Car and Driver - 06 Sonata

[hyunelan2]

In case you guys don't subscribe, here's their review of the Sonata.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=9741

[jimnran]

I got to see the new Sonata up close yesterday at the dealership and it is a very big improvement over the last model. Right from the start my wife said it looks like a Camary, which it did. They had one there that was top of the line and they were asking 24k for it, this thing was loaded. The leather looked so soft you would fall a sleep sitting in them. My wife was looking to get a Santa Fe but now I think she is leaning more towards the new Sonanta.

jimnran

[f1guy68]

Great Report! As expected :bowdown:

Thanks for the link.

;)

[tuner]

Man I wish I could afford one. I want one soooo bad.

[BobMs_wht2k2]

Just opening the door and shutting it lets you know this is a badass car. Everything is tight and looks like high quality materials. I am impressed. I think Honda has some serious worrying to do.

[kylemorg]

Wow... I'm surprised that C&D didn't trash the new Sonata just like they seem to do with all Hyundais over the years; usually they find one little thing they don't like and focus solely on that. Maybe they got new writers?

[hyunelan2]

^^^ Dude tell me about it. When I first got my issue and I read it I was waiting before every paragraph like "ok, now they're gonna rip the car to pieces," but it never happened.

I especially liked the counterpoint that said something like "if this is Hyundai doing Toyota, we can't wait to see Hyundai do Lexus."

My one disappointment, they did no head to head comparison with the Camry?!? In the print edition, the compared it in graphs to the Accord, Passat, and Malibu.

If this car was made to be a Camry killer, why wasn't the Camry on the list? Me-thinks Toyota is scared. I smell conspiracy.

[tharptroy]

hmm, now all they need is for the honda engineers to come over and design their motors.

[pweber4136]

The last few years C&D has been pretty good to Hyundai, I think. That's part of the reason I bought my Elantra was because of the comparison test they did in 2001 (the Elantra placed second). They've been harsh on the suspension settings for Hyundais, but overall I think they've been pretty fair.

And the Sonata is a nice car. I look forward to that comparison test.

[mrhoaf]

The last few years C&D has been pretty good to Hyundai, I think. That's part of the reason I bought my Elantra was because of the comparison test they did in 2001 (the Elantra placed second)....

I remember that review... it came out a month or 2 after I got my XD, and I was happy to see it do so well.


should be interesting to see a head-to-head comparison...

[SuperGLS]

Very nice. I had the same thoughts you had hyunelan, about them talking lots of good things and then focusing on the bad. But alas, everyone liked it, that's incredible. I knew Hyundai would do whatever they could to get the NF right, and they have (see my driving impressions in a different thread).

I'm with Tuner on this one, I wish I had the money (of course I'd kinda be a traitor if I ran EXD with a Sonata, haha).

Thanks for the link Mike.

[Z-Tune]

I read that the other day. I'm curious to see the matchups when they do multiple car comparisons with it. Hyundai is definetely moving up.

[WytchDctr]

My elantra will be paid off in the next few months and the wife is getting a sonata.

[airmandad]

i'd rather get the 06 Areza when it comes out...gonna trade my 04 elantra gls for it

[ilanpro]

I saw the TV show and they loved it

[Mr. Dan]

My wife is trying to get pregnant (I'm just along for the ride :) ) but I think my next car will still be a hatchback. I like my Avante so much, and it already comes with more than enough fancy stuff for me, that I'll probably get another one. By that time the new model will be out and if they do as nice a job on it as they did with the Sonata, I'll be more than satisfied. I'm still not old enough for a sedan. :)

[hyunelan2]

^^^ You don't have the lure of that 235hp, 3.3L over there though, do you?

[slvrsleeper]

To qoute Csaba Csere directly "On some of the Sonatas competitors, these features are NOT EVEN AVAILABLE let alone standard" This from the edito in chief of a magazine that not too long ago bashed Hyundai with gusto. I hear you about the conspiracy but I think that the magazine writers all want someone else to be the first to say "Damn, that Hyundai is kickin' Toyotas ***!!" Every review of the NF that I read edges a little closer to flat out praise without any caveat attached. And it makes me smile every time. I must be a huge Hyundai dork that a positive review of a car I don't even own makes me happy. Screw it I don't care Hyundai OWNZ!!!!

[mrhoaf]

I must be a huge Hyundai dork that a positive review of a car I don't even own makes me happy. Screw it I don't care Hyundai OWNZ!!!!


I think it's vindication... all those times people gave you crap for owning a Hyundai, and finally hearing people say nothing but good things about them.... And remember, everytime someone raves about any Hyundai model, it helps with public perception of the other models....

hell... the way things are going.... some of us may end up having decent resale value on our cars by the time we're ready to sell them....

[hyunelan2]

Yesterday a co-worker (the evil troll, for some of you who might remember) was raving about her new Jeep liberty... and saying how it was such a good deal, and for the money she could have only gotten a throw-away Hyundai.

This pissed me off. So I sent her an email with a J.D. Power Comparison where the Santa Fe beat the Liberty in EVERY catagory.

then I felt better.

[900Z1]

I refuse to go to Hyundai dealer now, Because I know I would drive the 06 Sonata Home if I went there.
Way too many new cars for me. I have bought 6 new cars in the last 5 years.
I'm just going to say NO, to new cars.

[slvrsleeper]

I feel your pain. I want the 06 so bad right now I can hardly stand it. I will try my best to wait another year to buy the new car, but I just get the fever, especially when the magazines are all singing its praises.

[hyunelan2]

I too feel the pain. I have the means and the desire to go replace the Elantra RIGHT NOW with an '06 Sonata. The only thing holding me back (besides my wife ;)) is the logic that coming out of the loan as far upside down as I would makes it not worth it for another year, and waiting for the 2nd model year would be benificial as well.

[ilanpro]

I am going to wait for the new Elantra

[hyunelan2]

^^^ That's another thing. Although I probably won't be in another Elantra because I want something bigger, if I get a Sedan - the lure of Hyundais new cars makes it almost worth waiting for. We're going to be seeing the Azera, the new Santa Fe, and the RWD-Tiburon (minus the POS Delta Engine) all in the next 3 years, in addition to the new Elantra... Buying a new Sonata now, and then wanting one of these other new cars when they come out is a legitmate fear I have.

[900Z1]

A RWD-Tib would be worth waiting for. Hope for a small V-8 that would be Killer.