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2011 Hyundai Sonata

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Comments

  • howard18howard18 Member Posts: 53
    I'm Sure you will!!!

    Try other dealers!!!
  • shuale_ejsshuale_ejs Member Posts: 115
    That does stink. Not that it's a deal breaker for me but I agree with you. Why give you heated front AND rear seats but no power passenger seat.

    Oh well, I guess you can't have it all.
  • shuale_ejsshuale_ejs Member Posts: 115
    edited February 2010
    As of right now I can't. They have $1,000 as a deposit.

    Granted it is on my credit card, but I would have to straighten this out first before I can go somewhere else.
  • avucarguyavucarguy Member Posts: 56
    My wife and I test drve the 2011 Sonata GLS today. The exterior was very nice looking, however the interior seat fabric were cheap looking and felt cheap. This is a gray/black interior with the gray fabric. The instrument panel and dash area looks nice. The engine is noisier than a 2010 4cyl Camry from a friend of mine. Overall, the Sonata is very nice. I would definitely buy this over a Camry once there is some rebate money involve.
  • shuale_ejsshuale_ejs Member Posts: 115
    I am currently ending my lease on a 525i BMW and that was their oil change mileage too. I was surprised. I took it in at 3,000, like I'd always done on my Accord, and they told me it wasn't time. The car gave me a signal when it was time.

    I guess that's the way of the new cars. That's fine with me. Less trips to get an oil change means more money in my pocket.
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    I was also surprised that you don't need to change it as often, but I suppose my take on the issue is this:

    I trust the manufacturer's (Hyundai's) judgment, over my non-mechanical background. Besides, it costs less! Who's complaining! :):)
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    edited February 2010
    Here is a new video testing out a standard USB --> iPod cable, and showing what the dealer's audio cable looks like (USB + AUX). It does not work with the standard cable.

    Link:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3RWBkmix4w

    Cheers,
    -Trevor
  • syitalian25syitalian25 Member Posts: 303
    edited February 2010
    Very true, I will just check it to make sure it looks clean enough and other than that I guess it should be good to go.

    The dealer also told me there is a timing chain, not a belt - which would cost about $600-800 every 60,000 miles to change it out normally - but since it is a chain there is no need to change it. The way I see it, that's $1400 I won't have to spend plus no transmission services needed either (i.e. flushes). Nice
  • syitalian25syitalian25 Member Posts: 303
    I know that it works on the base system and the Dimension system in the limited with just the white iPod cable that most people have, although as someone mentioned I think you cannot browse folders and stuff without the Hyundai cable. I heard it myself on two test drives so I know it works. Either way, the cable is included as one of those options that is always added on (cable + carpeted mats = $135 total).
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    Really? What iPod are people using? I have a 64GB 3G iPod Touch, and it doesn't work with that. Check out the symptoms I'm seeing in my video. All it does is go from charging to not charging, back and forth, and never connects like it does with the Hyundai cable. Do you have any ideas on what I might be doing wrong?

    I just posted the link to my video above.

    Cheers,
    Trevor
  • jerryk33jerryk33 Member Posts: 6
    OK ... I am ready to purchase the SE or the "limited" version. BUT I do have serious reservations about the power for this vehicle. Perhaps I should wait for the "TURBO". Presently I have a Nissan Maxima GLE 82K miles BUT it is running perfectly (260 HP V6) and gives me a sense of comfort merging onto fast freeway traffic. Have any of you new owners have comments about the power for the Sonata? Can anyone also express what that found about the "quietness in the cabin"?
    Thanks
  • chrisk10chrisk10 Member Posts: 19
    edited February 2010
    I have an SE. I was a little skeptical about getting a 4 banger at first, since every car I've ever owned has had a V6. The power is not that bad. Had the chance to take it out on the interstate and there is plenty of power there to merge and/or pass. Keep in mind the engine is a little noisy at highway speeds, however you can't really complain when getting ~35mpg. The best way would be to test drive one and find out if it'll work for you.
  • chrisk10chrisk10 Member Posts: 19
    The white standard iPod/iPhone USB WILL NOT allow access/charing with an iPod/iPhone. I believe that if you use a mini plug (standard male 3.5" to male) and plug it into the Aux then it'll allow you to play music through the iPod, but not see the artist/song title on the radio screen. And obviously if you use the supplied cable from Hyundai you can see the artist/song name on the screen and change songs using the steering wheel controls. One thing I don't like about this is that you iPod/iPhone screen will not display anything but a "device connected" white screen. But you can use the CAT FOLDER button to pull up your artists or playlists and then use the knob below to scroll through them.
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    The cabin itself is very quiet on the highway (I took it out very late last night - right after I bought it - for a long cruise). The engine is indeed a little bit noisy, as others have stated, but I don't find it annoying; It's a 4-cyl. Anyway, I wouldn't have any issues merging onto highway traffic with it; I came from having a 2006 Sonata v6 235 HP, and I'm quite happy with the transition to the "weaker" 4-cyl.

    I would recommend one of these vehicles.

    FYI, I have a new video on the interior:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbFV6Yc542g

    Source: Limited Edition Owner
  • 2011sonatase2011sonatase Member Posts: 2
    Traded my 06 350Z for the 2011 SE. Positively an amazing car. Exterior, Interior, Bluetooth, XM, Ride, Comfort, Kick, etc… It’s no dragster but in Atlanta traffic it’s wicked. Buy now or you be sorry…Toyota is dead and price incentives and invoice pricing games will be gone soon. The supplier has the clear advantage.
  • syitalian25syitalian25 Member Posts: 303
    I have an iPod 5th Generation 30GB (full sized one with video) .. a little older than the newer iPod touch and iPhone so maybe that is the difference. I know it worked with the basic cable though, at least for me, in both the GLS and Limited (and SE as that shares the GLS stereo)
  • chrisk10chrisk10 Member Posts: 19
    What kind of air filter? K&N doesn't make them for the '11's yet, and the K&N for the '10 model isn't the same size. Just wondering, thanks.
  • swingmanswingman Member Posts: 54
    Sorry about bringing up the 0-60 conversation. Obviously it's not the most important thing in car shopping when looking at family sedans. I just thought it was interesting given the impressive specs.

    I value good mpg over most anything else so definitely interested in the Sonata given it's class leading fuel economy. That's one reason I don't even look at Mazdas given their lack of MPG focus.
  • chrisk10chrisk10 Member Posts: 19
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcn8WpK_p58
  • syitalian25syitalian25 Member Posts: 303
    it's an old K&N I got for clearance that I had to modify to make it fit on the old Sonata. Somehow with the 2011 it fits like a glove, all it took for installation was 15 seconds and a screwdriver. Plus it is reusable metal mesh so all I have to do is rinse it out. Sorry that I don't know the exact size/model, I threw out the box a couple of years ago.
  • caseybrucaseybru Member Posts: 47
    Jason5, Thanks. We have decided to go with the 2011 Sonata SE, Pacific Blue Pearl plus the small options such as iPod cable, carpeted floor mats, wheel locks, cargo net,and window tint. That and Ca DMV and state taxes [ $2,300 ] will be $24,200 OTD.
    There is a website with a Pacific Blue GLS .Has abour 24 pics and about 6 or 7 are of the exterior.

    http://www.ralphsellershyundai.com/VehicleDetails/617216543
  • syitalian25syitalian25 Member Posts: 303
    There is slightly more road noise with the SE because of the firmer spring/suspension settings, more so at low speeds than on the highway. It is still a quiet ride even with either model, although maybe a bit less than the big boats like the Malibu (but with a much sportier ride, it is worth it).

    As far as the snow, the tires are all season and so far it has been doing fine in the snow. While it's not a Ford Expedition, the ESC/Traction do most of the work for you without being too annoying. I drove over a large mountain yesterday in about 4 inches and was passing everyone in the un-plowed lane with no slipping involved - I was impressed.
  • zornundozornundo Member Posts: 21
    I had a 2006 Accent that I drove for over 80k miles (mainly highway) and changed the oil faithfully every 7500 miles, as per the manual. No problems with that car. I currently drive a 2006 Sonata GLS 4 cyl. and have over 42k miles on it so far and change the oil every 7500 miles, too, as per the manual. Again, no problems here. The book should say which interval you should follow, based on your driving conditions. Since I drive over 90% highway or so, I follow the long interval.
  • awahooawahoo Member Posts: 15
    I was waiting for a 2011 GLS. Ordered it with automatic and popular eqip. pckg #2. MSRP is $21,800, I'm getting it for $19,688, and it is expected in next week. Today, I went by the dealer, and he had a silver Limited. MSRP is $26,155 and I can get it for $23,000 even. This sounds like a great deal to me. Only thing is, I'm not too hot on the leather seats. I sat in it, and they seemed very hard, no cushion. Does the Limited have a softer ride than the SE? Would the Limited ride compare more with the GLS? I need to know if all the bells and whistles on the Limited are worth the extra $3,312? I'm in my seventies and plan to keep this care for a long time. What do you think? GLS or Limited.
  • syitalian25syitalian25 Member Posts: 303
    I definitely think it is worth it to go with the Limited, that is a great price! The leather seats are very comfortable - more so than the cloth - and the quality of the leather is really above anything found in other midsized cars. The seats are 8-way power adjustable so you probably just needed to change the settings a bit to get comfortable.

    But yeah, for an extra $3312 you are getting a ton of upgrades. The longer you plan to keep the car, the more you are going to appreciate spending that extra 3K when you hop into a top-of-the-line car.

    For just that $3300 you get:

    - Chrome exterior door handles
    - Proximity entry with push button start
    - Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
    - Front fog lights
    - Leather seating surfaces with heated front and rear seats
    - Dual automatic temperature control
    - Auto-dimming mirror/HomeLink/compass
    - Premium door sill plates/"Limited" badge
    - In-dash six-disc CD-changer
    - HD Radio technology with multicasting
    - Dimension premium speakers, subwoofer/external amplifier
    - 17-inch alloy wheels with standard tire
    - Side mirror turn signal indicators
    - Power tilt and slide sunroof
    - Unique interior accents (Piano Black or Woodgrain)
    - Floor console mounted rear vents
  • flatibbyflatibby Member Posts: 28
    Just got my 2011 SE this past Sunday from King Hyundai in Deerfield Beach, FL. Trade in my 2007 SE V6 for this car and decided to lease this time around. I have to say that I am very impressed with this car. Definately leap year difference compared to my previous Sonata. The materials used in this car are much better then before. You can feel it right from the grasp of the steering wheel to the turn signal and wiper switches, that they have done thier homework at Hyundai engineering dept.

    As far as the ride quality is concerned, the SE model is a bit stiff on the suspension. Sorta reminded me when I used to own a 2003 Tiburon with similar ride stiffness. This is not a concern for me but like others have said, if this is not your taste you might want to look at the GLS or the Limited model. And since were on the topic of suspension, I like to discuss about the noise problem I used to encounter on my 2007 Sonata in comparison this new car. So far my daily drive to Dunkin Donuts requires me to pass thru the warehouse district, which gives me a good indication of any suspension noises I would experience on my new car. The suspension sounded very supplanted. I am very happy to report that AGAIN the Hyundai Engineers have corrected the problem with the suspension noises.

    This is currently my 6th Hyundai vehicle I have owned. My first was a 1993 Hyundai Elantra GL. Not that I am bias to only owning a Hyundai vehicle.. ( My wife drives a 08 Pathfinder) but I feel like a proud daddy to see it all grown up and caught up to everyone else. :)
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    Yeah, wow, that's a great price for a Limited Edition. That's actually -below- invoice price! I think I finally agreed to pay $24,500 for mine, so I guess I got shafted.

    Cheers,
    Trevor
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    Here's a video in which I find out that the passenger seat doesn't have power (towards the end):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BNZYymZ5Og

    Cheers,
    Trevor
  • swingmanswingman Member Posts: 54
    thanks for the videos pcgeek.

    How tall are you and how close is your head to hitting the roof? Probably just the angle of the camera but looks close.

    Didn't see the passenger seat test in that video??

    How is the HD radio compared to regular radio from older cars?
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    edited February 2010
    I get supplier pricing (about $700 under invoice), and I plan on testing a Sonata to see if Hyundai quashed the suspension noise gremlins, and also to gauge ride quality (I like supple rides more so than firm suspensions, especially given the terrible state of many U.S. roads).

    The choice I'm making now is between the 2010 Legacy or the 2011 Sonata.

    I already drove the Legacy and the car was very solid with a nice ride quality, but it lacked many, many of the features the 2011 makes standard (unless you opt for the Legacy Limited + additional options).

    Does anyone know if the 2011 Sonata has rear vents for the heat and AC? I've looked and looked but can't seem to find the answer.

    Thanks.
  • swingmanswingman Member Posts: 54
    the limited has rear vents for heat and ac. se and gls don't
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    the limited has rear vents for heat and ac. se and gls don't

    Thank you very much. That's a bummer as we have a baby now who will be riding in a rear facing car seat in the back seat.

    I really don't want to spend $3,500 to $5000 more for a limited.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I carried 3 kids in rear-facing car seats over the years, and all survived w/o vents in the center console. :) In fact, I think the only reason they are offered is that they give fidgety teenagers and adults something else to play with besides their iPhones/BlackBerries/Nintendos etc.

    Maybe those rear vents would even be a little drafty for the little guy/gal?
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    Hey, no problem with the videos! I love sharing :)

    I'm 5 foot 9 inches tall, and I don't have any height issues. Remember that the seat is height-adjustable too, though I do tend to keep mine lower.

    One of the videos, towards the end, I try to look for passenger seat controls, and realize that it's not electronic :( Maybe it's not that video, sorry. I can't remember which content is in which video, since I've made a few of them now :)

    The HD radio is -amazing- compared to standard radio! It does seem to cut in and out depending on where you are though. Lower elevations, and other obstruction, seem to inhibit the usability of HD radio. It sounds so much better when it's tuned into an HD station though, and it's quite easy to tell whether you've got an HD station or not, on the screen. I live in the Chicagoland area, so I'm not sure how widespread HD radio is.

    Cheers!
    Trevor
  • ramkatramkat Member Posts: 23
    Some curious questions.
    Are the sill plates backlit on the Limited?
    Are the sidemirrors foldable on the Limited
    Is the side mirror fold action motorized? (popular feature in Europe where the side mirrors will fold out of harms way when the car is locked)

    Last question. Has anyone seen a picture of an interior with wood grain?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    edited February 2010
    Side mirrors fold on all trims, but manually (in the US spec models anyway).

    I saw a photo with woodgrain the other day but now I can't remember where... it was probably in one of those reviews posted here.
  • tonic7tonic7 Member Posts: 1
    Hey great prices!

    Can you tell what dealer is that and where (address, phone #, or some way to contact them)? Thanks.
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    Hey Backy, I hear 'ya.

    We were originally going to get a CUV, because of the rear privacy glass, but as we've decided on a sedan now, I'm just worried that w/out the rear vents, cabin temps will be uneven on very hot or very cold days.

    Maybe tinting would help resolve the cooling issue.
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    ramkat,

    One other thing to note is that only the Limited has the turn signals on the front of the mirrors. Kinda a nice-to-have, but still cool :)

    Cheers,
    Trevor
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I didn't check under the 2011 Sonata's front seats, but earlier models had under-seat ventilation ducts that help even out air distribution along with the upper vents. I would be surprised if the 2011 Sonata didn't have under-seat air ducts.

    We are talking about a sedan here, not a minivan or CUV. :)
  • norm8_lakesnorm8_lakes Member Posts: 41
    What does SOLAR GLASS exactly do for the driver?
  • Jason5Jason5 Member Posts: 440
    Modern service intervals comfortably go 5-7.5K. I have a 2007 and I use full synthetic oil and change it on that interval. I have yet to add a quart during those intervals.
  • awahooawahoo Member Posts: 15
    The dealer is Gateway Hyundai in Colonial Heights, VA.( about 20 miles south of Richmond). The number is 804-414-2001 and ask for the internet manager. These people are great to deal with! Good Luck.
  • chrisk10chrisk10 Member Posts: 19
    Tint the glass and that will help. I have a little one on the way and I had planned on tinting because it made the car look better plus it will help keep the backseat cooler. I'm not at all worried about not having rear vents. Like was said above, its a car, not an SUV/CUV.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,513
    basically like tinted glass without heavy tint. It will block some of the sun glare.

    oh, and it sounds good in the brochure.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • chrisk10chrisk10 Member Posts: 19
    edited February 2010
    I uploaded some pics of my SE.

    http://s979.photobucket.com/albums/ae272/kerronis/2011%20Sonata%20SE/
  • shabadoo25shabadoo25 Member Posts: 232
    One of the reasons I wanted nav is that I find the only thing about the new Sonata that looks "low rent" and not up to the high quality of the other apportionments is the stereo screen.

    The full color nav screen just fits in better with how deluxe the rest of the car comes off.
  • wobbly_earswobbly_ears Member Posts: 160
    Solar Glass helps in blocking the UV rays form entering the cabin. It prevents the interiors from fading. More importantly, it prevents the UV rays from harming your skin.

    I don't like to put sunfilm on my cars as they hinder visibility at night. My Azera has Solar Control Glass & hence I can drive without sunfilm & not be harmed by UV rays as much. Also, my interiors are as nice as they were when new & have kept their shape well in 3 years.
  • pcgeek86pcgeek86 Member Posts: 72
    Although I love my Limited Edition, I wish I had the SE model for the dual-exhaust. It's shocking that it's not offered on the Limited. How does it sound? The exhaust on my Limited sounds dinky ... just like a little 4-cyl. It just sounds weak, you know what I mean?

    Cheers,
    Trevor
  • chrisk10chrisk10 Member Posts: 19
    Trevor,

    It sounds a little better than the Limited in my opinion. Has a decent small rumble at idle. However I did notice I am getting a black buildup on the tips already, and its only got 200 miles on it! Looks like it'll be a chore to keep them clean.
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