I have to start this review off by stating that I LOVE THIS CAR!!! For the last 6 years I had been driving a Honda Civic and it was a nice little car, but there was just not enough room to comfortably accommodate the car seat for our newborn daughter, so we decided it was time for an upgrade. My husband and I had done some shopping and we looked at Pontiac Grand Prix's, Honda Accords, and Toyota Camrys. I never really though about a Hyundai Sonata until I saw a TV advertisement a few weeks ago. After doing a little research, I saw that they were comparable in size to the aforementioned mid-size cars and were available with the V6 engine that I so longed for. The fact that they averaged $3000 cheaper was an added bonus!
The minute I took a test drive, I was sold. I feels and drives like a much more expensive car. We decided on the GLS model, that comes standard with the V6 engine, remote door & trunk locks, driver & passenger front and side airbags, CD/Cassette/AM/FM stereo, Cruise Control among other things. I'm not going to pretend like I know a thing about engine specifics, but I can tell you this car has some very nice power. It's so great not to have to turn off the air conditioning in order to get that extra burst of power/speed. (Anyone with a 4 cylinder can understand that feeling!)
The interior is very roomy with comfortable seats. As an overweight woman, I wanted to make sure I had a car that I felt comfy in. I didn't want to feel like I was "sardined" into a box and I feel very at ease in this car. I opted not to go with the leather seating (it can get very hot here in Florida and, to me, leather seats can get sticky and uncomfortable) and I'm very satisfied with the cloth seats. The fabric doesn't feel cheap and it is plush, as well as sturdy. I would have no problems in this car on a long driving trip. The seats easily adjust forward and back & also adjust for lumbar support. The electric seat adjusters were an unpgrade on the GLS model, so I stuck with the standard model with the hand turning knobs. It handles very well and feels like you are just gliding across the road. It corners well and has very smooth acceleration and braking. You don't need to mash the pedal into the floor board in order to brake quickly or accellerate. My 4 month old daughter falls asleep in her car seat very quickly, it is so smooth! There is plenty of room on the back seat for a child's car seat plus 2 others. My husband was sure to sit in the back (he is 6") and he had plenty of room. The car also comes equipted with the LATCH system to ensure secure mounting for car seats.
The stereo system sounds great (6 speakers) and the locations of all the buttons for the radio, air conditioning, etc. are easily read and within reach. There are vanity mirrors on both the driver and passegner side sun shades, cup holders in the center console, as well as the fold down armrest between the back seats (that also have additional storage). The rear folding seats help to make additional room in the generously appointed trunk when necessary. One problem I had with my old Honda Civic was that there was just not enough room for the stroller and groceries at the same time. In the Sonata GLS, I can fit the stroller, groceries, and a couple of suitcases and still have extra room. (I currently have 20 cases of Coca-Cola that was a bonus from the dealer and there is room to spare!)
Since I've only had the car for a few days, I can only speak of what I was told in regards to the MPG, but it is supposed to average 19-26 miles per gallon (18 gallon tank). Not to shabby...
I highly recommend this car. Priced approx. $3000 lower than the competition, it's a great car for anyone wanting a reasonably priced mid-sized sedan.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 17500
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: GLS Sonata V6
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