I'll save final comments for the full-review, but, in the static review on the showroom floor, the 2011 simply didn't impress me much. You asked for my opinion....and you got it.

We'll just have to want and see the upcoming sales figures....until then, it's probably just speculation on both of our parts. I hit the D.C. show three times, though, this week (as I usually do each year...those free show passes come in handy ), and the Hyundai display twice......once Wednesday, a low-traffic show day, and today, a much more crowded day on a weekend. Neither time did I see much interest in the Sonata. In fact, I had to hunt down a Hyundai rep to get any info on it, and to get the introduction date. I'll take your word for it, though, on what you saw at the San Jose show. I have no reason to doubt otherwise.....you, of course, know what you saw.

BTW, multiple-show visits are not just a luxury for me, but, to some extent, a necessity. My back, feet, and legs, while still in reasonably good shape (I swim and walk regularly), are not what they were in my younger days, and I can't take being on them all day long. So, I hit the show each day, for maybe 2-4 hours at a time, and rest. The D.C. show is large enough that it takes a long time to see everything, though, this year, a number of companies, of course, were absent.

It looks more modern than the last Sonata but it still looks a little ungainly, border line ugly. I don't think styling like that is going to help sell it in the midsized class. People in that class seem to prefer blander styling (hence why the last gen Sonata sold so well). We'll see how the new styling affects sales.

Mike, you aren't the only person I know who hates the design.

probably 1 out of 5 people in korea hates the new design. but generally people love the new design. probably because koreans are very tired of conservative hyundai design. new sonata and SM5 is probably 2 most popular car in korea right now.

for me comparing last gen vs. this gen is like comparing kia to benz. well that's just me.

well, i can't wait till you drive it!

I don't necessarily "hate it", Joe. I just don't find it as impressive as older Sonatas, that's all.......but I have a lot of respect for Hyundai, in general. I am waiting to see what it is like on the road. Previous Sonatas, since about 2000 or so, have not only been been fairly well-built, but set up, in road manners, more or less to my liking, emphasizing ride comfort over sharp handling. We'll see if the new one does also.




Koreans, like the French, also like a soft ride. Hyundai/Kia products, over there, often have softer chassis/tire tuning than they do here, even on the same vehicle.

Hey, there are some Kia products I'd take over some Benz products, especially on a dollar-for-dollar value basis. There was a time when M-B did what were arguably the best cars on the planet, but that was some 20 years ago. Today, IMO, they are overpriced and often (at least until very recently) unreliable.

Thanks. I promised a full review, and it's coming. But the car hasn't been released yet..........nothing I can do until it reaches area dealerships.

Again Hyundai knocked it out of the park. The new sonata looks amazing. I see a bit of Lexus ES with a bit of Benz CLS styling. I am blown away by the progress the are making. I haven't seen one bad vehicle from these guys in a few years. The rate of evolution is amazing. For the class I have to give this an A+

Agree... my V-6 is surprisingly quick when "hammered"...

But no V-6 in 2011 is a deal killer for me

well in hyundai's defense, they will have turbo version of sonata which will likely be 250hp+

i guess hyundai wants v6 buyer to look into azera. and Hyundai will have a new azera very soon. it will separate the sonata and azera even more which is a very good thing because there is no point buying azera because sonata is basically as good as azera.

Yup

I'm probably thinking it's a turbo-charged version of the Theta II engine.

If it has 200+ hp, then they have a win for me

I was unaware of that... if it's 250HP, for me!!!

The Hyundai reps at the D.C. show told me that the Azera's future in the American market is iffy because of low sales.

250 HP? Weren't you shopping for a Corvette Z06 and a Shelby Mustang not long ago, with twice that amount?

No Mike, I meant that IF I were looking at a Sonata, it would HAVE to have 250HP minimum...

And yeah, I've become a HP/Torque junkie and a possible relo to the south is another influencing issue on what comes home... it NEVER ends...

Why don't we start posting aftermarket pictures of other midsize sedans ?

Factory production Sonatas will not look that good.

Why is it so hard to believe that people have differing opinions, and often opinions that do not match your own?

For one thing, the new Sonata has considerably less rear legroom than the outgoing previous-gen model. Rear space is a very important consideration in the midsize sedan segment. It also has less rear headroom than the previous-gen model.

The new Sonata doesn't just have coupe-like styling. It also has coupe-like rear space.

The new Sonata is longer and wider than the previous-gen model, yet it has less overall interior space than the previous-gen model.

I said this before and I'll say it again; the new Sonata's design is simply too polarizing and too radical for the midsize sedan segment. Many people will either love it or hate it, few will have neutral opinions.

As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. You cannot expect Hyundai to offer a midsize sedan that is brilliant in every aspect for only 19-20K base price.

The new design is edgier and more radical, but it comes at the cost of less interior space. The interior also has modern design and the car has more standard features, but at the cost of thinner sheet metal.

As with every other automaker, Hyundai has to be cutting costs somewhere. With that said, Hyundai's prices have increased quite a bit over these several years along with their increase in quality.

Hyundai no longer offers the incredible great value that they used to.

How would you say the new interior compares to other midsize competitors in terms of quality and fit and finish? The interior does not look that much better than the competition in pictures.

I remember driving a sonata rental car when I was on a trip to NJ and I was blown away by the car. I couldnt believe how well it handled and accelerated . For its class the old one and the new one are very competitive