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Hyundai Sonata vs. Honda Accord vs. Toyota Camry vs. Ford Fusion

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Comments

  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    The one service irritant about my '03 Sonata V6 is that for do-it-yourselfers, the rear bank of cylinders (nearest the firewall) are directly under the intake plenum chamber ("surge tank" in Hyundai parlance). It's physically impossible to access the spark plugs on these three cylinders without dismantling the plenum chamber and cast-in runners from the intake manifold first - a nightmare for all but the bravest souls. Though they aren't as powerful or as smooth running as a V-6, 4-bangers are a piece of cake to work on.
  • broadwing22broadwing22 Member Posts: 2
    We have new 2006 Sonata. We like everything but the gas mileage. The best I have done on the expressway is 21 MPG. We are very disappointed with the economy.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    How many miles on the engine so far? (and which engine?) If less than 5,000 miles, things'll seem disappointing initially. Hyundai sets their engines up "tight" - to the point they, alone among car makers, recommend a 1,200 mile break-in of moderate speed driving. My '03 V-6 didn't get close to the EPA stated fuel mileage initially, but, now at 16,000 miles, it's 4 mpg above the stated EPA fuel mileage in both city and highway driving. It's only about 1 1/2 mpg less than I was getting with my '96 Accord 4-cyl - not a bad "penalty" for 40 extra ponies.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Sonata gets four 5-star ratings on frontal and side crash tests--only the Five Hundred and Galant did as well:

    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/cars/3754.html
  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    noticed something.

    The 2004 Accord got 4/5 for Side
    The 2005 Accord got 4/4 for Side

    The 2004 was not equipped with SAB
    The 2005 was equipped with SAB

    2004 Crash Test
    2005 Crash Test

    Do they use a different rating system for cars w/o SABs?
  • 210delray210delray Member Posts: 4,721
    The NHTSA side test is a joke. For one thing, even though forces on the dummies' heads are measured, they aren't considered for the "star" ratings. Secondly, NHTSA counts only forces on the thorax and pelvis toward the ratings, even though head injuries cause the most deaths in real-world side impact crashes. Finally, their barrier simulates the front end of a car, so it's not high enough to strike the dummies' heads directly, as would be true for a large truck or SUV. Side airbags are most beneficial in protecting the head, by interposing a cushion between the intruding object and the head.

    So, wait until the IIHS releases their side tests -- much more informative. The Accord for example was rated Good with side airbags and Poor without (of course, as of 2005 side airbags are standard in the Accord). The Camry had the same outcome - Good with, Poor without side airbags.
  • zed421vzed421v Member Posts: 28
    As I drive my 2004Camry SE listening to the dashboard rattle, and the rear suspension thump my wife drives her Sonata. Her Sonata is quiet no suspension problems good engine. I also think it will out handle my Camry. The Camry will have a higher resale value but I like a car that I will enjoy and that goes to the Sonata.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    A post and a reply were moved to a more appropriate discussion: romanc54, "Hyundai Sonata 2005 and earlier" #2805, 16 Sep 2005 9:43 pm.
  • gamagamagamagama Member Posts: 2
    Back in Jan 2004 I bought a 2004 Accord LX-V6 for 20,900 + TTL with side airbags, ABS, and upgraded to the EX wheels after the fact for $280 (bought them off a Honda dealer on Ebay). The price might be a few hundred more now, but the car comes with many of the EX features (minus the leather and sunroof) for $3000+ less. I consider it the best bargain in the Accord lineup, but they can be tough to locate. Hyundai's are not going to hold their value like Honda or Toyota... period! You need to look at the true cost of ownership in addition to the sticker price.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Yes, you need to look at total cost of ownership, including the respective purchase prices (not sticker prices). But let's compare apples to apples here, instead of a two-year-old Accord to a '06 Sonata. The MSRP of the '06 Accord LX V6 is $25,650. There are no current incentives. Invoice is not yet published on Edmunds.com. The comparably equipped '06 Sonata GLS V6 (including a moonroof, but not a CD changer) lists for $22,995, invoice $21,213. There are currently $2000 in incentives ($1000 for HMFC financing, $1000 loyalty or competitive rebate) plus the usual specialty rebates for military and students which I won't count because not many people will qualify for those. So $3500 off MSRP is not unrealistic. That would put the Sonata at about $19,500. Even if you could get $2000 off list on the Accord, it would be an over $4000 price advantage to the Sonata. Even with better resale value on the Accord, that's a big amount of money to make up.
  • tenpin288tenpin288 Member Posts: 804
    You need to look at the true cost of ownership in addition to the sticker price.

    I took your advice and checked what Edmunds has to say about the TCO of the 06 Sonata vs the 05 Accord. And guess what! After configuring a few versions of the Sonata vs the Accord, the only area that the Accord consistently beat the Sonata in TCO was only in 1st year depreciation, and that was only by about $1300! (That could easily be made up through available incentives.) Matter of fact, according to Edmunds, an 06 Sonata LX V6 will cost you $40,057 over 5 years (depreciation, gas, insurance, financing, etc) and the current 05 Accord EX V6 would be $38, 368. That difference is almost entirely from the estimated 1st year depreciation. Over 5 years that means that all the extra safety features and value in the Sonata would only really cost a driver an extra few hundred dollars per year. Not exactly an overwhelming advantage for Honda, is it? And given that the 06 Accord will undoubtedly be a little higher priced, the gap should be even narrower. :shades:
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    Why was romanc54's post moved. He talks about a purchase of a 2006 Hyundai Sonata which is part of the topic discussion. Just curious.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Because this is a comparo between three vehicles and the content of that post is better placed in the single-vehicle discussion that was the poster's subject. Let's don't disrupt this discussion any further, but you (and everyone) please feel free to email me if you have other questions or concerns about discussion management - thanks!
  • saxe10595saxe10595 Member Posts: 35
    How difficult is to sell a Sonata after 5 years of ownership ? One of my friend had so much difficulty in selling his Sonata that he ULTIMATELY trade in for almost 50% of it's value with a Camry, as used car buyer's don't want to pay too much for Hyundai(not even book value as these numbers don't matter when you want to sell your car as used car market is not going that strong at this time due to plenty of new cars deals around). I wanted to sell my 01 Civic EX 4D auto with 49 k and most dealers would offer me between 7-7.5 K at the best for trade in. I did sell that for 10600 to a private buyer but I am not sure whether Hyundai would give me that sort of resale and I will be able to find a good buyer when I need. But, I agree that Sonata is a good buy at this time as it is much improved car and is really catching up with accord and camry. I have yet to find a Hyundai owner who buys Hyundai again and again, though it seems that it may happen now as they are making better cars than before. I have -both 2005 accord(bought about a month ago)and 2003 Camry and they both are great so far. (2K on Accord and 23 K on Camry)
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    While Sonatas have certainly improved over the years, we do NOT have any information about how well the new model will turn out. There just aren't enough of 'em in owners' hands yet. Hopefully, Hyundai got it right. Just remember this is an all new body, an all new engine, and in the case of the 5-sp automatic in the V-6, an all new transmisson, and it's being assembled in an all new factory in Birmingham, AL by an unseasoned wrokforce who may or may not readily accept the Korean emphasis on a strict work ethic. To say the new Sonata was an ambitious undertaking on Hyundai's part would be an understatement. Hyundai's less than stellar past is still a factor in how poorly the brand is represented in used vehicle trade-in pricing. I believe Hyundai's making an honest effort at QC, but if you go into a Sonata, better figure at this point to get full value out of your purchase will require long term ownership. If you frequently trade your vehicles, odds are you'll take a bath with a Sonata. I've owned three Hyundais, two of them, Sonatas - a '91, and my current '03. The '91 was mechanically reliable over five years of ownership, though other owners weren't so lucky. My ultimate problem with the '91 came down to no one knowing how to successfully track down a freon leak in the A/C. (It gets HOT where I live from spring to mid-fall.) So far, my '03 has been virtually trouble-free except for a defective domelight swicth that was replaced under warranty. (and it's A/C is very effective)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Actually, I think getting 50% of a car's value for trade-in after five years is pretty darn good. Note that that was better than what dealers offered you for your five-year-old Civic EX.

    If you want to find some people who buy Hyundai again and again, take a look at the Hyundai owner's discussions here at Edmunds.com. My last two car purchases were Hyundais and I will consider Hyundai again (Sonata, or something smaller) when I buy my next car next year.
  • oldjoeoldjoe Member Posts: 132
    Honda IS rated as the number one auto in returning percentage of original price as a trade-in. A Honda with 100,000 miles STILL commands a good used car price. The Civic has been used as the benchmark for value, gas-milege, quality and resale value that all other similar sized autos are always compared to. The new Civic is awesome, looks like a baby Accord and gas-mileage for the 1.8 I4 with 5 speed auto transmission is 30 city and 40 highway...without all of the additional costs of a hybrid. Honda scoops the field again with the new 2006 Civic.

    Good luck with your Hyundais, please do not say anything about the Korean standards of quality...they just do not match the quality of Japanese, European Union or US auto manufacturers. I would place them in the run for first in the second tier of auto manufacturers, above Canada, China, Australia, Brazil and Mexican auto quality factories (maybe) and they keep saying they want to improve but the jury is still out. By the way, the latest violence at the Hyundai Korean factories has been settled for higher wages and better benefits for the workers so the price difference may have evaporated with the new labor agreement.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    ...please do not say anything about the Korean standards of quality...

    Well, I didn't. I was responding to your post about resale value of a five-year-old Sonata vs. a five-year-old Honda. But I encourage you to take a look--a real close look--at the quality of the Sonata. I have compared it to that of the Accord and Camry (the topics of this discussion, not the Civic) and am very impressed. In fact, when I drove the Accord and Sonata back-to-back it was the Accord that rattled, and thumped on even the smallest bumps, not the Sonata.

    As for factory quality, don't forget the German factories. Hyundai clearly outscores companies like DC and BMW on quality, based on third-party studies like JD Power.
  • smith20smith20 Member Posts: 256
    Good luck with your Hyundais, please do not say anything about the Korean standards of quality...they just do not match the quality of Japanese, European Union or US auto manufacturers.

    Please . . . what is up with your unsubstantiated defamation of Hyundai? Did the company personally offend you somehow? Actually, you're right . . . Hyundai doesn't match the quality of those manufacturers you mention . . . they exceed some of them.

    Do you honestly think you're going to convince people of your position with your sour attitude?
  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    Good luck with your Hyundais, please do not say anything about the Korean standards of quality...they just do not match the quality of Japanese, European Union or US auto manufacturers

    Hyundai has overtook some of the German/American automakers in long-term reliability in JD power's long term survery. (MB, Dodge, Volvo) But have not matched Honda or Toyota. Note: They are improving, each year Hyundai moves a few places up.

    I have test drove both sedans, I came out buying the Accord for my own reason (interior, drive) But the Sonata would have been my second choice. Its a solid car, and is worth a look. In fact, I found it better then the Camry in most areas.

    Backy: In fact, when I drove the Accord and Sonata back-to-back it was the Accord that rattled, and thumped on even the smallest bumps, not the Sonata.
    I thought my Accord had rattles in the dash. I went to the dealer, complained and they said "nothing was wrong" I was very fustrated with them, and decided to try and pinpoint exactly where the sound was to see if I could fix it. It turned out it was my office keys that were making the noise. I'm a little embarrassed now because I made a scene at the dealer :blush:
    I haven't had any problems with my Accord, and hope I wont have any in the future.
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    I did a comparison of Edmund's True Cost to Own (TCO) between an '05 Sonata GLS SV and an '05 Honda Accord LX V6. I used '05 because there are no figures for the '06 Accord yet.

    Edmund's figures: Sonata purchase price $18,041, expected resale value (after 5 years w/ 15K per year) $5511. Accord purchase price $22,808, expected resale value $9939. So, if these figures are accurate, the Sonata loses $12,530 and the Accord loses $12,869 in 5 years.

    I purchased my GLS SV for $16,705 before TTL.

    Strangely, Edmund's TMV on the cars is less than the above purchase price assumptions: Sonato $16,823 & Accord $21.447.

    The '06 Sonata is higher priced and the Accord will be also.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    "So, if these figures are accurate..."

    And therein lies the rub, eh?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    That's good the rattle in your Accord was just keys. The rattle in my tester was coming from around the B pillar of the passenger side--definitely not keys. But Sonatas rattle sometimes too. The point is that the quality difference is not that great anymore.
  • saxe10595saxe10595 Member Posts: 35
    No, he sold that for little over 50% of the book value of the car at 5 years old value (not the original price paid). As he tried hard to get a buyer after 2-3 months of advertisement on the web and elsewhere but didn't find a buyer. Most cars don't keep their values to 50% after 5 years. It doesn't matter what is the residual value as per KBB or Edmunds as real world resale numbers are not the same as these numbers. If you don't have a buyer for the vehicle these calculations have no meanings as they are good as estimates only. Beside all thes goodies as described by others here in my view resale value and difficulty in selling remains a problems with Hyundai-but this would change soon if they keep producing quality cars. No doubts about there improved quality in past 5-6 years as some one mentioned that JD power rate them very high.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    OK, your original post was not clear that you were talking about 50% of current "book" value. Resale value is really the last significant issue with going with Hyundai, IMO. Although some other makes being discussed here such as Mazda, even Nissan, don't do that great on resale either. It's not an issue for someone who keeps a car for a long time, but it is for people who trade every few years. And as you said, it will improve as the quality of Hyundais (Sonata specifically) continues to improve and the perception of quality improves over time. Another thing that has to happen before resale value will improve markedly is for incentives to be reduced. That is one reason resale value of the Accord is so high--no rebates, ever.
  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    Although some other makes being discussed here such as Mazda, even Nissan, don't do that great on resale either.

    Actually, the Nissan Altima has a high resale value. Nissan's in general have a pretty high resale value. Mazda may not be as good as Honda, but their better than the industry average according to ALG.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Do you happen to know the 5-year depreciation estimates for the '06 models of the six cars at the top of this discussion?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Well, here's something... I couldn't find depreciation info on the '06 Sonata but here's what Intellichoice says about depreciation for mid-sized 2005 cars:

    The Best:
    Honda Accord DX (Manual)

    Among the Best (Alphabetical Order):
    Honda Accord DX (Auto)
    Honda Accord DX (Manual)
    Honda Accord EX (Auto)
    Honda Accord EX (Manual)
    Honda Accord EX w/PZEV (Auto)
    Honda Accord LX (Auto)
    Honda Accord LX (Manual)
    Honda Accord LX w/PZEV (Auto)
    Hyundai Sonata GL (5-Spd)
    Hyundai Sonata GL (Auto)
    Hyundai Sonata GL V6
    Kia Optima LX (Manual)
    Mazda Mazda6 i
    Nissan Altima (5-Spd.)
    Nissan Altima S (Auto)
    Nissan Altima S (Manual)
    Suzuki Verona S
    Toyota Camry LE (5-Spd)
    Toyota Camry LE (Auto)
    Toyota Camry SE (5-Spd)
    Toyota Camry SE (Auto)
    Toyota Camry STD (5-Spd)
    Toyota Camry STD (Auto)
    Toyota Prius
    Volkswagen Passat GL TDI (Auto)

    So I was wrong--the Mazda6 and Altima do quite well, but then so does the Sonata (the old design, not the new '06) and even the Optima and Verona!--which I would not have guessed given the bad rep that Kia and Daewoo (source of the Verona) have for depreciation. Looks like there are few cars in this class that don't have good depreciation, except the Galant.

    (I don't think I can post the link because it's a competing site, but if you google depreciation and a few other related words you can find it pretty fast.)
  • cheng1cheng1 Member Posts: 10
    Hi,

    I am recent purchaser of an 06 Accord LX V6 Sedan and a very happy one. As a former owner of a Honda Accord, I will show you how good the resale was. Around Mid July of 2005, I sold my 99 Honda Accord EX V6 Coupe (purchased in February of 99). I loved that car, but it did have 2 transmission problems. Honestly, I drove that car hard and added a lot of aftermarket performance parts, including a performance chip, that probably contributed to the transmission problems. Still, I believe it was a defect with the 98-02 Honda Accord Transmissions. So from my point of view, all car companies have problems with their cars, not just Hyundai.

    As I was saying, I sold the car in July of 05 with the car being in fair condition for $7200. This car had, literally speaking, over 100 paint chips on the front hood (I had the car lowered on Eibach performance springs. The problem with lowering a car with a low hood line is when road debris hits your car, they will easily leave a mark on your hood). The ignition key lock was going bad, the exhaust needed to be replaced, the transmission had been replaced, and the car had over 115,000 miles. Even with all these issues, I was able to sell this car quite easily, within 2 months, for $7200 on the internet. I believe I could have gotten more, but I was in a rush to get rid of the car. You never know once you hit 100 K, what can go wrong with any car.

    So resale value, in my case, meant didly squat. The reason is, I put so much money into my transmission repairs, that I barely made a profit when I finally sold it.

    In the end resale value, wont mean a whole lot if your car has a lot of major repair work involved.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    That makes the 10-year powertrain warranty on the Sonata look really good, doesn't it? 'Course, adding a performance chip would probably void the warranty...
  • oldjoeoldjoe Member Posts: 132
    I, my son, my neighbor and my friend have owned Hyundais...none of us will ever again...let's see...my own experiences. Motor mounts broken, transmission failure, motor surging, battery terminals rusting through, AC compressor and lines defective. etc, etc, etc. in an automobile driven by my wife to work on flat Florida highways. "Things"just fall off on the Hyundais I am familiar with, old or new models.

    And, of course we are all aware of the very high incident of ENGINE replacements necessary on new Santa Fes when they came out. Even CR faults the handling and questions the engines, transmissions and mileage of the new 2006 Sonata. No problem with Hyundai, just a wonder about another copycat trying to play with the quality, resale and reliability boys! You do not get the reputation of Toyota/Honda by hype advertising, just building the industry standards. The jury is still out on Hyundai and will be for a few more years, but then who really cares?
  • oldjoeoldjoe Member Posts: 132
    Remember that the 10 year warranty was not volunteered by Hyundai but added so that "anyone?...someone? pretty please...we're begging"...buy their autos. Sales were rapidly dissapearing into oblivion...it was starting to look like the, Daewoo, Yugo's death knells. the 10-year warranty got the people who had little money a set of wheels...but still, nobody really bragged about owning a Hyundai at that time. It may change with time, but not yet!
  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    I, my son, my neighbor and my friend have owned Hyundais...none of us will ever again...let's see...my own experiences. Motor mounts broken, transmission failure, motor surging, battery terminals rusting through, AC compressor and lines defective. etc, etc, etc. in an automobile driven by my wife to work on flat Florida highways. "Things"just fall off on the Hyundais I am familiar with, old or new models.

    You have to remember, this is YOUR own experience with Hyundai, not others. Some people (like Backy) may have had a great experience with Hyundai and you have to understand that. Also, Hyundai has proven to JD power or CR, it can produce quality cars. Hyundai right now, is what Honda was a decade ago- Producing Quality cars at a cheap price.
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,601
    Sounds like the performance stuff you did to the car probably helped you get as much as you did for the car. While the performance stuff may have caused problems with the car you found a buyer who wanted this stuff and was willing to pay extra for it...probably a kid.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Which Hyundais did you own? Also, where did you see the negative review by CR on the '06 Sonata? I was not aware they had reviewed it yet.

    I suppose we could say that Honda didn't "volunteer" to up their powertrain warranty to 5/60 for 2006. Why did they do it? Maybe to give people some peace of mind after the 1 million Accords with faulty automatic transmissions were recalled?
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    "And, of course we are all aware of the very high incident of ENGINE replacements necessary on new Santa Fes when they came out. Even CR faults the handling and questions the engines, transmissions and mileage of the new 2006 Sonata. No problem with Hyundai, just a wonder about another copycat trying to play with the quality, resale and reliability boys! You do not get the reputation of Toyota/Honda by hype advertising, just building the industry standards. The jury is still out on Hyundai and will be for a few more years, but then who really cares?"

    Ok of course engine replacements are not good but it was a first year model regarding the Santa Fe. As for questioning the Sonata there have been good reviews on it. Of course this is the first year of a redesign for the Sonata and also Hyundai's first car ever built in the Us so naturally build quality at a brand new plant is a concern. I am a big Honda and Mazda fan as well but I don;t think in no way Hyundai is trying to copy cat Toyota or Honda they just want to be mentioned in the same breath as those 2 companies and there is nothing wrong with that.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    the 100,000 mile mark being the point of no return on cars is fading quickly away for pert-near all makes. My '01 Kia Sportage 4x4's motor purrs like a kitten and the small SUV now has 104,775 miles on it. The engine is so quiet at idle I can barely hear it humm-when I do pick up it's sound at idle it is so quiet and pleasing to hear. :) I know that something could go wrong with my Sporty at any time and the Long-Haul coverage is indeed over, but I don't get that feeling I used to get with my '65 Mustang like I may never get home from where I'm traveling to. Y'all had a rig like that? I'll bet a lot of you have. Not at all do I feel that way with my Sport. I get all of the routine maintenance done on time, and I don't get behind on it. It pays you off for keeping up on it.

    These new 2006 Hyundai Sonata's are no doubt gonna be great cars for Hyundai and for Sonata owners. I have the utmost confidence in their engineering/manufacturing build teams. Perfect cars? No, but show me perfect-don't tell me Honda's are perfect, either. Heard too many horror stories to go with you on that one.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    Which Hyundais did you own? Also, where did you see the negative review by CR on the '06 Sonata? I was not aware they had reviewed it yet.

    Well I haven't read CR in a while, but the last time I read it they did a First Look/Drive on the 2006 Sonata and was not impressed. They said it was OK. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe thats what they said.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    you're talking about Clodsumer Retorts, though, not a full-time type car mag. I'd rather read a Car and Driver or Motor Trend review of the '06 Hyundai Sonata. Those reviews must exist out there, eh?

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • smith20smith20 Member Posts: 256
    I, my son, my neighbor and my friend have owned Hyundais...none of us will ever again...let's see...my own experiences. Motor mounts broken, transmission failure, motor surging, battery terminals rusting through, AC compressor and lines defective. etc, etc, etc. in an automobile driven by my wife to work on flat Florida highways. "Things"just fall off on the Hyundais I am familiar with, old or new models.

    Thanks. Your position makes total sense to me now. I guess that fact that my Hyundai has been trouble-free for about a year and half now explains my incredulous reaction to your posts.

    Have you noticed that the 94 consumer reviews compiled so far for the 2006 Hyundai Sonata average 9.5 so far? That is incredibly high from what I have seen over the years. Maybe the 2006 Sonata quality is different from the Hyundai quality you experienced.
  • keyser2keyser2 Member Posts: 25
    As an owner/past-owner of 4 Hyundais, I love the fact that the Sonata has reached such critical acclaim. But I must wonder if Hyundai is jumping too fast into trying to be the best instead of the best price-point car in the Asian arena. The success that Hyundai has achieved in the past six or seven years has been built on providing high quality, well-built and inexpensive cars.

    The minute Hyundai starts acting like Honda and Toyota, is the minute the two Japanese car makers experience increasing marketshare at the expense of Hyundai.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Acting like Honda and Toyota (especially in quality) and still offering cars at thousands less than the comparable Honda and Toyota models is a good thing, IMO.
  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    Well, I said in my last post Hyundai right now is what Honda was a decade ago- Producing Quality cars at a cheap price.

    Hyundai will most likely start to slowly raise their prices and in order to do that, they have to prove to buyers they can produce cars that are as good or better then Honda and Toyota.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    in their '06 Sonata commercials that they are working hard at producing cars that are quality-made, and at very fair prices. IMO they are holding up to their end of the bargain.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    Absolutely, keyser2! I am the owner of an '03 Sonata V-6, and while it's been absolutely mechanically trouble-free so far, the real test on Hyundai QC and reliability comes after five or more years of day-in-day-out operation - not an "Initial Quality" award form J.D. Powers & Associates that really only measures how well the car was prep'd at time of delivery. Hyundai did not go to a 10 yr./100,000 mile warranty just as a sales promotion - their earlier cars had a well-deserved reputation for marginal reliability. (I am speaking from prior experience with three Excels and a '91 Sonata V-6) The ONLY reasons I went with a purchase decision on my '03 Sonata was that powertrain warranty and finances being what they were at the time. To the car's credit, so far my bet's paying off. I'm not in the market for a new car yet, but if I were, and were willing to take another chance on a Sonata because of my experience with my current Sonata, I wouldn't dream of taking the plunge until the '07s are introduced. The new Sonata is just "too" new at this point for my comfort zone: new body shell, new engines, new factory, and a totally untested workforce to what Hyundai's Korean management style is used to working with. Gripes are beginning to appear on the Edmunds Sonata discussions. They may turn out to be random and isolated, but I want to wait and see for several more months before I form an opinion. I must not be alone. To date in my area of inland Southern California (near the border of two large counties), I've seen exactly five '06 Sonatas with metal plates or temporary windshield tags since introduction.
  • aka1aka1 Member Posts: 110
    The Hyundai Sonata is the first step in the direction of improving Hyundai's image. 10year 100000warrany was a good move to bolster confidence (false) in their product. The caveat was that the warranty was for the original owner only and could not be transferred. Average Americans don't keep their cars that long- at time of trade in or selling, the warranty is no longer a strong point to sell the car.

    The average person who is not familiar with Hyundai's endeavor to compete head to head with Accords and Camry's will look at a Sonata and be very impressed with it- partly because its more than they have ever expected from a Hyundai. This may have something to do with high scores and ratings. On the other hand, the high expectations that people have of Accord's and Camry's can cause people to be disappointed with those cars like when they experience burned out headlight bulbs...

    The quality of the car will only be seen with real world miles, when trim pieces maintain their integrity, their color, and feel. When all the electronic devices work as they should- when the materials in the vehicle can hold up to people getting in and out, switches still feeling as silky smooth as new, doors closing with the same consistent sound over and over and over again. If the all new aluminum engine can maintain a quiet noise and be able to be as trouble free as a legendary Honda or match the quality of the switches in the Camry (the same switches they use for Lexus- cruise control stalk, power door lock switch, map light switch etc.)

    Don't get me wrong, Hyundai is a very very Dynamic company, and one that will definitely make a huge impact on the global automotive industry, my opinion is that they have a ways to go.

    AKA
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Well, I said in my last post Hyundai right now is what Honda was a decade ago- Producing Quality cars at a cheap price

    The Accord top model of 1995 (EX-V6) had the horsepower of the old Sonata (170) and the price higher than the new one (and this was 10 years ago!) ; between $25,000 and $26,000 for a 1996 EX V-6 Accord new. New sonatas ring in much cheaper than Honda now, and cheaper than Honda then. What am I saying...I drive a 1996 Accord LX, shouldn't I be bashing the Hyundai? Hmm, I can't seem to find fault with the new Sonata on its price, I can only find fault with the rear-end being almost caopied from the 03-04 Accord (I think the Hyundai executed the design better, as it is less hippy/droopy).

    21k for 235 hp? Great! I paid 19,500 for 130hp in 1996! I'm happy with my car though, 10 years old this November and just clicked over to 151,000 miles, with only a cooling fan motor, batteries (2) and tires (on 4th set now) having been replaced. I hope Hyundai has this great quality, but we wont know for at least a couple years.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    I had a '96 Accord with the I-4, too, (virtually bullet proof mechanically) that I totaled in late 2002. While I haven't had any mechanical complaints with my '03 Sonata, and it's as rattle-free as my Accord was, I wouldn't think twice if I could have my old Accord back. That six and half year old Accord was a superior road car in every respect, and very nearly as fast as my V-6 Sonata. I figure if all goes well, I'll be in the market for something new in late 2008. At that time, it'll be a contest what with the new Sonata having been weaned through its early teething problems (if any), and the latest generations of both Camry and Accord to mull over. Fun city - the best of all possible automobile purchase worlds!
  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    Honda's price was not always high. They were once considered cheap and unreliable, but they changed peoples perceptions of their brand and now Hyundai is starting to do the same.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    ...or match the quality of the switches in the Camry (the same switches they use for Lexus- cruise control stalk,...

    My $11,000 Elantra has exactly the cruise-control stalk of a $50,000 Lexus SUV. That doesn't make it a reliable car. Although it has been that.

    FWIW, I am very familiar with Hyundai's efforts to compete head-to-head with Honda and Toyota, and I am very impressed by the '06 Sonata--especially considering we are still in the first few months of its life here in the U.S.
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