Price, nice lines, responsive steering, tight turning radius, very roomy inside, great gas mileage, super warranty, *cool thing* if you turn the car off and forget to roll up your power windows, you have a minute of power with the key out to do so.

NOISY brakes, re-sale value is terrible, dumb cup holders, no idiot light when you leave the lights on (3 jumps needed so far), dull interior, 4cyl is underpowered, rough shocks, engine may sound too whiny for some.

We bought this car used with less than 11,000. Got a great trade-in for my Lumina w/ almost 200K miles. I LOVE the styling. Looks a little like the 2001 Jag (no...REALLY). It is definitely under-powered, and I'm a little worried about the mechanical quality, but the service guys aim to please, and the warranty can't be beat. Brakes are a problem. We had to have the rotors and drums resurfaced due to scoring and resulting corrosion. It made this pathetic wheezing whine whenever I applied the brakes...even on the test drive. The service deparrtment fixed it( even though it is a wearable part), but warned us to expect it again within a year. It is super on gas. My wife and I commute 100 miles a day to work and back, and it is soooo responsive on the road. It could use somewhat softer suspension. The 4cyl engine is a little slow on the draw, but it is really peppy after 40mph. Roomy inside (I'm 6'2" and i'm comfortable, even in the BACK seat)but gives a cheap, plastic-y feeling. I'd recommend it to anyone who intends to keep the car for a while. The resale is a nightmare.

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-Gorgeous!!
-Smooth engine and ride
-Solid and well built
-Stock Michelin tires stick to ice and snow like glue
-Good factory stereo
-Gas mileage for such a roomy car (24mpg)
-The headlights are very illuminating
-100,000 mile warranty (We got the bumper to bumper upped to 100k too)
-Low price

-The dealership we bought it at is clueless
-Warped rotors at 20k
-The cupholders are good for cans of soda, and only two of them at that
-The passenger front seat belt comes out, then sticks so you can't move
-The wheels are hard to clean
-No dinger for those of us who forget to turn the lights off

I used to work on Hyundais which sealed the decision to buy one, as I had lots of experience with what went wrong with them and what didn't. My wife's aunt, who drives an Aurora, was amazed by it and was shocked that it didn't cost more. It drives like a dream and is quiet and strong. Like ANY car, it has had a few mechanical problems (warped rotors at 20k, blower motor squeak at 4k) but the 100,000 mile warranty will help with anything that should pop up.

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Listen to what they tell you: Driving IS believing. Just do it.

Go see the people at "Go Hyundai" in Stockton, CA. Ask for Andrew he's a young guy that has excellent customer service skills. Great people over there. Excellent power for a V6. Very comfortable leather seats. Very nice features inside. Very Quiet , smooth comfortable ride. Cup holders up front and also in the middle fold down for people in the back its cool!!! Nice Stereo...Sunroof is an excellent feature so get it! The car is just great and you can feel how the quality compares to Honda, Toyota and all those. I really don't know why the Sonata doesn't get the same praise and the other manufactures.....but wait it will soon watch.

None so far . I'm sure we won't have any problems at all. Plus you can't beat the warranty they come with anywhere in the industry. And if you purchase the extended warranty & touch of class you shouldn't have to worry about a thing. The people on here who say their paint is fading or the transmission is going out or A/C compressor is going out is just because they forgot to purchase those extra coverages just like in any other car manufacture. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE avoid the people at the Hyundai dealership in MODESTO, CA. the customer service is HORRIBLE , they should be stripped the privelege to sell Hyundais. Very rude people and I was told that but I guess I had to experience it myself.

Car rides like a Cadillac.....Beautiful looks. So far so good. My aunt owns a 99 Sonata and she is loving it!! Never had any problems. I'm sure we will be fine with this new car. You can feel and see the quality that this car is built with. It is a very nice car and affordable if you want to be a smart shopper I recommend it to anyone.

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We had a 98 Oldsmobile ...it was nice and comfortable...this Sonata is right up there with it.

The best qualities would be the V6 engine, the fact that the backseat is one of the roomiest that you can find, not to mention the car just looks awesome!!

Not many. I've had a few problems with axles, but most of that was due to the idiots at the dealership who didn't know how to put them in correctly. And I guess it is a bit of a hindrance getting the hard-to-find car parts since it isn't as common as other sedans.

The Hyundai Sonata was my first car and has been my only one so far and I'm quite determined to keep it that way! My mother bought it new in 1993, and gave it to me a few years later as my high school graduation present. In my opinion, you can't find a better-looking car than a Sonata. The new ones are excellent, but even my '93 still looks new and "modern." Compare a '93 Sonata to a '93 Toyota Camry or Honda Accord and see which one looks the best! The Sonata combines the best of both worlds--it's high-class, yet sporty.

However it's more than just the look that makes a Sonata great! The 3.0-liter V6 has POWER. For me, it is especially uplifting when some "full of himself" guy comes speeding along in his chintzy little 4-cylinder sports car and thinks he can race me. Compared to the V6 engines of both Toyotas and Hondas, the Hyundai winds, hands-down!

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MUCH better power than the Toyota Camry XLE with V6, I'll tell you that.

superior styling and loaded with standard features making it very good value for the money

brakes are on the soft side

(1999 Model) - quiet and smooth ride; V6 engine has lots of pep; lots of interior room; comfortable seats; quality of workmanship both interior and exterior is very good; premium audio system is excellent.

7 ft door in the back trunk closed,34 mpg,heated mirrors when its -30' parts easier and cheaper to find than a 3.8ltr ford.Oil drain plug and filter change without climbing underneath.huge interior(not as big as an SUV!)

We did have transmission shifting problems until i put the correct oil in the trans.interior handle did break($17)new one.Michelin tires 100% better than cheap american tires.Suspension might seem soft but i drive an audi so i don't concider it a problem.I fixed the brake squeak by buying good quality linings.the transmissions will last forever if you use the overdrive off button in town and use chrysler ATF(plus)oil.

when we went shopping for a new car we listed our wants and needs.we test drove all makes and models over a 3 month period.we had GM(trade in)but the new stuff is junk much like ford has always been,japs were too expensive,we wanted an altima.german is nice but pricey,i have an audi already,and the last chrysler we had dropped a rod at 200km(hundred)Our sonata had five REAL seats,they do fold,electric everything and it all works,mitsubishi drivetrain,disc brakes all around that don,t squeak,overall the best damn money we,ve ever spent.This car has cost nothing outside good maintenance,yes i do it myself, because all your complaints are pretty much about the garages not the car.

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GM grand am,dodge shadow,renault 12,18,16,,audi,alfa romeo,hyundai stella(100%reliable),opel,land rover,etc etc (been there seen it and done it)will never buy a ford again and anyone that swears by them is a complete fool.

Rides. Comfort. Reliability. Style. Price.

Hm. . .

Before I bought the Sonata, I had Hyundai Scoope. I used the Scoope for six years in satisfaction. So, I decided to buy another Hyundai product.

I have been using my Sonata for three and half years. I love my Sonata. Dependable. I have 60000+ miles on it and I have never had problem with it.

Oh, now I think of it, I did have a minor problem. I was carrying heavy things inside the globe compartment and the latch became weak. I had to replace the latch. I am not sure if the same problem exists in other cars.

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The price, the smooth drive, the warranty.

The alarm doesn't work on the hood or trunk. The audible sound has stopped working completely. There are no warning chimes if you've left your lights on, so you may have a dead battery quite frequently. They don't offer the car with anything but leather seats. And again, listing options that just aren't available on your car.

We were initially impressed with the Sonata. Shortly after we purchased it, we found out that the options offered in the brochures and users manual were not included. Upon further investigation, the manufacturer tells us that the options are only offered on European models, or not at all! This is false advertising! We have tried talking with the dealer and the home office, but we are getting no support. This has really made our opinion quite poor.

People looking for options should NOT buy this car. You won't be happy. The users manual says "if installed" for most of the options, but they aren't installed. If you still believe you want this car, read the sticker VERY carefully. Don't depend on the brochure or anything you read on-line.

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I've had better luck with Pontiac. We traded in a Mazda MPV which we loved. I'm not at all happy with the Sonata.

I love the air conditioner, color, style. After a year and a half nothing has gone wrong except the whole gas tank fiasco. Roomy back seat, good leg room in front. Love the fold down back seat for extra trunk space. You can choose to fold down just the right seat section for a little extra length or the other seat plus middle section for more width, and someone can still sit back there!

THE GAS TANK!! The people at Hyundai need to admit when something needs to be recalled for service--I'm confused about this "investigation" as it has been going on for over a year and nothing has happened. I may have to pay $400 MORE DOLLARS for their mistake! And one minor hassle--the back doors don't open far enough to be able to get some slightly large but reasonable sized boxes in the car. Same for the trunk opening. My power side mirrors no longer work.

I loved the way this car looked, the test drive was wonderful-smooth and comfortable. I had not considered it previously. Not long after I got it the brakes started squeaking horribly. Brought it in a couple of times under original warranty, but the "fixing" didn't last long. They say they just squeak. Just after warranty expired, I noticed a gas odor. Found out it was a cracked fuel tank, found info about an NHTSA investigation into it, but no one here knew nothing about it so I had to pay over $400 to get it fixed. Almost a year later I smell the smell again. I'm getting mad!!! If it weren't for the gas tank thing I would love love love the car. I'm sure the 2001s don't have this problem.

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Nothing similar--original car was '84 Mercury Cougar.

Smooth, powerful V6. Nice trim for price (leather, power everything, suroof, premium stereo, etc.) Front and rear legroom excellent. Strong A/C.

Insufficient headroom in back for *some* 6-footers, no courtesy lights for back seat, automatic transmission isn't the smoothest.

Well, I'm coming to this car from a family that drives a very smooth Pontiac Bonneville. The Hyundai isn't a disappointment at all, and has plenty of power, is very smooth, quiet, and roomy. Everyone I know is impressed that it is so Lexus-like in the smooth-and-quiet department. Also, the stereo (CD/casette) is excellent; hearing it at 80 mph with the windows down and moonroof open is no problem! The leather also looks much better in this car than does the cloth. I would highly recommend anyone buying from Cochran, too. The Pontiac and this Hyundai were both from there, and the staff is excellent, and willing to cut you the deal you need on the car you want.

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We tested a Mazda 626 and Olds Alero. A Camry and Accord were also on the list, but costs were prohibitive...The Sonata was available with V6 for the same price as a four cylinder in the Mazda and Oldsmobile; as expected, both of those cars were much less refined and powerful. It makes me wonder why people pay so much for a Toyota or Honda when Hyundai builds a car that is so solid (as long as it holds up...)