Ride Report - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
Aug 21, 2005, 2:34 pm
#1
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Ride Report - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
Sonata web site: http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicle/sonata/index.asp
This weekend in Manhattan, after trying in vain to upgrade to anything other than a Buick LeSabre, I got a 2006 Hyundai Sonata with 21 miles on it.
The car was a disappointment, however, because Hertz got it with the 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder engine (as opposed to the 3.3 liter V6). Even with just me in it I really had to push the car when merging onto the freeway and during aggressive city driving. Otherwise, the car handled well and drove smoothly. ABS brakes are standard, as are dual front airbags, front side-impact airbags and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags.
The usual creature comforts of a midsize are present: cloth seats, cruise, power windows, keyless entry, and single CD player (no cassette). Steering wheel controls include cruise and radio mode and volume, but you cant channel flip from the wheel. The drivers seat is manually adjusted, and there was a sun roof. Rear seat space seemed adequate, and the trunk was spacious.
If Hertz only gets 4 cylinder Sonatas I wouldnt want the car again (and I also wouldnt classify it as a YC specialty midsize). As a V6 I think it would be respectable, but I would prefer the Altima for its styling and space.
This weekend in Manhattan, after trying in vain to upgrade to anything other than a Buick LeSabre, I got a 2006 Hyundai Sonata with 21 miles on it.
The car was a disappointment, however, because Hertz got it with the 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder engine (as opposed to the 3.3 liter V6). Even with just me in it I really had to push the car when merging onto the freeway and during aggressive city driving. Otherwise, the car handled well and drove smoothly. ABS brakes are standard, as are dual front airbags, front side-impact airbags and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags.
The usual creature comforts of a midsize are present: cloth seats, cruise, power windows, keyless entry, and single CD player (no cassette). Steering wheel controls include cruise and radio mode and volume, but you cant channel flip from the wheel. The drivers seat is manually adjusted, and there was a sun roof. Rear seat space seemed adequate, and the trunk was spacious.
If Hertz only gets 4 cylinder Sonatas I wouldnt want the car again (and I also wouldnt classify it as a YC specialty midsize). As a V6 I think it would be respectable, but I would prefer the Altima for its styling and space.
Aug 21, 2005, 10:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Chicago, IL
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You got one too. LOL.
I got one with 269 miles on it, WITH the V6. Bar none, this is Hertz best C class car on the lot. Seriously.
I don't even want to give this one back! I'll have a full report tomorrow when I return it. But lemme say, this is a great car.
I got one with 269 miles on it, WITH the V6. Bar none, this is Hertz best C class car on the lot. Seriously.
I don't even want to give this one back! I'll have a full report tomorrow when I return it. But lemme say, this is a great car.
Aug 22, 2005, 11:10 am
#3
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I had one a few weeks ago as well, and thought it was quite nice. It'll be a major step forward for Hyundai in building its brand image... ^
Dynamics were well-balanced, which is good since the Camry is at the limits of my tolerance for "soft" cars (although I do have a soft spot for the Toyota since I interned at their Japanese HQ when I was in college
). While it wasn't as fun as my usual 6/Legacy/Altima requests, I would say it's comparable to the Camry/Accord, and significantly better than the Malibu/Optima.
Overall, I probably wouldn't request one specifically, but if I was assigned one, I wouldn't take it back.
Dynamics were well-balanced, which is good since the Camry is at the limits of my tolerance for "soft" cars (although I do have a soft spot for the Toyota since I interned at their Japanese HQ when I was in college
). While it wasn't as fun as my usual 6/Legacy/Altima requests, I would say it's comparable to the Camry/Accord, and significantly better than the Malibu/Optima.Overall, I probably wouldn't request one specifically, but if I was assigned one, I wouldn't take it back.
Aug 22, 2005, 12:11 pm
#4
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The new Sonata is alright I suppose. I was given the V6 version a few weeks ago. All things considered though, the Kia Amanti is still my preferred Korean upgrade.
Aug 22, 2005, 7:10 pm
#5
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How does the ride compare to last year's car? I rented one last year in Reno. Very smooth but underpowered, but oh the seats were hard.
Aug 23, 2005, 1:24 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Chicago, IL
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My review:
...was heard out of every person that rode in or drove the brand new rented '06 Sonata LX this past weekend.
Probably the best mid-size rental I've ever had. The 3.3 V6 had enough power to pass if needed, yet was refined as I don't know what. Transmission was sweet.
The road manners were excellent; I seriously, seriously thought the Hyundai was impersonating a Lexus. The engineers really did a great job. Handling suffered a bit, but buyers in this range probably don't care about skidpad numbers.
The doors closed with a resounding thud. The build quality and feel was very teutonic; the car had a "heavy" feel - it had presence. I half expected to see "built in Inglostadt' instead of the United States..
Seats were OK, nice cloth material. And it was quiet. Very quiet. AFter starting it, you could barely tell the thing was on. And on the road, with all windows up, virtually no wind noise at all. It was just wonderful. You could definetly take some road trips with this baby and be relaxed all the way there.
I echo the sentiments earlier this summer about this car. I was skeptical at first, but this weekend made me a believer.
I kept saying, "a Hyundai"?
Paid only $32 all in too, ya'll.
"This car rides SMOOTH"
Probably the best mid-size rental I've ever had. The 3.3 V6 had enough power to pass if needed, yet was refined as I don't know what. Transmission was sweet.
The road manners were excellent; I seriously, seriously thought the Hyundai was impersonating a Lexus. The engineers really did a great job. Handling suffered a bit, but buyers in this range probably don't care about skidpad numbers.
The doors closed with a resounding thud. The build quality and feel was very teutonic; the car had a "heavy" feel - it had presence. I half expected to see "built in Inglostadt' instead of the United States..
Seats were OK, nice cloth material. And it was quiet. Very quiet. AFter starting it, you could barely tell the thing was on. And on the road, with all windows up, virtually no wind noise at all. It was just wonderful. You could definetly take some road trips with this baby and be relaxed all the way there.
I echo the sentiments earlier this summer about this car. I was skeptical at first, but this weekend made me a believer.
I kept saying, "a Hyundai"?
Paid only $32 all in too, ya'll.
Aug 23, 2005, 1:50 am
#7
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All the comments echo the initial and now full test reports of the automotive press. Hyundai has arrived into the Honda and Toyota leagues with this car and their future vehicles. GM and Ford are way behind and not catching up fast enough.
Last edited by CApreppie; Aug 23, 2005 at 1:53 am
Sep 29, 2005, 8:05 pm
#8
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I just returned the 4 cyl version today after a 1 day rental / 250 mile drive.
Great Car!! "Thats about all i've got to say about that" - Forrest Gump
Great Car!! "Thats about all i've got to say about that" - Forrest Gump
Sep 30, 2005, 9:10 am
#10
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I always thought the Sonata, even the old one, was tied with the Mazda 6 as the best C class car Hertz had ... except that I always had problems with headroom ... I hope there's more headroom in the new one, I'm sure there must be because the comments I see here match everything else I've read and heard ... and I'm not *that* tall ...
As for the 4-cylinder model ... I always thought the 4-cylinder Camry's Hertz had were awful too, I can't imagine the 4-cylinder Sonata could be worse.
As for the 4-cylinder model ... I always thought the 4-cylinder Camry's Hertz had were awful too, I can't imagine the 4-cylinder Sonata could be worse.
Feb 20, 2006, 5:03 pm
#11
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Reserved a C for a one-way week long rental between BTV and BOS. Arrived and the Gold Counter gave me a Mustang with Jersey plates. Said "no thanks" to this upgrade, and instead got a 2006 Sonata with MA plates and 16K on the odomoter. The V6 engine is surprisingly strong, handling is impressive, and it has performed quite well on the 300 miles I've driven through VT and NH. I'd take this YC anytime over an upgrade to a Taurus or Mustang...
Feb 23, 2006, 2:20 pm
#12
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I have to agree with the reviews here. I rent weekly and have asked for the Sonata every time except the last two weeks. I happened to have found a brand new Hyundai Azera in Oakland and decided to give it a try.
Azera seemed like a higher class car due to the leather interior and wood paneling. THe car also handles very well if not better than the Sonata.
So the Azera is now my new request each week.
Azera seemed like a higher class car due to the leather interior and wood paneling. THe car also handles very well if not better than the Sonata.
So the Azera is now my new request each week.
Mar 6, 2006, 4:06 pm
#13
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I agree with the other comments on the Sonata, except for the seating.
I usually tend to jack up the driver's seat as high as it will go. In that position, i thought I found myself tilted forward. Also, the seat didn't seem to have enough depth to properly support your thighs. Moving the seat back put me too far away from the wheel. With no telescopic steering, moving the seat back wasn't an option.
While it was a nice upgrade on a standard one-way B booking for one day, I wouldn't pick it if I had a choice.
I usually tend to jack up the driver's seat as high as it will go. In that position, i thought I found myself tilted forward. Also, the seat didn't seem to have enough depth to properly support your thighs. Moving the seat back put me too far away from the wheel. With no telescopic steering, moving the seat back wasn't an option.
While it was a nice upgrade on a standard one-way B booking for one day, I wouldn't pick it if I had a choice.
Mar 24, 2006, 12:11 pm
#14
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GM, Ford, Chrysler: Wake up!
GM, Ford, and Chrysler: This is your wake-up call. I'm driving a Hyundai Sonata V6 w/ Sunroof (MSRP $21,795) this week and loving it! This thing tears away from stoplights, leaving the other cars as specks in the mirror, and cruises quietly once up to speed. It's much nicer to drive than a 4-cylinder Camry that's priced almost exactly the same, and puts a Fusion, G6, Stratus, and all the other domestics in this class to shame.
If Hyundai can produce a "bread and butter" mid-size sedan that's fun to drive, for a great price, after only selling cars for 20 years on these shores, what the heck is wrong with the domestic companies? Sure they produce a few low-volume entertaining cars and trucks, but nothing in this class to write home about.
In the FlyerTalk spirit, a few minor gripes about the car: (just wouldn't be a post without some type of complaint)
- No outside temperature display
- Can't change radio stations from the steering wheel - can only change bands, volume, and mute
That's it...
Next time you see one of these on the lot, grab it and try it out. Just make sure it has the "V6" badge.
If Hyundai can produce a "bread and butter" mid-size sedan that's fun to drive, for a great price, after only selling cars for 20 years on these shores, what the heck is wrong with the domestic companies? Sure they produce a few low-volume entertaining cars and trucks, but nothing in this class to write home about.
In the FlyerTalk spirit, a few minor gripes about the car: (just wouldn't be a post without some type of complaint)
- No outside temperature display
- Can't change radio stations from the steering wheel - can only change bands, volume, and mute
That's it...
Next time you see one of these on the lot, grab it and try it out. Just make sure it has the "V6" badge.
May 15, 2006, 8:53 pm
#15
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Wow, I got a V6 Sonata today. Rented C, it was tagged as YC. And yeah, I'd say it was the probably the best C I've driven apart from the Mazda 6, which I still like better even in the 4cyl, and maybe the Altima. The V6 Sonata drives very nicely. It accelerates well, rides decently on the freeway and got decent mileage (I don't think that Vibe/Matrix I drove last week got much better, and that thing rode hard and had no engine power at all).
In fact, I would have deemed the Sonata the perfect car for the types of drives I do from here to the other offices (mostly freeway with some city driving at each end) except for one thing: the damn seat! What is it with these crappy seats these days? The crappy excuse for height adjustment just doesn't cut it. It only raises the back, leaving no thigh support. I fiddled with that thing on and off even on the way back. (By the way, the other problem is that the recline lever is blocked by the seat belt, but that wouldn't get in the way of the comfort if I could find one good setting.) It wasn't as bad as the Vibe/Matrix which still isn't quite as bad as the Corolla (shudder). But it isn't that difficult to put two height adjusters. My own car which has manual height adjusters for both the front and rear of the seat, and it makes a huge difference. Oddly, even the G35 I drove a couple weeks ago wasn't great in this regard. It was better than the Sonata, but I still couldn't get the front to go as high as I wanted. Wacko, really. I don't remember having this problem in the Mazda 6, but now it's been rather a while since I've driven one. I don't recall a problem in the Altima either.
All in all, I'd probably take the Sonata again, and I'd certainly take it over other C options like Corolla, Sebring (I had one of these earlier in the year), Vibe/Matrix and maybe others. But I'm still searching for the ideal seat. Hell, I'd take a B that had a decent seat. (The only Hertz B I've actually driven was a YB Cobalt, and that didn't have a decent anything apart from a few nifty controls. The other time I rented B I got a Corolla, which is C. Oh, yeah, and the emergency rental the other night where I rented B and got really old C Kia Optima, which actually did have a better seat than the Corolla and Vibe/Matrix, and maybe even the Sonata.)
In fact, I would have deemed the Sonata the perfect car for the types of drives I do from here to the other offices (mostly freeway with some city driving at each end) except for one thing: the damn seat! What is it with these crappy seats these days? The crappy excuse for height adjustment just doesn't cut it. It only raises the back, leaving no thigh support. I fiddled with that thing on and off even on the way back. (By the way, the other problem is that the recline lever is blocked by the seat belt, but that wouldn't get in the way of the comfort if I could find one good setting.) It wasn't as bad as the Vibe/Matrix which still isn't quite as bad as the Corolla (shudder). But it isn't that difficult to put two height adjusters. My own car which has manual height adjusters for both the front and rear of the seat, and it makes a huge difference. Oddly, even the G35 I drove a couple weeks ago wasn't great in this regard. It was better than the Sonata, but I still couldn't get the front to go as high as I wanted. Wacko, really. I don't remember having this problem in the Mazda 6, but now it's been rather a while since I've driven one. I don't recall a problem in the Altima either.
All in all, I'd probably take the Sonata again, and I'd certainly take it over other C options like Corolla, Sebring (I had one of these earlier in the year), Vibe/Matrix and maybe others. But I'm still searching for the ideal seat. Hell, I'd take a B that had a decent seat. (The only Hertz B I've actually driven was a YB Cobalt, and that didn't have a decent anything apart from a few nifty controls. The other time I rented B I got a Corolla, which is C. Oh, yeah, and the emergency rental the other night where I rented B and got really old C Kia Optima, which actually did have a better seat than the Corolla and Vibe/Matrix, and maybe even the Sonata.)