I was looking to get some opinions on the 2009 Hyndai Sonata. Seriously considering over the 08 Accord because it is signifigantly cheaper for the amount of options you can get and I thought it was pretty impressive on the test drive? My main concern is the reliability factor?
Hyundais have improved significntly over the years. The previous model won a J D Powers award for reliability and owner satisfaction.
The 2009 has been in production for 3 years now, and has earned a better or much better than average reliability rating from Consumer Reports. It is great value for money and it has more interior room than either the Camry or the Accord.
Hyundais have proven themselves to be less expensive to maintain than Japanese cars or European cars.
So it’s a low risk decision.
Thanks Docnick. My main concern was after the 5yr waranty but I suppose at that point any car is going to have some issues. I never knew that they were less expensive than Japanese or European cars so that is a plus. I had one the dealer theother day who offered me almost a fully loaded GLS (no sunroof) for 17K. He said he was trying to increase his Quota for the end of the month. I figured for that price I might as well shoot for the Limited fully loaded so I am waiting to hear back.
Hyundais built since about 2000 are equal to, or perhaps even superior to Toyota and Honda in regards to reliability. They offer the same or better features and amenities for less money. They are also cheaper to insure, often times easier and cheaper to maintain, and, in my experience, I’ve found their dealers to be much easier to work with. Lastly, their warranty service is excellent I’ve found, and they are quite willing to do warranty work even after the warranty has expired. I had an 02 Accent, and they replaced the radio for free, despite the radio warranty ending about 1 month and 800 km earlier.
About the only complaint about Hyundais have been their lack of power, but that has changed in the past 3 or 4 years, lead by the Sonata.
Thanks lprocter. That is nice to know about the dealers and insurance. Funny you mention the power question because that was my main concern when I went for the test drive. I had an Elantra Hatchback back in the mid 90’s. Decent car but wow did it lack power. However this 2009 Sonata was extremely powerful. I thought for sure that the dealer had given me a V6 to drive.
Hyundai has been improving at an extraordinary pace over the past 8 years and it’s my opinion that any of the new designs debuting within the past couple of years are up to par in reliability. That said, whether or not they are a good investment depends on how long you plan on keeping it. If you like to get a new car every 5-6 years get the Honda because Hyundai resale value has been awful. The Hyundai Accent and Elantra have been in the top 10 for cars with the worst residual value for a while now. This means nothing if you drive em’ till they die. However, if money is important to you look at the numbers long term. Used Hondas are sought by consumers even after 10-15 years.
I believe the Hyundai has a 10 year powertrain warranty, in any case it’s the longest in the business.
Thanks Dave. Yeah that is def a decision I have to make. I am currently driving a Sentra which is 10yrs old. I feel like i would have this car for at least 5-7 years so even if it deappreciates quickly i feel i would get my money’s worth if i don’t over spend. If I just went with the basic GLS I think I would be fine but I love extra gadgets and I have always wanted a built in Navigation system and heated seats.
I am going to be inheriting a 2008 Subaru Forester with only 2,300 miles on it. SO I am hoping that will take care of a large chunk of the cost.
I was curious to know whether or not you purchased the 2009 Sonata and your thoughts on it. I’m looking at the 2010 SE model, but after seeing photos of the 2011 model, I think I’ll wait to make a purchase.