2006 Hyundai Sonata Review

Specifications

Wow! Americans Really Like the New Sonata with Sales Up 66 Percent

Automakers create “halo” cars in hopes that theyll draw attention to a given brand and therefore pull traffic into dealer showrooms, resulting in increased profits. Hyundais halo car has long been its Tiburon sports coupe, and while its still competitive within the ever-shrinking entry-level coupe segment, the very fact that it has been in production for four years has it losing a little luster. Interestingly enough, however, Hyundais mainstream Sonata has taken over halo duties, filling the brands showrooms on its own merit, no traditional halo needed.

When compared with its 2005 predecessor, monthly sales of the all-new 2006 Sonata are up some 66 percent across the nation. The automakers midsize model has always done well in the U.S., but such leaps and bounds, above and beyond any previous growth in this segment for the South Korean automaker, is impressive to say the least.

With Hyundai Motor Americas 2006 calendar year sales up as well, many thanks have to go to the new Sonata, and those crafty marketers doing such a good job getting the word out - great TV ads Hyundai.

“Hyundai is definitely on a roll,” commented a company spokesman. “Driven by steady, consistent launches of award-winning new products, the Hyundai brand has seen a dramatic increase in sales, market share and brand image. In 2005, sales of Hyundai products were up 11 percent and we have every intention of continuing this trend.”

And now with a new Santa Fe on the horizon, an all-new minivan being readied for production, the first time Hyundai has entered this highly
profitable segment, and additional new models expected, things are definitely looking up for Hyundai.

Our long-term Sonata GLS V6 certainly hasnt lost its halo, still performing flawlessly, but not to the point of being boring. OK, its boring from a reliability standpoint. Nothing goes wrong so theres nothing to talk about. And in case you were thinking that all new cars are dependable, we have one of those odd European microcars to test this week, a smart fortwo (lowercase intentional) that wont start half the time (more on this car that Mercedes - the brands parent company - is considering importing into the U.S. in the logs), had a Saab 9-3 two weeks ago that simply died on the side of the road (again more in the logs), and a MINI Cooper S a number of weeks before that which kept dying as it was being driven (ditto) - fortunately it would start up again, and continue on. Yes, in this case boring is good. But ironically, the Sonata is quicker off the line than any of these cars (OK, the tiny two-seat smart is low hanging fruit but the Saab should be faster considering its price, and the Cooper S hits 60 mph in almost the same time), features a more accommodating interior than any of the above (also not a fair comparison to the two-seat smart or subcompact MINI), comes with way more standard features (especially safety features), and when equally equipped is almost the least expensive in this bunch - the smart fortwo isnt sold in the U.S. (it has been sold by ZAP but this company buys retail from smart in Germany so pricing is way over the top) so it doesnt count. Yes, of course the smart and MINI are much cheaper to run, that is until their warranties run out.

Of course, most smart and MINI buyers, or for that matter Saab owners wouldnt consider a Hyundai Sonata; unless its picking them up from the side of the road after their cars stall out. Yes, boring, in this scenario, is good.

Since we last left you, two weeks ago, our long-term Sonata has been fairly busy, racking up 207 local miles - and remember, most of our West Coast staffers dont commute. Now, with a total of 4,714 miles on the odometer, its time to take a look at the logs:

Odometer: 4,520 miles

Trevor: Weve had a lot of premium models recently; some more premium than others. As you can imagine, during the three short days that the Bentley Continental Flying Spur was in my possession I didnt spend much time in the Sonata - sorry Hyundai. I mean, as impressive as the Sonata is in its segment, even fully loaded its some $140,000 more affordable than the “bargain-basement” Bentley. Therefore, such an opportunity was the first and may end up being the last I get with this particular car. That week I also had a Mercedes-Benz ML350 and a Porsche Cayman S, both which are fabulous vehicles that more or less were ignored thanks to the winged-B (a bit of poorly organized press car booking on my part, with a last minute opportunity to schedule in the Flying Spur making things more cluttered - there was no way I was going to turn the Big-B down). Then, last week, I decided to take a 390-hp Range Rover Sport Supercharged on a short 370 mile road trip instead of the Sonata, a decision that Hyundai will be glad for being that the $70K-plus SUV ended up with two chips in the windshield (that cant be fixed due to a million little hairline electric wires for warming purposes - think of the cost of that replacement) and multiple paint nicks out of the bumper and grille thanks to missile-like rocks being spit rearward from passing cars and trucks (or vehicles that were being passed) on a snow-covered high-speed mountain freeway which the powers that be chose to make less slippery by adding gravel instead of salt. Ugh, I cringed every time I heard a whack from a stone; and not just because of the expected price of a repaint - much higher than the Sonata no doubt. I would have been just as upset hearing rocks hit the Sonatas shiny dark blue paint, which is still immaculate after about a year of service - if you remember, it wasnt new when we got it - with 1,193 miles on the odometer. Wow, have we really put 3,327 miles on the clock? Thats a fair amount for a second car, subject to family duties and the odd road trip. As always, its impossible to fault. Absolutely reliable… a powerful, smooth drivetrain… tons of room and totally comfortable… this car will do its part in changing perceptions about the Hyundai nameplate.

Odometer: 4,543 miles

Jennifer: Man, for a guy who spends most of his time locked into his office without a sound emanating from within, you sure have a lot to say. My log entry will be about the Sonata, not all the premium cars that Trevor wouldnt let me drive (and I wouldnt have anyway, thanks). OK, I spent some time running around in the Mercedes SUV, which was very nice, btw, but most of the time I try and get the keys to the Sonata as it suits my driving style more. And before you make some wisecrack about women drivers, Ill take you down any day of the week… especially if Im behind the wheel of the Sonata. But I wont go on and on about how quick it is, at least not right now. Rather, Ive got a complaint. Yeah, really! I know I complained about this one before, but Im still finding it difficult to keep the light gray carpets clean. Of course, its winter, so dirt and mud is the order of the season. And, if I were laying down my own cash for a Sonata, Id get it with black carpets if I could (although its not available with black carpets, only light beige, so the problem wouldnt be completely solved). Cest la vie.

Odometer: 4,563 miles

Trevor: Yeah, again, Id like to see Hyundai get a little more adventurous with the Sonatas interior. Imagine it with camel-leather seats and deep black carpets. Or maybe cream leather, with chocolate brown rugs? The all-gray all-the-time design scheme is a bit monotonous, especially when rivals like Volkswagen (at the pricy end) and Mitsubishi (almost monetarily comparable) offer greater opportunity for buyers to personalize their rides. I imagine, as the South Korean company gains confidence from being a sales leader, not to mention a design leader when it comes to the Sonata, it will start delivering interiors that are as dynamically stylistic as its exteriors. More impressive are all the details, like the little cubbies for stowing everything from loose change, to CDs, to sunglasses, plus its deep glove box. I like the way the vents close to form a flush finish; and how they feel well-built, with high quality dials that add to the upscale experience. The HVAC controls feel like theyre trimmed in rubber, but theyre just made of really high quality plastic - just another detail that sets the Sonata apart from some of its competitors.

Odometer: 4,588 miles

Jennifer: Im not a big fan of the dark blue exterior paint either, although I know Trevor thinks it looks classy. I saw a Sonata in a light-blue metallic recently and it looked fabulous. It would probably hide the dirt better too.

Odometer: 4,606 miles

Trevor: There you go on about dirt again. OK, I agree with you on that last point. Dark colors never look as nice in mid-winter, and the Sonata really needs a bath right now. But if weve got to stoop so low to criticize the car because of its exterior paint color, a moot point considering that its available in seven additional hues, including that Aquamarine Pearl that you liked so much, plus Dark Cinnamon Pearl, Ebony Black, Light Beige, Steel Gray Metallic, Steel Gray Pearl, White Pearl (our tester is painted Oceanic Blue Pearl, btw), and I love it. Its a rich color, nicely offset by its chrome trim and alloy wheels.

Odometer: 4,652 miles

Alexandra: You guys are yapping about colors and dirty carpets while Ive got real problems to deal with. Not with the Sonata, that Im grateful to have, by the way, as Im quite certain it will get me home in the wee hours of the morning, unlike some other cars Ive recently been literally stuck with. The worst was a Saab 9-3 that gave up the ghost six blocks from my apartment. Fortunately I live in a relatively safe area, and doubly fortunate the testy Swede died close to home. Sure the 9-3 is a little sexier than the Sonata (sorry Hyundai), but there are those that are fun to date and then there are those you bring home to momma - Id take the Sonata for a long-term relationship any day. Speaking of flirtations, a week spent with a particularly distressed MINI Cooper S recently, had me wondering whether I was going to get to work and or home every time I was behind the wheel. It kept cutting out. Yes, the engine kept dying while I was driving it! How disconcerting is that?! Cute car, but once again Ill take handsome and reliable.

Odometer: 4,686 miles

Trevor: Oh, how I can relate. I picked up a smart fortwo (yes, if you know what that is Im extremely impressed as it isnt even available in the U.S.) from Mercedes-Benz on Monday, and not once, not twice, but three times it wouldnt start. The first time, while parked in the service department of a Jaguar/Land Rover dealer, I slotted the key into the lower console (ironically just like a Saab), turned it to the right and nothing happened. I made sure that the sequential-manual transmission was in neutral, and then twisted the key again… nothing. I pulled the key out, turned it around and slotted it in from the opposite side (as if that would do anything), and still nada. I twisted the key to the “on” position and moved the gear selector around, tried to start it, nothing, and then put it back into the neutral position, pulled the key out, put it back in and then tried again. You guessed it, no sign of life yet. Then I opened the door to let some air in and some steam out (my steam as you can imagine), and turned the key once again… it started. I drove home without stopping, despite wanting some lunch and not being willing to stoop to drive-through levels, only to remember that I had a lunch appointment anyway. Jennifer had the Sonata, so I left the smart running and went off to pick up my new video producer, who laughed hysterically when he saw what I was driving (its the hairless dog of cars), and then laughed some more when I attempted to accelerate and what sounded more like a tractor than a car zipped up to 60 mph in a mind-numbing 20 or so seconds - yippee! It was after lunch that it wouldnt start for the second time. Opening the door didnt work, and neither did fiddling around with the gear lever, switching it from up to downshift positions, reverse and then back to neutral with the ignition switched on, after which I pulled the key out and re-slotted it, and then five minutes later, thoroughly frustrated, it started once again for no apparent reason. This happened once more, and now it sits in the driveway, only to be used when absolutely necessary. Do you think Im impressed with smart? No, and not only because of this car. A previous version I tested had a non-working audio system, and there were electrical glitches with the one before that. The “smart” is a “dumb” decision if youre looking to save money anyway. In other markets its priced much higher than equivalent Japanese or Korean subcompacts that feature a great deal more size, power and features. Sure its fabulous on fuel, but believe me, itll take years of fuel savings to make up the thousands of dollars difference youll need to ante up to get into a smart if Mercedes ever brings the brand to the U.S. And if you were to load up a smart with similar features available on a base Sonata (at least this scenario works in neighboring Canada where it is sold), it gets pretty close to the big sedans base price. Its a steep price to pay for a car that is anything but reliable. Case in point, despite having the funky little fortwo in my driveway, I drove the Sonata everywhere I needed to go today, without any problems with the ignition, or anything else I might add. No wonder Hyundais doing so well and smart, not to mention Mercedes-Benz that builds it, is losing money worldwide. So Mercedes, while wed take a long-term ML350 any day of the week (its really a superb SUV), you can leave the fortwo in the garage. And another thing, bringing the smart fortwo to the U.S. would be a stupid decision unless priced lower than a Kia Rio, and even then the Kia is a better car.

Odometer: 4,714 miles

Trevor: I suppose I cant leave the log entries on a sour anti-smart note, but the fact is that the Sonata is worth all the attention its getting from midsize buyers and the smart isnt worth much more than a chuckle as its eco-friendly driver putt-putts by. And Im not just trying to harp on it because its green and gutless and I happen to like a little capability off the line. Ive commended hybrids and diesels alike for providing decent driving dynamics as well as stingy fuel economy, and while I can appreciate that the fortwos fuel-sipping diesel is better for the environment than the Sonatas four- or six-cylinder engines, Im personally not willing to suffer to the extent smart expects of me for the sake of acid rain. Id buy a Honda Civic Hybrid or a Toyota Prius before Id opt for the smart, but this wont be happening anytime soon just the same. And while Im not in love with every aspect of the Sonata - the fact that you cant open its trunk without the use of the key fob, remote switch on the door panel, or by twisting the key in the lock (what ever happened to trunk handles?) irks me - its a superbly built car that makes me feel good when in the drivers seat. And how do you quantify that?