It was a Rocky story like no other.
Korean car manufacturer launches its brand in the U.S. The brand becomes the laughing stock of the industry, the punch line to a joke that involves shoddy quality and fire-sale pricing.
Fast-forward nearly 20 years. The Korean brand has learned from its mistakes and grown stronger and stronger. It has won awards. And it has overcome scorn and indifference to achieve success in the marketplace, earning a reputation for affordable quality.
This is Hyundai's story. And, remarkable as it is, it did little to prepare us for what happened in a recent comparison test, in which we pitted the just-redesigned 2006 Hyundai Sonata against two longstanding champions of the family sedan category, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
The Sonata won. But it didn't just win, it cleaned the floor with the competition, on the strength of its outstanding performance and value.
Color us stunned. We wanted a closer look at this dark horse, so we've added a Hyundai Sonata to our long-term fleet. It's a Sonata LX, which boasts a standard features list that includes stability control and heated seats. We added an optional sunroof and six-disc CD changer to the mix, upping the MSRP to a still-value-priced $24,895.
The Sonata has long been a good bet for the money, but it came out swinging harder than ever following its 2006 redesign. The current generation is longer and taller, with two new engines including our LX sedan's feisty 235-horsepower V6 and a new five-speed automatic transmission.
Its cabin has gotten a first-rate makeover, too, growing to become the largest in its class, and benefiting from improved soft-touch materials and a more eye-pleasing layout. Whether you're just sitting in the cabin or putting pedal to the metal, the overall feeling is one of refinement. Not bad for a car that can cost less than $20 large.
Our first three months with the Sonata have revealed a sedan that shines under continued scrutiny. "The Sonata has the same feeling of ease that makes driving a Honda so pleasurable," reports Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed. "Everything is perfectly weighted, easy to reach and effortless to operate. Overall, there's a feeling of quality, evident in everything from the sound of the door closing to the feel of most of the items that you touch in and around the driver seat."
Road Test Editor John DiPietro echoes these sentiments. "Every time I take this car out, I'm reminded of how right Hyundai got it," he raves. "The Sonata's plush, quiet cabin and effortless performance continue to impress me. It's the perfect commuter and family car, something relaxing to drive home in that makes dealing with oppressive traffic that much easier."
Phil found the Sonata's trunk to be a valuable ally in his golfing pursuits. "It's huge and swallows a bag of golf clubs like a Mafia hit man eating pasta," he states. "Furthermore, the trunk liner is nicely finished with stitching around the edges. Sometimes it's the little things that really knock you out."
Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot took the Sonata on a road trip to Vegas, and came back singing its praises. "It offers great value for the money," says Josh. "It's got more horsepower than the Fusion, along with standard stability control and a decent set of airbags. And it's really fast — I had a great time with it on the highway. For driving enjoyment, I'd choose the Sonata over the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan. It's also got a superior warranty."
You probably get it: We like the Sonata. But our river of adoration was polluted by a few gripes. "It took awhile to see anything that is below par on this car," reports Phil. "But there are some small problems." One of them is disappointing fuel mileage. "There's plenty of thrust off the line," observes Phil. "But that power cuts into gas mileage. We had trouble getting over 20 mpg even on the open road."
We also logged complaints regarding the car's seating. One editor found the car's front seats comfortable, but bemoaned their lack of adequate thigh support. Another was somewhat dissatisfied with the seat heaters, saying they "don't heat constantly but seem to heat and cool in some cyclical way."
Phil took one aspect of the Sonata's interior design to task. "The radio's styling doesn't match the rest of the interior. It looks a little clunky and outdated — but works fine and sounds good."
It's taken a few blows. But unlike Rocky at the end of his bout with Apollo Creed, our Hyundai Sonata has done more than just prove it can hold its own with the big boys; it's come out of this test still looking like a champion. Will its winning streak continue? Stay tuned.
Current Odometer: 5,206
Best Fuel Economy:23.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 18.5 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 20.9 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None
Korean car manufacturer launches its brand in the U.S. The brand becomes the laughing stock of the industry, the punch line to a joke that involves shoddy quality and fire-sale pricing.
Fast-forward nearly 20 years. The Korean brand has learned from its mistakes and grown stronger and stronger. It has won awards. And it has overcome scorn and indifference to achieve success in the marketplace, earning a reputation for affordable quality.
This is Hyundai's story. And, remarkable as it is, it did little to prepare us for what happened in a recent comparison test, in which we pitted the just-redesigned 2006 Hyundai Sonata against two longstanding champions of the family sedan category, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
The Sonata won. But it didn't just win, it cleaned the floor with the competition, on the strength of its outstanding performance and value.
Color us stunned. We wanted a closer look at this dark horse, so we've added a Hyundai Sonata to our long-term fleet. It's a Sonata LX, which boasts a standard features list that includes stability control and heated seats. We added an optional sunroof and six-disc CD changer to the mix, upping the MSRP to a still-value-priced $24,895.
The Sonata has long been a good bet for the money, but it came out swinging harder than ever following its 2006 redesign. The current generation is longer and taller, with two new engines including our LX sedan's feisty 235-horsepower V6 and a new five-speed automatic transmission.
Its cabin has gotten a first-rate makeover, too, growing to become the largest in its class, and benefiting from improved soft-touch materials and a more eye-pleasing layout. Whether you're just sitting in the cabin or putting pedal to the metal, the overall feeling is one of refinement. Not bad for a car that can cost less than $20 large.
Our first three months with the Sonata have revealed a sedan that shines under continued scrutiny. "The Sonata has the same feeling of ease that makes driving a Honda so pleasurable," reports Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed. "Everything is perfectly weighted, easy to reach and effortless to operate. Overall, there's a feeling of quality, evident in everything from the sound of the door closing to the feel of most of the items that you touch in and around the driver seat."
Road Test Editor John DiPietro echoes these sentiments. "Every time I take this car out, I'm reminded of how right Hyundai got it," he raves. "The Sonata's plush, quiet cabin and effortless performance continue to impress me. It's the perfect commuter and family car, something relaxing to drive home in that makes dealing with oppressive traffic that much easier."
Phil found the Sonata's trunk to be a valuable ally in his golfing pursuits. "It's huge and swallows a bag of golf clubs like a Mafia hit man eating pasta," he states. "Furthermore, the trunk liner is nicely finished with stitching around the edges. Sometimes it's the little things that really knock you out."
Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot took the Sonata on a road trip to Vegas, and came back singing its praises. "It offers great value for the money," says Josh. "It's got more horsepower than the Fusion, along with standard stability control and a decent set of airbags. And it's really fast — I had a great time with it on the highway. For driving enjoyment, I'd choose the Sonata over the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan. It's also got a superior warranty."
You probably get it: We like the Sonata. But our river of adoration was polluted by a few gripes. "It took awhile to see anything that is below par on this car," reports Phil. "But there are some small problems." One of them is disappointing fuel mileage. "There's plenty of thrust off the line," observes Phil. "But that power cuts into gas mileage. We had trouble getting over 20 mpg even on the open road."
We also logged complaints regarding the car's seating. One editor found the car's front seats comfortable, but bemoaned their lack of adequate thigh support. Another was somewhat dissatisfied with the seat heaters, saying they "don't heat constantly but seem to heat and cool in some cyclical way."
Phil took one aspect of the Sonata's interior design to task. "The radio's styling doesn't match the rest of the interior. It looks a little clunky and outdated — but works fine and sounds good."
It's taken a few blows. But unlike Rocky at the end of his bout with Apollo Creed, our Hyundai Sonata has done more than just prove it can hold its own with the big boys; it's come out of this test still looking like a champion. Will its winning streak continue? Stay tuned.
Current Odometer: 5,206
Best Fuel Economy:23.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 18.5 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 20.9 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None
Add A Comment »
joe96xp says:
12:27 PM, 09/16/2010
I'm not sure if all the posts are V6 models or the four cylinder, but I just got a 06 V6 model several months ago(70K) and I am in agreement with the article. I get close to 30mpg on the freeway, but seems to get closer to 10mpg in the city. City mpg is horrible. I average 21mpg overall in my own personal driving. I'm sure the four cylinder much better city mpg leading to overall better mpg numbers. It runs great! With news that Hyundai is dropping the V6 in 2011 or 2012(?) should be more consistent mpg numbers across the board. I'm excited that the elantra will be the sonata's mini-me with the reported 1.8L 4cyl. That should make for a georgeous little car with even BETTER mpg.