LIMS407

I made a thread previously about getting my sister a short term rental but decided to just buy her one.
What are you guys thought on new sonata? Just test drove one and it was pretty nice. Could not believe sport model had a dual exhaust tips.. wish my 14 GS had one..
I was impressive since normally i do not really pay attention to other brand than Lexus or BMW, etc..What are your thoughts?? is there something i need to know if i buy it??

SW17LS

They're very sharp, I'd seriously consider one if I were looking in that range.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

It's clean and handsome. Much more refined looking than the previous generation. Some may consider it bland compared to the overstylized previous generation, but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

As far as build and material quality, I liked it a lot. I rented one for a few weeks and it was very pleasant. I wouldn't buy it, but I can understand its appeal and value.

I think it will age well. It's a good buy for those who won't need to buy another car for a long time....

Toys4RJill

I like the new Sonata. Great interior style IMO.

toyotatom

I had a new 2011 Sonata, was not a bad car at all, couple of recalls but that was it. Gas mileage was excellent. Only issue I had was the trade in value plummeted after three years for some reason. Trade in value went from 19,500 after two years to less than 14,000 after the third year.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

new sonata is excellent. refined, quiet, loads of available features and great standard equipment.

Toys4RJill

Pretty much like all the cars in the segment.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Big discounting along with a $3K rebate!

pbm317

I wouldn't say that all cars in the segment are quiet and refined. Mazda6 and Accord are fairly loud. The Sonata does have a markedly premium feel to the overall suspension damping that Camry and Accord don't exhibit.

Camry does show an overall harmony in the way that everything just "works" and you have to use minimal thought about most features/functions. Helps keep it the best selling car in the segment, minimize complaints.

mmarshall

I agree with some here that it is better-looking than its over-styled predecessor. It has a good long 10/100 drivetrain and 5/60 bumper-to-bumper warranty...but Hyundai and Kia warranties are usually not transferable past 5/60 to anyone outside of the immediate family. Materials inside and out are generally good, as is assembly-quality. One thing I don't care for is the four-cylinder-only policy (N/A or turbo). I'd much prefer a N/A V6...but it was dropped on the last-generation model.

On the depreciation issue, IMO Hyundais and Kias often depreciate more than they deserve to, given their (now) competence as new vehicles. But if you take good care of them, and don't put too many miles on them, they can still bring decent value. My brother recently got more than KBB-value on his Soul trade-in when he got his new Sportage, partly as a repeat Kia customer, but also for the vehicle's good condition.

RNM GS3

I sat in the top trim Sport model at NY Auto Show and i was extremely impressed by interior.
Design, fit/finish, material quality were all excellent for that price range.
I didnt feel the Genesis was that much better inside.

In terms of driving it - cant say.

Check out Accord and Mazda 6 as those would be my top choices.

mmarshall

Sonata is nice, but no comparison to a Genesis. I did a full review on a 5.0L Genesis RWD, and it can be summed up in three letters...WOW.


The Accord is well-built as always, but ride quality has deteriorated from the previous generation because of stiffer suspension and tires. Haven't driven a recent Mazda 6, but there are a lot of good reviews on it.

RNM GS3

I was actually not very impressed by the Genesis 5.0 Interior especially compared to GS350 and 5 Series. The center stack has cheap plastic trim and the design is a BMW ripoff.

Exterior styling of the Genesis is a big improvement over the first generation.

mmarshall

Have you driven one? Most of the reviewers in the auto press who sampled it were very impressed with its power and road manners. So was I, though of course I'm not part of the press.

Fizzboy7

I would whole-heartedly recommend the Sonata. Like others mentioned, it has very clean styling and is built well. Just be aware, in a few more months Hyundai is supposed to give it a drastic, premature facelift to help counter criticism they went too conservative. That may or may not turn out to be a good thing. But if you are in the market, it's good to know visual changes are just around the corner.