2011 Hyundai Sonata: A Loss for Words

Some people are concerned about the longevity of Hyundai's improvements. It's all great when the car is brand new, but does the veneer wear off after extended ownership? Based on IL's posts, my impression is that the Sonata is holding up very well after one year.

(I can't believe it's already been a year!)

Mark, no PS today? I am dissapointed...

If you were to rank the family 4 door sedans, would this be ranked first? I see IL has reviewed the '11 Kia Optima, '09 Mazda6, '08 Accord, '07 Camry and '07 Altima... I know some years have passed, but what is the general IL consenus on ranking?

Honestly, I want to know if my mom should buy one! How would it do with 4 golfbags and 4 adults on a longer trip?

I'm currently driving a 2010 Sonata GLS rental and absolutely hate it. The seats are too soft with no lumbar support. The steering is vague and feels almost "springy", for lack of a better word. The throttle is too sensitive. The suspension to soft and floaty, yet rattles over bumps. But at least the engine is relatively smooth and feels quite powerful for a 4-cyl. The car itself felt much quicker than a 2011 Ford Fusion I rented a few weeks ago, even though its power ratings aren't quite as high.

Mark, how does the 2011 compare to the 2010? If it's anything remotely close to how the 2010 drives, I'll definitely be looking elsewhere. Even the 2010 Kia Optima I rented before the Fusion felt much sportier and was better in every way.

Do you think the styling is wearing yet? In five years, will this sonata look outdated and ghastly?

I'd also like to know if the left pull has been fixed. Surely that would have been noticed over the last long roadtrip if it were still a problem?

What do I know about the Sonata? I know I like my 2.0T very much indeed. It presents a pretty much unbeatable combo of style, space, comfort, performance, economy and value in the mainstream family sedan segment. The only sedan on the market that can really touch it is the sportier-styled Optima.

Your current poll asks whether Hyundai is the new Honda. My vote was with the overwhelming najority that say yes. And this Sonata is a great example of the kind of innovation that Honda used to be famous for, before they started to rest comfortably upon their laurels.

And one thing I didn't know about the Sonata is how well the light tan interior would have held up to nearly a year of the notorious IL abuse. Impressive.

SirTodd - go read some reviews - there are about a bazillion of them. The 2011 Sonata is night and day from the 2010. And rentals are often not the best basis upon which to pass judgment, as you have no idea what that particular car has been through or how it has been maintained. If you're looking for a midsize sedan, go drive a new one (probably a 2012 any time soon), drive all the competitor behicles that interest you, and form your own opinion.

We had a 2000 Elantra for a shop run about that could not be sold due to water damage. It was a great little car, we all took turns at trying to kill it. It was the dealerships car, and they wouldn't replace stinky until it was needed. We did the basics, oil changes and tires but it would not die. My biggest issue with the car, besides the smell was how cheap everything felt. The gear shifter felt like it was a cheap Chinese knock off. It felt like a copy of something that wasn't great to begin with. The texture of the door pulls felt cheap and the doors were very hollow sounding. Now, nothing ever broke or let us down but it always felt that it was inches away. How is the perceived quality of the car? Here is my suggestion: blind fold three to five people that are not "car" guys and girls. We would be able to tell. I would love a blind folded comparison to say the kia and hyundai to say the cruze and regal. These four cars in your fleet are the ones that needed a remodel and now have something to prove. Lets see how they stack up. If need be, make the controls a Accord or Camry, Corrola or Civic. Just a thought.

Per Inside Line's poll asking if Hyundai is the new Honda: Not even close, but it's not an insurmountable obstacle for Hyundai given the company's meteoric rise. Honda has been in the US market much longer, and has built a well deserved reputation for quality, reliability, and strong resale values. Honda's current offerings may look and drive a bit uninspired, but there's no doubt that they work well and will continue to do so for a long time. Finally, Honda has experienced tremendous success in racing (albeit in the past), displaying innovative engine technologies that have trickled down to the company's sportier models. What exactly was Hyundai building at the time the Acura NSX made its stunning debut?

rumblerss: Yes, it no longer pulls to the left. Seems that our last service fixed it: http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/03/2011-hyundai-sonata-gls-service-complete.html

Yelloperil: I'm surprised (as are a lot of my fellow editors) that the tan interior isn't all crapped up. Kudos to the interior fabric treatment: http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/04/2011-hyundai-sonata-gls-yes-essentials.html

Elsewhere, the Sonata has also maintained its shine.

knight_ru: I (personally) rank the new sedans in this order: Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima. Other editors may have differing opinions.

clarkma5: four golfbags (standard walking bags, not tour bags) would probably fit just fine, as would two 5'10" rear passengers.

SirTodd: Night and day. In my opinion, the 2011 Sonata isn't just completely different from the 2010 model, it's completely different (better) than any Hyundai (Genesis excluded) that came before.

dougtheeng: The styling is holding up well, I think. But I said the same thing about the Fusion before the Sonata came out. The Kia Optima has reset what I think people will expect from this segment, however.

I'd like to know why IL chose the GLS instead of waiting for the 2.0 model. This IS Inside Line!

But here is my question. Do you think that with the Hyundai being so hot selling, that driving it a lot less "fun" because you see so many on the road. We joke at work that it's like the new Taurus.

@bigbrother:

It may be selling well, but it still fell behind the Camry, Accord, and Malibu for April 2011.

@sirtodd
Did you not bother to test drive the car before you bought it?
Seems to me that you could have found out most of those issue son a good test drive.

I think one of the reasons I haven't driven a Sonata yet, is that there are no Hyundai dealerships in my area that are nice enough to walk into. This is something that Kravcik (sp) has got to fix.

In other words, I can't feel good about a dealer who can't even have at least a clean and tidy showroom. How would that impact the service I would get from such a shoddy place?

Clovism - sirtodd's is a rental. :)

No questions from me, just had to comment on the gorgeous photo!

What would you say is the single biggest weakness of this car?

Thanks Felonious, Next time, I'll have to remove the rag lint that got snagged under the badge.

tjpark01: I would have to say its biggest weakness is the outdated presumption that Hyundais are crap cars. Some people just can't bring themselves to consider it, despite what I say in its favor.

Thanks for your prompt response Mark. I realize Hyundai still has the stigma that it's trying to shed, and I think that most people that know anything about cars don't view them in this light. I was thinking more along the lines of mechanical functionality of the car. I see suspension complaints a lot with Hyundai's. I'm more of a BMW/Infiniti type, so I prefer to feel the road then being isolated from it Toyota style.

tjpark: I don't have any complaints in regard to the ride quality. It's plush enough, yet communicative enough, too. Considering that the Sonata doesn't present itself as a "driver's" car, I think it'll be just fine for 95% of its intended audience. The engine also should be just fine. I wouldn't even bother with the turbo.

Yes, the '10 Sonata I'm currently driving is indeed a rental. Thanks everyone who confirmed the '11 is night and day vs the '10. I had a feeling it was the case, but I guess I was too pissed off driving the car into work today so I had to be sure.

Ironically enough, the '10 Optima drives worlds better than the '10 Sonata too. I know rentals aren't the best way to judge how cars drive, but they provide a pretty good indication. I'll definitely test drive the new Sonata and Optima. I'll be looking at plenty of different vehicles, including the subcompacts and compacts too. I'm anxious to get started, but with a wedding coming soon, the lady has me on a leash.....already!

Mark - would you say that Kia has even further to go than Hyundai in altering (improving) brand perception? I think cars like Genesis and Equus - even if they don't sell in staggering numbers - have had a "halo" effect on the brand that Kia lacks with the Optima - though very good - being both the best they have to offer and a Hyundai under the skin.

My mistake.

jaeger1: I think Kia has the same battle for brand perception. I'd give it to Kia for their sharp styling, though. I wouldn't expect a luxury (Equus/Genesis) model from Kia, though.

This raises some interesting questions, though. At what point does a poor brand perception give way to a reputation for quality? In the 1960s, the phrase "Made in Japan" was almost a punchline. By the mid- to late 1970s, "made in Japan" was a desirable trait. Throughout this period, I think Sony and Toyota were leading the charge.

Are we seeing the same charge from Hyundai? I think so.

Mark - I don't think there's any question we're seeing the same charge from the likes of both Hyundai and Kia. But perception lags substantially behind reality, and both still have a way to go on that front. That's why it's a great opportunity to buy right now - styling, quality, performance and options are all there right now, but at a "we are still desperate to gain market share" price. As perception changes, the need to offer their products at a price well below segment competitors will diminish. And judging by all the Sonatas I see on the road, perception is changing pretty fast.

I would like to know about things that you don't get out of a test drive. How good are the headlights and wipers? How well does the climate system handle heat and cold? Does the transmission still shift as smooth as day 1? How much life do the brake pads have remaining? Are there more rattles and creaks (NVH)? And since this is Hyundai's first Direct Injection engine have there ever been issues with the fuel system or starting?

And I would like to echo everything allthingshonda said. Those are the biggies for anyone looking to buy, I would think. Mark, if there was ONE thing you could do to the Sonata to make it better, what would it have been?

Went to buy a Sonata last month. When it came to negotiating the price it was a nightmare. They played the typical 4 square game and when I mentioned Edmunds TMV price, their response: "What site is Edmunds?"

Really? Really?

That happened at two different Hyundai dealers.

If they improve their buying experience, you might see as many Hyundai's on the road as Toyota's & Honda's.

@bruceb916:

Were the dealerships owned by the same people? We have a group of Kia dealerships in my area that are pretty bad. They tack on thousands in extras onto the car, and then they try to negotiate off that price. I even went for a test drive once, telling them I was not quite ready to buy yet. I just wanted to get a feel for the car. The salesman drove 2 miles down the road to get gas since the car was on empty. After the cars was gassed up, he let me drive back to the dealership. When I asked if I could drive it a bit more, he said, "You can if you're ready to buy today." I did find a good dealership a few miles further away though so they do exist.

I agree with the dealership experience. Both Hyundai and Kia have come a long way with their products. It's kind of odd to say this, but they're both on my shopping list....near the top! But what's the point with great products when you don't have great stores to sell them? It's not like a TV you can simply by on the internet.

A family member recently was in the market for a Genesis. My brother-in-law loved the car and wanted it. But the dealership experience was horrible. The salesman looked sloppy, they were pushy, and didn't know anything about their cars! And the dealership itself looked worse than the nearby, privately owned, used car lot. And after about an hour of just getting a test drive, my sister finally had enough and told him, "No way in hell we're getting a Hyundai."

allthingshonda: headlights and wipers work just fine, there's nothing about them that add to or detract from the general impressions. The climate control is pretty effective -- it can really blow some chilly air or roast you with a blast of heat. The transmission is as smooth as day 1, in my opinion, and I didn't notice any creaks or squeaks on the heavily rutted Santa Monica Boulevard. It revs pretty high on cold startups, but only for a few seconds. I thought initially that my foot was on the pedal, but no, it just starts a little strong.

Atomic13: I don't know if I'd change anything about the Sonata. I mentioned a few months back that I'm not a fan of the black and tan interior color scheme, but that's more of an ordering preference. I'm not a fan of the USB port placement (bottom of the center stack, in front of the shifter), so maybe I'd prefer to have it in the center console bin. Minor stuff, for sure.

@arumage:

They were both owned by the same company. That company owns all of the Hyundai dealers in my area. (Sacramento, CA)

We ended up getting an Accord. Got an internet price quote (below TMV); walked into the dealer and after being treated like a human being by 99% of the employees, we were out in a couple of hours.

@SirTodd:

I can put up with !@#$% poor dealer experience because that's what I partly expect from past car purchases. My wife on the other hand wanted no part of their BS.