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2011 Hyundai Sonata

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Comments

  • lancep97lancep97 Member Posts: 36
    Hyundai did provide Edmunds with the test car. Very last sentence of the review states:

    The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.

    One review from a guy driving the car for a short period of time doesn't seem to be the best advice to use when determining if the car is right for you. I much rather hearing real owners reviews in this forum who drive their cars everyday.
  • shuale_ejsshuale_ejs Member Posts: 115
    So you picked up your car? How do you like it?
  • osaka75osaka75 Member Posts: 88
    Perfect post, Fushigi.
  • chronochrono Member Posts: 149
    From edmunds review ->

    It's more fun to drive than the ubiquitous Accord and Camry ..

    With its well-balanced chassis, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata provides both a supple ride and sure-footed handling. In this sense, it rivals similarly sporty family sedans such as the Altima and Mazda 6. The steering is well-weighted at normal driving speeds and lightens up considerably at low speeds (to ease parking maneuvers) -- perhaps too much for enthusiasts, though this is a minor gripe at best.

    Sounds like the previous road tester was just being picky .. maybe he was bummed he had to review the GLS instead of the SE.
  • dash5dash5 Member Posts: 421
    Here's edmunds review summary:

    http://www.edmunds.com/hyundai/sonata/2011/review.html

    What Edmunds.com says

    The previous Sonata was a solid contender, but for 2011, the Hyundai Sonata vaults itself to the top of the class.
  • shabadoo25shabadoo25 Member Posts: 232
    I have to say so far, I love it. It was so worth waiting for the black/black combo.

    I will post a comprehensive review after I have experienced everything with the car. Voice command is my lunchtime project. :)
  • meikmeik Member Posts: 63
    shabadoo25, Can you test what napsfan said in his/her post #1244?

    I tried it but it didn't work. I tested between XM and Radio, Radio and iPod, iPod and XM. Mine didn't remember volume setting on each Mode. I have Limited w/o Nav though.

    enjoy your new ride.
  • shabadoo25shabadoo25 Member Posts: 232
    Will do. I can verify it works between phone and XM, but not on anything else.
  • napsfannapsfan Member Posts: 23
    Can you test what napsfan said in his/her post #1244?

    I tried it but it didn't work. I tested between XM and Radio, Radio and iPod, iPod and XM. Mine didn't remember volume setting on each Mode. I have Limited w/o Nav though.

    Hi again. I can try it again tonight also. Note that I just tried this between AUX (which was Bluetooth connected to my Blackberry) and FM. I had not tried to do a more thorough test (this was just more of an observation of that one specific example, which was very evident going back and forth and looking at the displayed volume level on the scrren). But I will also confirm tonight, to make sure I was not hallucinating from the new car fumes ;)

    (Note: Mine is a Limited with no nav)
  • shuale_ejsshuale_ejs Member Posts: 115
    edited March 2010
    Does anyone know the march lease rates for the 2011 Limited
    (i.e. Residual Value and Money Factor)?
  • andyfromvaandyfromva Member Posts: 79
    I picked up my black/gray GLS this afternoon. What a great car! And it's purty too.
  • phill1phill1 Member Posts: 319
    I currently own a 06` Hyundia Sonata and a 06` Kia Rio5 hatchback. Fell in love with the 2011 Sonata GLS for about 21K+ MSRP. Was going to trade in the Sonata for the new one which is vastly improved but decided on ordering the 2011 Ford Fiesta instead. Why? Comparing apples with oranges I know, but fully loaded Fiesta SE Hatch w/power moonroof $18k minus $595 Sync credit equals $17400. MSRP. With Ford X Plan, about $16600 out the door. 2.4 vs 1.6 ltr 34 mpg vs 40 mpg. Again, wrong forum for car comparisons but I went for the Fiesta instead of the Sonata. Sonata is still the vehicle to buy if you want/need a full size car!
  • lbg2lbg2 Member Posts: 6
    Residual value is 57% and money factor is .00095.

    Hope this helps!
  • shabadoo25shabadoo25 Member Posts: 232
    Congrats! The car looks so great in black, it's not even funny.

    What are your initial impressions?
  • syitalian25syitalian25 Member Posts: 303
    If you go into the settings (at least on the base stereo, so I'm sure on the Dimension one as well) you can set the blutooth system to automatically set to a certain volume. For me, I like to set it pretty loud (around 15) for calls so I can hear people clearly, but keep the radio lower for normal driving. A very nice feature.
  • syitalian25syitalian25 Member Posts: 303
    edited March 2010
    so far pretty much the only thing I could complain about is the weak horn, the first time I hit it I wasn't even sure it was going off so I hit it again and again until the other drivers were confused and annoyed.. this might be more a function of the sound isolation than the actual horn though.
  • syitalian25syitalian25 Member Posts: 303
    edited March 2010
    Hey Pcgeek86,

    I tried to replicate the "lurching" you described by doing several shifts from 1st to 2nd gears in both manual and automatic modes at between 4000 - 5500 rpms. Everything was very smooth even at that speed and I barely even felt the shifts, so I am not sure what to make of your situation. Did you let off the gas a bit once it got into 2nd gear and were feeling the engine braking at 4000+ rpms? Or maybe you were feeling a lot of engine braking at 5000 rpms in 1st gear, but then felt much less as it shifted into second, pulling the car forward more easily? If you feel like it's abnormal I would ask the dealer to take a look and see if they notice anything.
  • andyfromvaandyfromva Member Posts: 79
    Congrats! The car looks so great in black, it's not even funny.

    What are your initial impressions?

    Congrats to you as well. I agree, the car looks great. I had them put on the paint protection - maybe I got ripped off but I wanted to make sure I did all I could do to keep that black finish looking glossy.

    My initial impressions are twofold (coming from a 2001 Camry). My first impression is, wow, there are lots of hi tech toys in here. My second impression is did I buy a BMW or Mercedes? Because this sure doesn't seem like your typical midsize sedan.

    As you can tell, I'm really impressed with it. The kicker came when my wife got home. She never liked the Camry because she thought it was too big. But she loves the Sonata and wants one for herself! I told her it's the same size as the Camry - bigger in many respects. But she says it looks and handles like a smaller car, while having the nice soft, quiet ride of a larger car. And she also loves the hi tech stuff, especially the xm radio.

    I'm looking forward to taking the Sonata on some long trips.
  • midas69midas69 Member Posts: 118
    As you can tell, I'm really impressed with it. The kicker came when my wife got home. She never liked the Camry because she thought it was too big. But she loves the Sonata and wants one for herself! I told her it's the same size as the Camry - bigger in many respects. But she says it looks and handles like a smaller car, while having the nice soft, quiet ride of a larger car. And she also loves the hi tech stuff, especially the xm radio.

    The Sonata feels smaller than the Camry for a few reason. While there's more leg room and more interior room overall, it just feels a little more narrow due to the lateral knee room. The seats are also more contoured giving it a tighter feel.

    And one thing I noticed is that the better turning radius makes the car feel much smaller than it is. Backing out of my garage in the morning now is never tight. I always had to worry with my Camry if I'd be close to the garbage cans or telephone poll. Now it's a piece of cake.

    The low roof line also contributes to the feeling. It looks shorter from the outside and it feels smaller inside. Amazingly the Sonata gives me much better head room than the Camry despite the low roof line. But I'd have to cut my head off to sit in the back seat.
  • ramkatramkat Member Posts: 23
    It is well known that the 2011 SE do feel different when compared to the entry model with the steel wheels., That made me wonder, the unsprung mass of the wheels on the Premium model is less than that of the entry model, even though they have the same suspension. Will that change the dynamics noticeably i.e to such an extent that the driver will feel the difference between the steelies and the mags when cornering or riding the bumps?
  • midas69midas69 Member Posts: 118
    Reading that review, and owning a limited, it had me wondering. I was starting to think maybe they made a mistake and built my car with the SE suspension, because it sure doesn't feel like they describe.

    Unsprung weight can make a big difference in handling. The wider wheels and stiffer sidewalls of the limited would add to this. I still think they would handle even better, and have less road noise, without the low rolling resistance tires.
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    Thanks for trying to replicate the issue. Maybe it's just my vehicle (once again). The lurch is too strong to simply be engine braking, because when it happens, I don't think I'm letting off the gas at all (if anything, I do let off the gas to avoid the issue).

    I am thinking I might take it to the dealer to look at, but with all the talk of the iPod issue I've had with them, I'm sure they're getting sick of hearing from me.

    Cheers,
    -Trevor
  • syitalian25syitalian25 Member Posts: 303
    yeah that is unfortunate, if this keeps up maybe you can have it declared a lemon and get a replacement. It doesn't seem like anyone else is having these problems so nobody is sure what would fix it.
  • netranger4netranger4 Member Posts: 149
    Checked out the new Sonata at my local dealer. A Limited in brilliant silver. Looks like a M-B with the sloped roofline. The workmanship looked excellent, especially the paint. The dealer had several GLS Sonatas on hand which apparently have just been arriving. I noted that the turn signals are not mounted in the side mirrors as they are on some models of the Optima. The Hyundai literature does not indicate that the V6 is available as an option for the Sonata.

    Being personally acquainted with the owner of the local Hyundai and Kia franchises, it came out in conversation that the new Optima and the Sonata will now be built in the same facility, on the same production lines in Montgomery, AL. Production of the Santa Fe is to be relocated to the new West Point, GA. plant, to be built on the same lines as the Sorrento.

    IMHO, this new Sonata is going to be a good seller. The styling is well proportioned and the craftsmanship appears to have been done with the utmost care.

    According to the sticker, the engine is built here in the U.S. with the transmissions being manufactured in Korea. I'm aware that the GEMA engine plant in Michigan is building engines for several companies and am wondering if they are supplying the engines?
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    Just posted a high-def video of the interior at night, per someone's request:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdgCdZnFFUQ

    Cheers,
    Trevor
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The GEMA deal with Chrysler fell apart some time ago. Hyundai makes its own engines.
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    My dealer called yesterday to tell me that they have started to install the camel leather interior on the Limited at the assembly line and that I should expect it in 2 to 3 weeks. This is a little earlier than the projected "some time in April" time frame that I was given several weeks ago.
  • chilalischilalis Member Posts: 1
    THATS my kind of choice .GLS is just so AWESOME .Its interior is so smooth and royal which can impress anyone who own the car . I congratulate you .ENJOY YOUR RIDE.......

    [url=http://www.multimedialo.de/]Rueckfahrsystem[/url]
  • chronochrono Member Posts: 149
    another good review ..

    http://www.detnews.com/article/20100311/OPINION03/3110389/1031
  • phill1phill1 Member Posts: 319
    Holy [non-permissible content removed]! One would have to have graduated with a PHD from Stamford or MIT to be able to figure out all that technology. Who the hell needs it! Just set the damn radio on FM and listen to NPR and just concentrate on driving already!
  • andyfromvaandyfromva Member Posts: 79
    another good review ..

    http://www.detnews.com/article/20100311/OPINION03/3110389/1031

    It's a very good review. As a new owner of a 2011 GLS, I agree with everything he said.
  • akeiyakeiy Member Posts: 22
    Has anyone here bought 11 Hyundai Sonata GLS with option 2 recently? What is the drive-out price? Thank you!
  • shuale_ejsshuale_ejs Member Posts: 115
    Thanks!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    And out of Motown no less!!
  • andyfromvaandyfromva Member Posts: 79
    Has anyone here bought 11 Hyundai Sonata GLS with option 2 recently? What is the drive-out price? Thank you!

    I believe you're talking about the popular equipment package (power seat, etc). That's the configuration I have on my GLS (with auto transmission). The price I paid was just over $19,000, but that didn't include tax, tags, freight, or any of the "extras" they try to sell you (some of which I bought).
  • akeiyakeiy Member Posts: 22
    edited March 2010
    Thank you very much! I just got a quote for 19900+ttl. So it is not a good deal, right? Should I wait until the end of this month?
  • andyfromvaandyfromva Member Posts: 79
    Thank you very much! I just got a quote for 19900+ttl. So it is not a good deal, right? Should I wait until the end of this month?

    It's a pretty good deal. There's a lot of competition among car dealers in my area, Northern Virginia, so that may account for the lower price.
  • napsfannapsfan Member Posts: 23
    What worked for me: I looked at fitzmall.com in the Maryland area and they had what I thought were very reasonable/competitive prices online. They had the exact car (colors, etc.) that I wanted at a good price. So I emailed my local dealer and sent him the URL pointing to that car. Told him I was willing to do a road trip to go to Fitzmall to buy that car (which I indeed would have done). My dealer called back and matched the price, obtained/traded for that car from a nearby dealer within 24 hrs. No haggling, which was a plus in my book. Seemed like a good deal all around to me. (BTW: That was $24,094 for the Limited, including freight. Seemed reasonable to me.)
  • drkyedrkye Member Posts: 5
    What was sticker on your new Limited??
  • ramkatramkat Member Posts: 23
    edited March 2010
    Midas69, I think that your experience kind of confirms what I have expected. I believe the suspension settings for the Non SE model was optimized for the Premium configuration and then used on the entry level model with the non optimized steel wheel configuration - from there the noticeable difference between the two experiences, albeit with different criteria in it being different persons evaluating each with his own preference and subjectivity.

    I wish that car reviewers will start using some standard to evaluate ride quality. With the availability of today’s technology it should be not too difficult to instrument a dummy with accelerometers and using a standard set of road bumps and dips etc. Strap the dummy in the passenger seat, do the test and repeat the test with the dummy strapped in the back seat. Compare the results from car to car and develop some form of criteria in terms of vertical and lateral acceleration experienced. That should remove most of the subjectivity in the ride quality evaluation and would allow us to compare apples with apples.
  • norm8_lakesnorm8_lakes Member Posts: 41
    I'm still waiting for the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited, CAMEL INTERIOR w/no nav.
    Are they making any camel interior? :mad:
  • maxamillion85maxamillion85 Member Posts: 78
    edited March 2010
    some one a few posts up said his/her dealership told him/her that Sonatas LTD models are currently in production with Camel interiors and they should be on sale within the next few weeks. I'm dying to see the Wine interior.'

    Harbor Gray with Wine interior LTD is my top choice.
    I also saw a Silver/Blue LTD recently with the Gray interior when in Hyundai's brochure says the Silver/Blue color would only be available with the Camel interior on LTD models. Indigo Blue looks GREAT in person, its my favorite color so far.
  • shabadoo25shabadoo25 Member Posts: 232
    Someone had asked about remembering volume levels a few pages back. While the Infinity stereo remembers the difference between your phone settings and your stereo ones, it does not differentiate between XM and FM, for instance.

    The Limited is the only model with turn signal indicators on the side mirrors.

    As for camel leather interiors, read back a little bit and you'll find some information.
  • lancep97lancep97 Member Posts: 36
    Local dealer has lots of new Sonatas with the Camel interior already.

    www.nfhyundai.com
  • texasnightowltexasnightowl Member Posts: 31
    re: indigo blue

    if that is the kinda deep blue that I just saw someone driving on my lunch break it is beautiful in person. I def. have to go by my dealer and drive one of these cars.
  • shabadoo25shabadoo25 Member Posts: 232
    Indigo is more of the optic, bright blue. Pacific is the dark, navy blue.
  • jlindhjlindh Member Posts: 282
    The Limited has Camel leather. Is that what you're seeing at the local dealer?
  • napsfannapsfan Member Posts: 23
    What was sticker on your new Limited??

    MSRP for Limited with mats, iPod cable, and freight, is $26,150. So the $24,094 was basically $2000 off MSRP (and just under the "so-called" invoice of about $24,500). So that seemed like a very reasoanble deal to me.
  • texasnightowltexasnightowl Member Posts: 31
    I just suck at describing colors. I visited the website and based on how they look on my screen, it is definitely the Indigo and not the Pacific that I just saw.
  • shabadoo25shabadoo25 Member Posts: 232
    There are plenty of Sonatas out there with camel cloth interior. Not so many/none with camel leather.
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