Comments on: 2009 Hyundai Sonata SLX CRDi Review

By: Neutral

Neutral — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:34:21 +0000

Hello everyone,

First of all, I love reading CA as it seems to be less biased than some car mags/websites.

I also love to read all these blogs written by people. From my observation, there are two types of people here.
The people giving a decent/realistic view on the car here are those who actually have purchased or driven the actual car and the other half are those who complain and drag down a car without having driven one.

Commonsense tells you that to make a valid opinion, you should/must drive the car. Otherwise please keep the whining to a minimum and increase personal opinions on what you actually see…and not what you’re imagining.

My opinion of this car is that it’s not bad. Like the review, it is a car worth considering. I have driven one for 1 year as my company car. If I was to compare this car to a 3 series BMW then yes, I would have endless amount of negative comments about this car, HOWEVER if I was to compare this car to my current car (Mazda 6) it’s not that far off the pace. If you want to argue about it then drive the 2 cars and then tell me…keeping in mind that I am not a race driver. I just make my daily commute to work and occasionally go for a long drive to the Hunter Valley.

In hindsight, the lack of popularity of Hyundai’s in Oz is the fact that our market is just bloody too small. Hence the Hyundais having a poorer ride due to the company not spending millions in making the suspensions to the local settings. In the US or Europe it is a different story altogether. For any business to make $’s you have to have a profitable return in order to invest.

So, stop whining and I challenge those -ve’s to actually spend some money buying NEW cars so that our Aussie market will be prominent in all manufacturer’s.

By: joe public

joe public — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:59:41 +0000

I was on holiday in Singapore last month. I saw the Hyundai Sonata being used as taxis over there. Come to think of that, Sonata’s styling really suits it to be a taxi being totally bland and nondescript on the road!

By: Fourwheelbikie

Fourwheelbikie — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:39:40 +0000

Matt,
An interesting reply. You gave the car a very good write up “This could be the smart answer to the question of your next new sedan” and “But looks aside, my justification in bolstering the Sonata’s worth remains. It’s a good, safe car that is great on fuel, eager to perform and adequately comfortable – not to mention affordable”. In a competitve market, you have to justify this praise. I do not think you can, but we are each entitled to our opinions.

Further “There is the availability of a less competent and someone antiquated four-speed automatic transmission, but if you want my advice (assuming shifting gears manually doesn’t bother you) save yourself two grand and buy the more enjoyable manual.” Very few manuals are purchased today as in city driving, an automatic is far superior. You recommend a manual for enjoyment on a car you think is for people who don’t like driving? Does not make sense. A manual in a sporting car for country drives – yes. Not for an everyday sedan.

By: LloydS

LloydS — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:54:54 +0000

I checked the Hyundai web site and the braked towing capacity is 1100 kg for the 4-speed auto and 1700 kg for the manual. Strangely the 2.4 litre petrol version is rated at 1700 kg for both auto and manual. Furthermore the petrol model gets a 5-speed auto. So the diesel’s auto strikes me as being quite unsatisfactory. The motor seems to be crying out for a DSG style automated manual box. Maybe Hyundai are working on somesuch and stuck in the 4-speed as a stop-gap (non) solution.

By: Reckless1

Reckless1 — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:18:20 +0000

Dodge avenger, hahahahahahahahahahahaha, joke, right !!

A friend of mine recently ditched his 3yo Camry and bought a DSG diesel Jetta.

Tooke me half an hour to get a word in edgeways when I bumped into him the other day – he loves it. Can’t believe how bad the Camry really is.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:11:56 +0000

Fourwheelbikie, as you said, not everyone is a car enthusiast, and as I noted in the review, some older folks appreciate simple motoring. They may wish to take the review seriously, even if you don’t.

By: Fourwheelbikie

Fourwheelbikie — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:04:42 +0000

It is hard to take the review seriously just as it is hard to take the Sonata seriously. The Sonata is clearly a vehicle for those who need a car but do not like driving or even cars, i.e. it is an alternative to a Camry.
Why was the Dodge Avenger, the only attractive car in this category, not mentioned? Very well equipped, a delight to drive and has a diesel with a 6 speed auto.

By: pious

pious — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:32:34 +0000

I made the mistake of buying a leganza 10 years ago, when my second daughter came along, thinking that it made sense. It was the most colorless, lifeless, and excruciatingly boring car to drive, although it compared well to the 626/sonata at the time. I sold it 18 months later and los half the cost price doing it, but I was air-punching just to get out of it. Never again will I buy a car because it makes sense, or on what the reviews say. I’ll put up with some inconvenience to drive something that I want to get into. I wish that wasnt true – I admire people who are happy to drive something just for function – it would save me a lot of money if I could. Love GTR, agreed, but add in my case “and blind, and deaf, and neutered, and dead”.

By: WVB

WVB — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:08:25 +0000

Hyundai have all the resources and competitor products available to them so why are most so boring to look at. The camry has really handed the cardigan down with these. I mean that interior? It’s practically a Honda accord from 1999!!
A safe write up CA and hyundais are mostly up to their competitors technically but most people buy cars with up to the minute styling in mind these days so I’m lost as to why the sonata (or grandeur for that matter) dies when put next to mazda’s 6 or ford’s mondeo. We’re heading into 2009 and I really expected the i30’s styling to have rubbed off on its siblings by now.

By: LloydS

LloydS — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:10:40 +0000

“1,100kg (braked) tow kit, perfect for towing the caravan” – I don’t think so. 1,100 kg is quite inadequate for towing most caravans. Barely even enough to tow one small horse in a float. What happened to Sonata’s previous rating of 1,700 kg?

By: JEYKL & HYDE

JEYKL & HYDE — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:47:40 +0000

while we’re on the subject of epica diesel,has anybody noticed the big turbo lag in the new epica…it’s like,bang the loud pedal,nothing,then 2 seconds later the esp’s stopping the front tyres bagging up,the same motor in the craptiva doesn’t…is the hyundai the same…

By: LOVE GTR

LOVE GTR — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:41:04 +0000

I would consider this car if I was 65 yo.

By: Cupid Stunt aka No Name

Cupid Stunt aka No Name — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:07:54 +0000

OK its really economical but very lardy performance. Similar sized cars with similar power crack the 10second barrier easily. Take BMW’s 318D does 9.3’s on 96KW (I think) and still gets 4.9’s/100km

By: Gift-Ed

Gift-Ed — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:31:36 +0000

If i wanted a cheap mid size Korean diesel, then I’d get an Epica and save the price difference.

Why I would want a mid size Korean diesel when there are great cars on offer in the segment, I don’t know.

By: Dlr1

Dlr1 — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:28:53 +0000

Hyundai resales can only improve (for the sonata they couldnt get any worse at the moment).

By: Robin Graves

Robin Graves — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:07:04 +0000

Camry has a 5 speed auto and its a piece of junk, have any of you driven one? There is no difference between Hyundai and Toyota lately except Toyota dont offer a cutting edge diesel engine in their models, and charge a lot more for the privlidge. Also the interior fit and finish in the Camry is horrible. Hyundai have overtaken them here. Once people realise this in a few years resale value will improve for Hyundai

By: Frontman

Frontman — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:03:20 +0000

Personally I would coin up the extra for the Mondeo…. Better by a country mile and choice of sedan or hatch with more room than the Camry clones.
But the big Question, would the average punter go for the Hyundai with the lot or the HOLDEN (epicrap) with less but a badge (kind of an excuse you could use at the BBQ “No it’s a Holden not really Korean it’s only made there).
Be interesting to compare the two.

By: Dlr1

Dlr1 — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:49:44 +0000

I dont think i’d say Toyota are getting desperate, if you look back over the last 3 to 4 years those drive away prices have appeared regularly on Camry and Yaris. Although i would agree that they do need a diesel option on Camry and Corolla, and i think it would be a popular option on the latter, even at a 3 to 4K.

By: VW Freak

VW Freak — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:07:59 +0000

realcars Says:
November 4th, 2008 at 3:27 pm

“By the by I,ve seen the TRD Aurion in Sydney Papers for $49990driveaway”

That’s a national price, as per TMCA’s November bulletin to dealers. Camry 27990, Aurion ATX 30990, Yaris YR 3 dr 14990, all driveaway. Toyota is getting desperate – their prices are starting to come down to Hyundai levels. However, Toyota’s major failing here is no diesel in passenger vehicles. They can’t compete with the rubbish Sonata. Are you reading this TMCA?!? It’s time to start do diesels in passenger vehicles!!!

By: VW Freak

VW Freak — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:01:52 +0000

Reckless1 Says:
November 4th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

“Same price as Jetta, but not quite in that league yet (not by a long shot).”

Hmmmm… I reckon there might be more than a long shot involved here, I’d say about a million light years.