onedealer said it needed synthic another dealer same
name diff.location said petrolem base oil is what they use

ckeller

tenpin288 · April 2006

As Backy said "highway robbery". Check you owner's manual for the required services at 7500 miles. You will find that what is required is minimal. If you must take your Sonata to this particular dealer, do not allow them to do anything but the oil change, tire rotation, and only the "required inspections" listed in your manual, not what they are trying to pad your bill with. There are still a great number of dealer's service depts (all car makes, not just Hyundai) that will try to lead you to pay for unnecessary inspections and services under the guise "it's required for you warranty". As far as that goes, you can take your vehicle to another garage, shop, etc (or even do it yourself), and your warranty will still be valid as long as you can document and verify the work done. My .02.

tenpin288 · April 2006

If you have the V6, the oil filter is a cartridge style and can be bought at many Hyundai dealers at approx. $12-15. It does not require any "special" oil and if you want to run synthetic oil, go buy it at WalMart, AutoZone, etc and do it yourself.

You can get the oil filter here for $10.95 and shipping:

Oil Filter

lawrence45 · April 2006

Had the same problem today. The gauge showed approx.half full so I filled up the car at the neighborhood gas station. The gauge didn't move and still showed half-full. When the car was turned off the gauge fell to the bottom, as was expected, but returned to half-full when car was started up again. This is similar to problem reported in message 1926. Anyone have this problem? What was the cause? I'll see if the problem rectifies itself before going to the dealer.

Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

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