Hyundai Sonata (2010 and older) Midsize | Compact

Hyundai Sonata (2010 and older) Midsize | Compact 

DESCRIPTION

The Hyundai Sonata is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in 6 trims, ranging from the GLS Manual to the Limited Auto PZEV.

The GLS Manual is equipped with a standard 2.4-liter, I4, 198-horsepower engine. The Limited Auto PZEV is equipped with a standard 2.4-liter, I4, 190-horsepower engine that achieves 23-mpg in the city and 35-mpg on the highway.

USER REVIEWS

Showing 121-130 of 163  
[Feb 19, 2001]
Dan Singley
Model Reviewed: Hyundai Sonata GLS

Strength:

Nice color, Smooth Ride, Lots of nice standard equipment

Weakness:

Seats could be a little softer but not to bad

I like driving the car very much. It has a smooth ride and plenty of power and good gas mileage. So far I have had no problems with the car. It came with a nice sounding cd system. The cup holders could be improved in the front seat area but are real nice in the back seat built into the fold down armrest.

Similar Products Used:

1994 Chrysler New Yorker, Ford Tauras had transmission problems with both these cars so I like the warranty on the Sonata

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[May 18, 2001]
Craig Pitman
Model Reviewed: GLS 4-cylinder Auto.

Strength:

Good mechanical quality (above the quality of many American sedans) - no major problems for 4 years, good price, design doesn't look too dated in 2001, pretty roomy inside, modest power above city speeds.

Weakness:

Low power at city speeds (and noisey), tranny gets confused shifting from 1st to 2nd (easily confused), some interior plastic pieces cracking/colour fading faster than other pieces, some minor rust on body (around side moldings and window frames).

Bought the car recently, and knew the previous owner and their problems (or lack of) with the car. It's been very reliable for me (although my previous car experiences weren't much to talk about) and turns in good mileage (23 mpg in the city). The engine seems to have nice power (although a delay in shifting from 1st to 2nd causes aukwardness in the city), but is kind of noisey and buzzy compared to Japanese cars.

Compared with a new 2001 Sonata V6 GLS - it lacks SO much power, but I find it has better seats (especially in back) and more room in the front, as well as a nicer shaped trunk (and I think it looks better).

Similar Products Used:

Small American cars

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jan 14, 2001]
James
Model Reviewed: GLS

Strength:

- Smooth ride
- Many luxuary items: moon roof, premium stereo, etc.
- Great warrenty

Weakness:

- Overall model could be more attractive
- Lacks horsepower for V6
- Audiable engine noise when accelerating

I am a Korean, and I vowed myself not buy a Korean car. I even worked with Korean car manufacturers. But when I drove Sonata, boy was I wrong! Though the appearance could use more aggressive and luxury style, overall, I am impressed and my previous conception about Korean cars has changed.

Similar Products Used:

- Ford Taurus LX: I loved my Taurus LX. But Sonata is very loveable (it's my wife's car).
- Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Mazda 626: Why dothese cars get so many praises when Sonata doesn't fall behind?

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jan 11, 2001]
Raymond
Model Reviewed: GLS V6

Strength:

First, the ride. It is soft and quiet. Second, peace of mind, with a great warranty. Third, it does NOT look like Camry, I live just 15 miles from the Toyota Camry plant. I even could get a discount to owe a Camry, I still choice the Sonata.

Weakness:

Transmission needs some refinement, headlights dim noticable when you hit the brakes, and tires make too much noise (but reasonable amount for their great roadholding abilities)

See I purchased this car for my mother, I researched only after she noticed it at a Hyundai dealership in Lexington. The salesman, Robert, made it a pleasant experience even on the day when I was, "Just looking". I let the service department take care of all routine maintenance and so far it to has been quite pleasant. This is not a performance sedan, but that is what makes it so great. It was meant for A to B driving (you know the driving most of use do 5,6 or 7 days a week) with a peace of mind knowing you are covered, if something unexpected happens. Compared to a good used car the Hyundai is still the better value. Compared to the Camry, which cann't stand (after seeing why to many of) I made the right choice. Oh and the standard side airbag was a major plus.

Similar Products Used:

84, 88, 92 Bonneville - they just got too expensive to keep buying. They are not a bad car unless you keep them past 100K miles. I don't have money to burn.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Dec 28, 2000]
Eric Johnson
Model Reviewed: Forgot

Strength:

Excellent performance for such an inexpensive car. Hard suspension, comfortable seating.

Weakness:

Takes some time to speed up. Squeaky brakes.

Again, a great car with good performance.

Similar Products Used:

Honda Accord. The Accord may be a better car, but the Sonata is sold at such a low retail price. A good deal.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Dec 29, 2000]
Anthony
Model Reviewed: Hyundai Sonota

Strength:

Power steering (my other cars didn't have any), good gas mileage, roomy inside, was very impressed with the base horsepower (149) that gets up when you need it to. Draws a lot of attention (not a car people are used to seeing a 19 year old driving) Inside doesn't leak when it rains! My other car leaked like crazy when it rained, had to roll the window almost all the way down when it rained. Has air conditioning and the heater kicks! The engine is quiet on the freeways and has little noise when you drive around town. Has a roomy trunk where I can put my 12's when I upgrade my stereo. Kinda wish it had a CD player included, but the tape player has beat for a stock system. Shifts easily.

Weakness:

I would have to say that the only things that I don't like about the car so far is the fact that I can't fold down the back seats (but I probably won't ever have a use for that anyway) and the fact that I have to fill it up twice a week, but what did I expect when I commute 30 miles to San Francisco 5 days a week? Other than that, the car (so far) is reliable and have had no problems.

Overall, this is a good car, easy on the eyes: all my friends are jealous! Now everyone wants a new car all of a sudden. Could've got a VW Jetta, but the dealer was uncooperative, I guess that a 19 year old affording a $25,000 car was a fairy tale to them. Went to 3 dealers and none of them were helpful! Plus they wanted $600.00 a month for the payments! So I got another car with almost everything the Jetta has for a $350 a month payment! This car drives very smoothly and is a good buy. I love driving this car and seeing peoples shocked expressions when they see me driving this. Would recommend to anyone who wants a reliable car that has good gas mileage and is fun to drive

Similar Products Used:

1988 Mazda 323- got to drive it for only a week before the head gasket blew out.
1988 Chevrolet Sprint: good reliable 1st (um, 2nd car) got me through high school and some of college. But when comparing these two cars to the Hyundai, there is no comparison. This car is better than both.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Oct 31, 2000]
Guy Tierce
Model Reviewed: Sonata

Strength:

Comfortable seats. Good handling. Fantastic stock six speaker stereo. Easy on the eyes. Good gas mileage.

Weakness:

NOISY brakes. Does not remind you to turn your lights off. Kind of loud at highway speeds. Sluggish off the starting line, but gets better at once you pick up speed.

While this vehicle has it's weaknesses, I would recommend a Hyundai to anyone. This is our second one. The first was a 1986 Excel that we bought brand new for $5,500. We traded it in 1997 for a Nissan truck and the dealer gave us $300. But that little car ran for 11 years with really no problems so we got our moneys worth out of that car. Now my first experience with Hyundai was when my buddy owned a piece of crap Scoupe and I swore that Hyundai was the junkiest car out there. After the Excel experience, I told my wife that if we had a chance to pick up another one we would. So here we are on the 98 Sonata and we could not be happier. The only real problem that I have had is when my driver side window quit working and it turned out to be a regulator for the motor. I bought an extended warranty from the used car dealer when I bought the car and of course they decided that this particular part was not covered. Imagine my surprise when I brought it to the local Hyundai dealer and they agreed to pick up the tab on not only the part, but half of the labor as well. Talk about service. Hyundai has a lot of new vehicles out for the 2001 model year. I can't wait to get into the XG300. My wife is wanting a Santa Fe as well. I can safely assume that we will be Hyundai owners for many years to come.

Similar Products Used:

1993 Honda Accord. 1986 Hyundai Excel. Hyundai is improving.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Oct 13, 2000]
Justin Parker
Model Reviewed: Sonata

Strength:

solid,impressive sedan preformance,holds ground well compared to more expensive sedans.

Weakness:

hard starts, usually takes about 7 cranks to turn it over.

i paid 6000 in 98' its just too bad these cars dont hold their value. I think its as much car as an accord but falls short on the re-sale value.

Similar Products Used:

none

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Oct 07, 2000]
Michael
Model Reviewed: /GLS V-6 5-speed & Pkg 13

Strength:

Smooth, quiet, powerful V-6 engine. Good gas mileage. Roomy interior. Decent trunk. Very well equipped. Great safety features (side air bags, pretensioners, ABS/traction control).

Weakness:

Notcy manual transmission. Needs a bit more headroom in the sunroof models. Needs to use the type trunk lid hinges that don't intrude into trunk. Needs a sport suspension option & 16 inch tire upgrade. Floaty suspension. Needs fog light option.

I heartily recommend the loaded GLS V-6 5-speed w/Pkg 13. It is not perfect. No car is, but it can't be beat when taking into account all factors. While my V-6 5-speed cries out for a sport suspension option, as the suspension is too floaty and doesn't react well in sharp corners, on the whole it is an excellent overall value. Price is right (MSRP for this loaded car only $20,262). Financing was outstanding (0.9% financing for 48 months). Warranty is great. Sales and service experience have been excellent. High level of base equipment and options make the car a sleeper in terms of affordable luxury. People can't believe I paid only $18,400 for such a loaded car. However, it was very hard to find a loaded manual transmission GLS. There was only one in a 10-state area and I had to do an interdealer trade with a Chicago-area dealer to get it. Hyundai needs to promote and build more loaded V-6 manuals!!!

Similar Products Used:

My loaded V-6 5-speed has leather, sunroof, ABS/traction control, cassette/CD stereo. Cost $4-8 thousand less than comparable Maxima, 626, Camry.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Sep 28, 2000]
Don

Strength:

Absolutely everything!! V-6 has plenty of power. Roomy, quiet. Rides like a much larger heavier car. Feels much like a Benz. Cannot believe the price or the Warranty!! We test drove the Accord, Camry, Gallant, and 626. None of them were even in the same league; all great cars, but you owe it to yourself to try out the Sonata GLS

Weakness:

Wish it had a button to kick off the Overdrive.

(2000 model)Paid around 18K. Would definitely recommend it to anyone

Similar Products Used:

Mazda 626. Dearly love my 626, but no comparison in ride or noise levels. The Hyundai's got it beat, hand's down

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 121-130 of 163  

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