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Did We Get the Wrong Car? - 2015 Hyundai Sonata Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
edited January 2015 in Hyundai
imageDid We Get the Wrong Car? - 2015 Hyundai Sonata Long-Term Road Test

Should Edmunds have ordered the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco with its dual-clutch transmission instead of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport for its long-term fleet?

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    bankerdannybankerdanny Member Posts: 1,021
    Riswick asked the same question about the EcoBoost Mustang vs the V8 GT the answer is the same: yes, you got the wrong version. We already know the Coyote is a great engine, the EB is all new in the Mustang and there was more for Edmunds to learn and share about it than the GT.

    I have no doubt that the base Sonata engine performs in a perfectly satisfactory manner for a mid price appliance sedan and it is unlikely that there are going to be any new revelations about it. There is more to be learned about the Eco model and it is the one you should have selected.
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    chol92594chol92594 Member Posts: 208
    Even if the Eco is more powerful and entertaining to drive, I'd be willing to bet that most buyers would choose the base engine, just like most buyers that shop for Camrys, Accords, Altimas, etc. tend to choose the 4-cyl over the 6-cyl. Even if these cars are getting to be more luxurious than they once were, they're still large-volume family sedans that need to appeal to a wide range of consumers, many of which don't really care about 0-60 numbers.
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    sdasda Member Posts: 6,987
    edited January 2015
    When 0-60 numbers are less than 9 seconds, you have a reasonably quick car. Many 4 cylinder cars are doing it under 8 seconds like the Accord and Altima and are getting great mpg. Don't get me wrong, I love power, but just because it is a 4 cylinder doesn't make it a dog.

    2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav

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    emajoremajor Member Posts: 332
    Yes, you got the wrong Sonata. The Eco is new, untested, and far more interesting than this Camry LE clone. We already know how the 2.4 performs. Several of us have already mentioned this.

    But why are you even asking us? In the 25 comments on the same question for the Mustang, not a single Edmunds editor bothered to reply or take part in the conversation.
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    grijongrijon Member Posts: 147
    edited January 2015
    emajor said:

    Yes, you got the wrong Sonata. The Eco is new, untested, and far more interesting than this Camry LE clone. We already know how the 2.4 performs. Several of us have already mentioned this.

    But why are you even asking us? In the 25 comments on the same question for the Mustang, not a single Edmunds editor bothered to reply or take part in the conversation.

    Except for the Camry part, this comment PERFECTLY expresses my thoughts, too.
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    gslippygslippy Member Posts: 514
    I have two 2.4s - my son's 2011 2.4 Sonata, and our 2013 Optima Hybrid (2.4 Atkinson cycle). They're both very nice - roughish idle, but smooth power to the top, coupled with a wonderful 6-speed automatic.

    The only use of this LT test for me is evaluation of the Sonata's new layout. It would have been much more interesting to hear about the Eco and the 7-speed dual-clutch. It's the dual-clutch that makes me a bit nervous, so I would have liked to hear about it in daily use.

    So instead, I'll have to look elsewhere for my information. That means a few less clicks for you, and less revenue for Edmunds. Your choice, not mine.
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    bassracerxbassracerx Member Posts: 188
    sda said:

    When 0-60 numbers are less than 9 seconds, you have a reasonably quick car. Many 4 cylinder cars are doing it under 8 seconds like the Accord and Altima and are getting great mpg. Don't get me wrong, I love power, but just because it is a 4 cylinder doesn't make it a dog.

    agreed, many families are just now replacing v6 powered impallas, taurus, grand prix, G6, intrepids, Ford explorers, the 'base' four cylinder engine in the mazda6/sonata/camry is faster than the six cylinder engines in most of these cars and i'm sure these families are GLAD to switch to something more efficient. i think the ECO model sonata is a good sweet spot for someone who really wants something sporty but maybe doesent want to pay the gas bill of something that is powerful.
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    allthingshondaallthingshonda Member Posts: 878
    My girlfriend has a Sonata with the 2.4 and it's good engine that has good power. The 6 speed transmission is one of the best I've driven. But like gslippy said I would be more interested in how well the 7 speed DCT works.
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    emajoremajor Member Posts: 332
    edited January 2015
    gslippy said:


    So instead, I'll have to look elsewhere for my information. That means a few less clicks for you, and less revenue for Edmunds. Your choice, not mine.

    They don't care. We don't generate enough for them, the consumer advice & tools section probably accounts for nearly all revenue. They've long since ignored my b*tching. Even the Dart wrap-up fiasco garnered very little attention from the editors.

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    rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    I have to say that the 2.4L GDI engine, and 6 speed automatic, in my 2011 Sonata are turning out to be among the worst I have owned. When the car was new, they were great. Now 64K miles later the engine uses 2qts of oil every 5,000 miles. The oil cap is starting to become impossible to remove just to add oil. In fact, it took two of us today to finally unscrew it just so I could add a qty of oil to top it off. The serpentine belt screeches when driving in the rain, or when starting the car the morning after a rain or snow storm. The exhaust on cold mornings smells like pure, unfiltered gasoline. The transmission is shifting progressively harsher, and occasionally it will shift so hard that the check engine light flashes (but never stores a code.) The car is starting to lurch and stumble at times. This car has been maintained regularly every 5K miles by the original selling dealer and if anything has been over-maintained relative to what is indicated by Hyundai. I hope to trade the car in the next week or two as its reliability is becoming questionable.
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    crankeeecrankeee Member Posts: 298
    Edmunds at least has objective reviews. We have the 2012 base 2.4L Sonata and the only problem after 34,000 miles has been the front end alignment with the quick wearing Kuhmo tires. Hyundai engineers contacted us for comments after complaints to dealer and only 22,000 miles on the OEM tires. the car was designed without a camber adjusting bolt, but the tech corrected the problem at the extreme of the factory specs, so we were good when we installed Michelin tires recommended for this model.
    The 1.6L Eco model offers an interesting choice for those of us that like Hyundai cars. The extra cost is minimal with the added features, so we are waiting to see some real world comments on the new engine and the dual clutch setup impact on mileage and driveability.
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    PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    It's always the first thing I look forward to with every new car... getting enough mileage on those OEM tires to justify changing them out for something better. Typically we've gotten 25-30K on tires that came with our cars. Once I change them out, I'm usually getting 50K+
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    shabadoo25shabadoo25 Member Posts: 232
    I cross shopped the Eco and the 2.0T. I liked the Eco at speed, but it really has to be coaxed to move from a dead stop.

    Ultimately, I couldn't find the color/option combo I wanted in the Eco so I just went with the 2.0T. I liked its styling better, anyhow.
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