Got a Sonata (for the day)

[hyunelan2]

OMG, the car is awesome. My car is in for service again for the gasoline leak/smell. They gave me an 06 Sonata. It's the 2.4L and surprised the hell outta me. I looked at the sticker on the window before I drove off and was like darn, 2.4L not 3.3L. Then I started driving and was shocked! The 2.4L pulls the heavy (relative to the Elantra) Sonata around pretty-much effortlessly. The ride is smooth and quiet. Of course, it can't turn like my modified Elantra, but no real complaints on the suspension. I spent 45 minutes making my 10 minute drive to work. It's even the color I want - deepwater blue. Of course, when (not if) I buy one, it'll be the 3.3L, but I wouldn't be upset owning this 2.4. The 2.4 Theta 4-cyl absolutely murders the 2.7L Delta V6 in performance.

Now to convince my wife to let me get one (not gonna happen).

[Cypher]

how much power does the 2.4L put out?? i could possibly see myself driving the 2.4 with the 5 spd

[hyunelan2]

the 2.4 is rated at 162, however, I have read that Hyundai is suspected of underrating their new engines to keep their cars insurance rates down. Regardless, the 162 in the Theta is a lot smoother and has better low end torque than the 170hp 2.7L Delta.

[Cypher]

hmmm lets put that in an xd ;)

[ba_feitl]

I just had my car in at Gartner Hyundai and no NF's were available .. still the old models... did you go to D'Arcy? (probably closer to you)

Brad

[hyunelan2]

Yep, D'Arcy on Jefferson St. in Joliet. Last time they gave me an Elantra loaner, so I was pretty excited when I saw the tag on the key said Sonata. I figured I'd be driving away in an Elantra or Accent.

[SuperGLS]

I too was shocked how nice it felt, I still want to get behind the wheel of one without a salesman.

The Lambda is nice, find time for a test drive.

[Jfoghino]

Just spend the few thousand to turbo charge your XD's... It weighs less and would be less expensive than buying a whole new car. Try the Shark Racing stage 1 so I can know if its good or not :D

[02xdGLS]

bah!
turbo could cause so much hassle, especially for a daily driver. if you can get an lx sonata, go for it all means. my neighbor bought one not too long ago. silver lx with everything. he let me drive it around a block since i told him about the car and it's such a nice car. edmunds.com compared it to accord and camry and found it to be the better overall vehichle.
[dream starts here]
o and once you are freed up on some money and elantra is getting old, that's when you drop in a new beta II with some engine works and a snail.
[/dream ends here]

[DocRxGLS]

When I had my XD in for an oil change (extended warranty - crap), I test drove an LX 3.3 and a GL 2.4 5-speed. The five speed is arranged like VW. I too would have liked to drive both w/o a salesman. The clutch on the 2.4 threw me for a little loop. It is not a rapid engaging clutch, like the XD. Last time I drove something like that was on a ford ranger when I was a teen over 10 years ago. I wonder how the theta would respond to an intake and exhaust. Hmmm.

I like the 3.3, but no 5 speed, and supposably, you can only use conventional oil and a special OEM filter. Plus, some kind of sensors might not let you put rims on the thing. Maybe the new Optima will offer a stiffer ride and a manual 3.3. Seems like I read somewhere that the optima would only get the 2.7. Hopefully that is not a domestic thing.

Regardless, the Sonata is a sweet ride.

[hyunelan2]

^^^ The rims thing is not an issue. It was thought that it might be in the beginning, but it was cleared up that you will be able to put rims on it. As proof my dealer had several new Sonatas on the showroom floor with aftermarket rims on them.

As for turboing the XD and all that.... no. FI makes the car too unreliable IMO. Plus, all that money and work to make you have an 'import racer' and you still get your doors blown off by an OEM Mustang.

My main complaint of the Elantra is it's just too damn small. I especially felt that when I gave them the Sonata back and got into my car. It felt like I was driving a go-cart, even moreso because the 2.4 Sonata has more push-you-in-the-seat torque than the 2.0 Elantra - regardless of the weight difference, the 4cyl Sonata feels much more powerful. And why shouldn't it? Right now it's Hyundais flagship (until Azera). The Sonata is basically superior to the Elantra in every way, except of course for the price tag. If it weren't people wouldn't buy them - they'd buy more affordable Elantras instead.

My personal choice is the Sonata LX with premium package (6CD, Subwoofer, sunroof) in Deepwater blue with beige leather. Even though I like the grey leather interior better, beige is not as hot in the sun.

But in reality, I don't even have 44K on the Elantra yet, and have a few years to pay on the Santa Fe. I will never do 2 simultaneous car payments again - that sucks. At current rate, I've got another 5+ years left in the Elantra before I hit the 100,000 warrenty ending. Then, when the engine or trans gives up (likely trans) the car is gone and I'll look at what's available then. The only way I'd get rid of the Elantra is if it were totalled in a wreck. Not because I'm soooo in love with the car (I still like it though) but because it's the financially smart thing to do.

Addition

Oh, I also wanted to add a comment about the Shiftronic. It seems much improved over the previous generation (Like in my 04 SF, or my uncle's 04 Sonata). It's a little quicker to do what you tell it to, however it is still not as good as BMWs.

[ilanpro]

44K Wow, I just hit 55K on mine not even 2 years old, My wife is getting a Job Soon so the Elantra will be paid off by Summer. I might invest on a Dark Blue Sonata as a Stay home Car and drive close to keep the mileage down.

[04GTboySC]

i rode in a new sonata today wow thosse are nice cars and the power

[robs02elantra]

I'm a little sad that I'm just starting out my time as a married man, and in looking to be a "2 car family" after next summer, I'm looking at an 04 accent or the like for my wife. I wish that I could be earning enough to be looking at a sonata instead, but all in good time. I'm not going to do anything stupid like financing a car that I can't afford...so now to sit and dream.

[KeWLKaT]

I'm not going to do anything stupid like financing a car that I can't afford...

Reminds me of someone who once had a v6 tibby for a week :rolleyes: :abovelol: :znaika: LOL you got him :kick:

Bah, I don't like big cars. Not for me, not now.... Maybe later in life. Oh, and it WILL be 5 spd.

[XTRAWLD]

I'm kicking myself for not having the time in August to take it for a test drive when it was offered to me :( My car is finally paid off, and has very little km's on it so the best financial situation is to keep what I have....maybe it's not so bad that I didn't go for a test drive :)

[mtlelantra]

the 2.4 is rated at 162, however, I have read that Hyundai is suspected of underrating their new engines to keep their cars insurance rates down. Regardless, the 162 in the Theta is a lot smoother and has better low end torque than the 170hp 2.7L Delta.

Dyno it while you have the car out! :)

[BlkElntraDrvr]

this is just a tad bit off topic....but when your car goes in for service you can ask for a loner car and they'll give you one?? :confused:

[hyunelan2]

Yes. I guess this depends on the dealer a little bit. At my dealer, any service done (above an oil change) and they'll give me a free loaner - just as long as I schedule it ahead of time. I got a loaner when I took my car in for 30,000 mile service, and also this last time when they needed to replace the fuel rail dampner under warranty. Only thing I pay for is to put the gas needle back to where it was when they gave the car to me.

[ArunSenior04]

Kinda offtopic, but dont you at least have to be 21 to get a loaner car?

[PJB]

My brother took his truck back to the Dodge dealer because the undercoat was peeling and they gave him a used truck off the lot to drive for a day while they redid it. He's 18 and they gave him a truck with a dealer plate.

[Gun5]

hmm my car is having a gas smell to it now great

[hyunelan2]

^^^ It may or may not be the same thing... I'm pretty sure the fuel-dampner problem is not common on the XD2s.