Introduction
I own the 2006 Hyundai Sonata Limited V6 3.3L (234 Horsepower) limited that comes with the leather interior and 17-inch wheels.
When I took my 2006 Hyundai Sonata to the dealer for a warranty related repair, the dealer let borrow the 2008 Hyundai Sonata 4-Cylinder 2.4L 162 hp I4 for 3 days! The car comes with cloth interior and 16-inch wheels.
The Hyundai dealer service manager was very nice to let me drive the 2008 Sonata for free, so I don’t have to spend money on a rental car.
Safety & Warranty Feature
I have a baby, so car safety feature is #1 thing I am looking for in a car. All 2006-2008 Hyundai Sonatas come with 6 air bags and electronic stability control (ESC) as a standard safety feature even in the lower end model and it comes with 36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper warranty and 100,000 miles power train warranty. I really love this very much because you don’t have to pay extra to get all the safety features that you need. The crash test of the 2006-2008 Sonata shows a good result.
The 2008 Hyundai Sonata comes with 36,000 miles bumper to bumper Warranty and 100,000 miles power train warranty. Since we are on a tight budget, the warranty part is a great appeal to buy the car!
My First Impression
The 2008 Hyundai Sonata 4-Cylinder 2.4L 162 hp looks exactly the same from the outside. The most noticeable difference between the V6 version and the 4-cylinder version is the dual exhaust feature. The 4-cylinder Sonata doesn’t have with the dual exhaust feature. Also the 16-inch wheels are not alloy wheels; they are just regular wheels with covered with wheel caps.
The Interior
The interior of the GLS standard doesn’t come with the leather seats and wood trims feature. It feels ok. The most noticeable difference between the 2006 Hyundai Sonata and the 2008 version is the center console! I love it, because the 2008 center console looks like the 2008 Nissan Altima, it looks more modern.
The interior of the GLS standard is VERY spacious! It is the same like the Limited version. The interior of the GLS standard is not as comfortable as the leather version of the GLS Limited version. The cloth interior stained easily, I spotted several stains on the seats already.
Climate Control/AC-Heating System
There is an AC-Heating system on the GLS standard Sonata, but there is no climate control like the one that comes with the Limited version. There are 3 dial round buttons to turn the AC-Heating unit on and off and to adjust the temperature. I guess it works fine; I don’t have any complaint about it.
Features
This is what I don’t like about the standard GLS version. There is no automatic light sensor feature! I had to manually turn the light on and off. In the Limited version, you can turn the light on and off button to automatic and when it gets dark; the lights will turn them selves on automatically.
The good part, the wiper control is the same! Thank goodness that I could still adjust the speed and the frequency of the wiper blades. The trunk space is huge just like the Limited version, so I have no complaint about it.
There is no POWER driver seat feature. You have to adjust the seat manually and you can only move the seat back and forth. I hate this part. It is ok, but I am used to have having the power driver seat control which let me adjust the seat height.
Engine & Gas Mileage
The engine of 2008 Hyundai Sonata is very quiet when it is idle, I couldn't barely hear it. There are times when I thought the car was off and I tried to turn it on.
The 2008 Hyundai Sonata 4-Cylinder 2.4L 162 hp I4 has very weak acceleration compared to the V6 3.3L Limited version. As you can see the number of the horse power is a lot less. If you love speed, the 2008 Hyundai Sonata 4-Cylinder 2.4L 162 hp I4 is not a good choice for you, but if you are very concern about saving money on gas, this is a great feature to have.
On the V6 3.3L the average gas mileage is around 17.5 MPG to 28 MPG, it depends on your driving style and habit. If you like to drive and accelerate very fast on the V6 3.3 L versions, the average gas mileage will be around 17 MPG.
The 2008 Hyundai Sonata 4-Cylinder 2.4L 162 hp I4 gas tank was full when I drove the car out of the dealer parking lot and 3 days later, the fuel gauge is still way up there! I got around 26 to 30 MPG with the 4-Cylinder Sonata. So if you want to drive fast, buy the V6 version of the 2008 Sonata, but if you save money on gas, the 4-Cylinder is the best choice. It is a great commuter gas.
Handling and the Ride Quality
I love the quality of the ride! Surprisingly, the 16 inch wheels and tires that come with the basic 4-Cylinder model makes the Hyundai ride a lot more comfortable. I have 17-inch wheels on my Limited version, the 17-inch wheels look very cool and sporty on your Sonata, but the ride is a lot rougher than the 16-inch wheels. I am very impressed with quality of the ride, I could hardly feel a bump and it was so smooth! I talked to a tire technician when I replaced my 17-inch tires, he said “the bigger the wheels, the rougher the ride and the more vibration on the ride.”
Entertainment
One thing I am very impressed about the 2008 Hyundai Sonata GLS standard is, the XM satellite radio! Yes, believe it or not, it does come with XM satellite radio and a CD player. The bad part is that it doesn’t come with the M3 player, since I don’t really care much about the XM satellite radio, so I prefer to have the MP3 player instead of the XM satellite radio.
The 2006 Hyundai Sonata comes with a single CD/MP3 player and the sound system that comes with the Hyundai Sonata LX Limited is amazing. I love it! Now I can listen to hundred of songs on my MP3 CD. To make the MP3 CD is very easy, use your computer to burn all the songs you want on a CD, finalize the CD as a data CD and your MP3 CD is ready to be played on Hyundai MP3 Player.
The 4-Cylinder Hyundai Sonata doesn’t come with an MP3 player, but it does come with an XM satellite radio. I wish the LX Limited version has the XM radio as well as the MP3 player. It was a hard choice to make, but I love my MP3 more than XM satellite radio.
Hyundai Service Department
Let me tell you about Hyundai dealership service. So far, they have been very helpful and very nice to me, since they have an excellent service manager in our area.
I had to visit Hyundai service department because the passenger seat was missing a bolt, so I wanted to prove whether Hyundai really honored their 30,000 bumper to bumper warranties. I was very happy that they paid for the labor and parts to fix the problem.
Every time I feel there is something funny with the car, I just take the advantage of the warranty by taking it to the dealer and so far they haven't charged me anything. They also let me borrow a loaner car for 2 days for free! The Hyundai Sonata has a lot of sensors, and they are very sensitive. If the sensor gets wet when you wash your car with high pressure washer, the sensor light occasionally will come on, and when the car is dry, the light will turn itself off.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 2008 Hyundai Sonata is a great economical car with great a great gas mileage. Thank you for reading my review and I hope my review is VERY HELPFUL in order to help you to make a better decision before you buy the car.
Amount Paid (US$): 17000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2008
Model and Options: GLS Standard
