2010 Hyundai Sonata voted safest in US by IIHS

The US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has today named the 2010 Hyundai Sonata as its safety “best pick”.

The award was made more difficult this year when the IIHS added a roof strength test to its existing front, side, rear and headrest measurements – all of which Sonata excelled at.

Past winners of the IIHS award include the Chevrolet Malibu, Chyrsler Sebring, Dodge Avenger, Subaru Legacy (Liberty) and Volkswagen Jetta.

The Oracle’s Teacher

Yet another award for this car. Not only a great car to look at but strong too. The Koreans are coming.

Flow

No, they’re already here…

Jackson McFly

I agree – they are already here. Its just a pity holden have decided to put their badge on the crappy koreans….

The Oracle’s Teacher

Don’t give up on Holden’s Korean offerings just yet. There is little wrong with the Cruze. The Captiva on the other hand is crap. I have confidence we will see better vehicles out of Daewoo in the future.

HyundaiSmoke

The Captiva is a Saturn Vue. Detroit bombed that masterpiece, even though it was very popular among American professional women under 45.

Next Gen Aveo is going to be good,and if they price it nicely can get back into the top 3 in sales again.

new golf

ugly american look

D

A lot of people seem to like the look of the new Hyundai’s (ix35 included) but I just can’t warm to them. That grill is just plain ugly.

*awaits for all the upcoming negative votes*

GoHyundai

“That grill is just plain ugly.” ?????

how good looking can a grill be???

please type in toyota grill, honda grill, mercedes benz grill whatever car grill in google images and have a look at the grills…

Hyundai seems to be doing a “i10 i20 i30 i45 ix35-thing” with a fluidic-sculpture look to all of their cars as time goes by, and im loving it
just like mercedes has their “classes” and bmw has their “series”

hugs,

GoHyundai

Edit*
Hyundai is obviously starting their own “family-line” with their “i10, i20, i30, i45, ix35″ and their new “fluidic sculpture looks” and I’m loving it
just like Merc Benz and BMW has their “family design look” and the “Classes” and “Series”
D

It’s overly chrome and way too big, it cheapens the look and makes it look tacky.

You should do your own google image search to see how mercedes, bmw et al. does it- simple lines and not all full gloss chrome plastic!

GoHyundai

it just looks ‘overly-chrome’ in the photo
mate
common sense = *car*show* > car on a stand > car for show overly polished > lots of lighting + cameras flashing away taking pics of the car = your so-called “full gloss chrome plastic look” in the photo.

yea? yea.
D

Yea? no.

It’s full gloss chrome mate so common sense says that no matter what the photo, it’s going to be full gloss chrome.

Mike

I think this thing will look strange from certain angles on the road

adam (aka mada)

And a camry doesn’t!?

It looks far more like a complete package than any sonata before it.

If Hyundai decides on shapr pricing, this will sell easily.

Knock it off!!!

Geezes, why do the Korean crowd need to instantly compare to another car when someone on this website says the slightest negative thing about Hyundais or Kias?

You fanboys are actually turning me right off anything from these makers with your one-eyed, school yard comments. It’s pathetic. People can have their own opinions.

The Oracle’s Teacher

In one breath you suggest that people who like the Korean cars are fanboys. Then you say people are entitled to their own opinion. Hypocrit much?

That you are turned off a car by other people’s praise for it is very unusual! Imagine if the whole world adapted that way of thinking. Very odd indeed.

Knock it off!!!

Hardly hypocritical. Merely stating that there seems to be a loyal legion of Korean car-maker fans who troll each article fawning over each new offering, heaping it with praise, yet jumping down others’ throats if they dare to suggest they don’t like it. You’re one of the main offenders, so knock it off.

Nothing odd about that.
Baddass

Completely agree. HyundaiSmoke, it’s about time you stop referring to us in Australia as ‘you guys’: it’s getting annoying and it makes you sound like you are Hyundai yourself. Hyundai is making some very good cars these days, and I’m the first to admit that, but constantly talking about only one brand, if I’m honest, shows a little bit of narrow-mindedness and insecurity. Perhaps you want approval of your Hyundai purchase? Of course I don’t know you as a person, but this is just the feeling I’m getting from your postings.
HyundaiSmoke

I speak of other cars here, just 10% of the time. I say something Nice about a Ford or VW, and then get nasty about Honda or Toyota. I compliment GMs effort here and there, and if I see a niche product I like Ill speak about that.

My Stalker, hundi stroker knows about my exploits better. Lmao.
HyundaiSmoke

No,

1. I just want the Media, and many others to just simply admit that Hyundai now makes some of the best cars you can buy.

2. I want Hyundai to start getting the Awards it deserves.

3. Im tired of our Products being compared to Toyotas, or even the name Toyota beng in the same article. We make batter products than they do now.

Just Simple recognition is all is Im asking for. What are they scared of?
Baddass

When you become so close to a brand that you start referring to yourself as part of it, it’s time to take a step back.
scatman

3. Im tired of our Products being compared to Toyotas, or even the name Toyota beng in the same article. We make batter products than they do now.

What battered products do you make, sounds delicious
The Oracle’s Teacher

You are criticising me for doing what you are doing. Plenty of hypocracy. You guys are slamming people for liking Korean cars. Get a grip. You post again is a classic example. How dare anyone like these cars. They will be accused of fawning over them.

If you don’t like people praising Korean cars go to another thread where the cars are more your style. We get sick of people slamming them just because they are Korean. So it works both ways. How about you “knock it off” knock it off.
okies

Well said.

Anyway, this thread is for HYUNDAI and praising efforts and voted safest in US by IIHS.
It can be HYUNDAI’s Fan boy lounge and everyone has right to speak.
I hope I am not in Toyota’s thread.
If you dont want to listen Hyundai’s fan boys voice then don’t come back PLEASE..

Well done Hyundai. congrats.
Baddass

You obviously didn’t listen to me. I love Hyundai/Kia and it’s recent cars. However only praising and talking about one brand is boring and monotonous. If you are going to make a swipe at me, read up on your facts.
okies

As a Hyundai Fan boy myself,
I am not interested in any other manufacture’s business at the moment.
What can I do?
Do I need doctor’s prescription ?
Knock it Off!!!

Yep. Quickly.
The Oracle’s Teacher

I certainly am not just for one brand but am excited where Hyundai is headed (and KIA) and have the right to express that. If it offends you don’t read it. I also really like Honda and VW at the moment and some of Mazda’s stuff and think the locally made 3 need a major overhaul. Yes all three. I get sick of Falcodore fans telling me how the last word ends with local made cars but I don’t attck you for it. That’s your fantasy not mine.

Someone said the Camry is a great steer in here today and rather than turn it all into another arguement, I laughed inside and pressed on. Seriously, if you really find it offensive that people like Hyundais you need to seek professional help. I guarentee you your shrink’s first course of action will be to tell you to stay out of Hyundai threads.

We are all going to be the winners if this mob succeed because it makes the manufacturers you love so much lift their game. That’s a fact.

…and Bada$$ this is a hyundai thread, so to come in here and expect people to be talking about fords and holdens is a little silly. Furthermore, no other manufacturer has as much going on at the moment as Hyundai so you should expect the chat to continue. The ix35 has over 230 posts. That should tell you something.
Knock it off!!!

Thanks for the War and Peace novel. Yes, you do offend me so I will be ignoring your self-righteous drivel from now on.

Thank you.
The Oracle’s Teacher

I think the world offends you. If you don’t like Hyundais go to the Nissan Micra thread where the car is more your style. Constant personal attacks. You remind me of another poster. Oddly enough you popped up when he disappeared.
Baddass

What should it tell me Teacher, when I have previously stated that I am a fan of Hyundai, I dislike Falcodores, and am seriously considering buying a Hyundai myself? Your narrow-mindedness is apparent to all who read your posts, as would be evidenced by the thumbs down replies.
robbo

agreed, leave the thread if you want to pretend to own BMW’s or Toyota’s, it must be fun slamming others when you’re on the train on your iPhone.
Whitbomb07

KIO is it any different in any other thread on here?

Loyalists to any brand jump down the throat of someone who tries to point out a flaw/weakness/fault etc etc.

So why is it alright for anyone to bag out a Korean vehicle without reprisal, and if reprisal occurs they get attacked for doing so, but in other manufacturers threads loyalist can cry poor the moment someone says something bad about that brand?

So yeah I would consider your statements highly hypocritical.

Regards

Whitbomb07
Knock it off!!!

Only hypocritical if I do the same to other car makers. Which I don’t – I either like a car based on my own criteria, or I don’t. I don’t have badge loyalty/tunnel vision when it comes to liking my cars, which a lot of people on here do.
The Oracle’s Teacher

Why are you even here? If you don’t like the cars that’s fine. Now toddle off to your Punto KIO. Hypocrit.

Jinsei

I am a little afraid of that too. It does look a bit weird in certain angles… a bit too exaggerating. So do many others so i ll just wait to see it in the flesh.

GoHyundai

its the hot fluidic sculptured look!

do i need to talk about the design of the -camry…

Baddass

No, actually you don’t. He never said anything about a Camry, so why should you?

mike

Yeah I havn’t warmed to the American exterior… I have seen one with a colour matched grille though and it looked 10x better than before. I will say the standard features and the interior are real impressive.

The Oracle’s Teacher

The grille is the only part I’m not too keen on but overall a good looking car. The interior looks well done.

Shak

Forget that. Lets hope they dont give it an American suspension and ‘box tune.(wallowy and asleep)

HyundaiSmoke

Well, and we cant help it that we like this Korean Renaissance Period, nor we cant help the fact that we’ve become Media Darlings.

When you make Superior Korean technology like Hyundai, we cant help but to attract positive attention.

pirakavezok

Superior Korean technology? You sound like as if the Koreans have landed on Mars.

HyundaiSmoke

Suprior asin American technology, Japanese Tecnology, German Technology.

We’re not taking about proton or great wall motors here (Still not worth putting in capitals), we’re taking about Hyundai. There’s superior techonology, and there’s inferior technology.

Even you can agree that Hyundai or anything Korean for that much matter is not inferior technology anymore.
okies

Yes mate.
That inferior Toyota seeking some superior Korean parts for their vehicles theseday? Did you know that?
Just like inferior Sony use superior Samsung’s LCD pannel for their TV.
You need some study to discover what is going on other side of globe.
Wake up Australia! You’ve been blocked your eyes and ears just too long.

hundi stroker

fan boys or maybe keen hundi sales people desperate for volume cause their commission is so low .

Just an average joe car , not good handling , ever checked out a 2 year old interior , not so nice , long way to go

HyundaiSmoke

Man shut up!!

hundi stroker

Yep i suppose the yanks will take anything better than GM , i hope we dont get mushy USA tuned suspension .

We are more dicerning about handling in OZ .

HyundaiSmoke

Yeah, you will get a specially tuned suspension.
Robin Graves

The rental Sonata I had in the US (2008 model V6) had suspension that suggested the steering wheel should have been a tiller, it was like driving a yacht. The poor front wheels had no chance of holding onto the V6, the front tyres just got minced in a cloud of smoke every time I nailed the loud pedal. The Aussie suspension tune was a lot better, but still not perfect. I hope they do tune the suspension of the i45 when we get it.

okies

YES. YES .YES
Hyundai Now has so called “Fan boy”
How can you dare to think Hyundai has ‘Fan boy club’ just 5 years ago Huh???

CrustyTheClown

LOL

That’s funny, and sadly true!!

okies

Thanks Crusty.
I hope I am the first Hyundai Fan boy of Australia.
First Fan boy No.1 Australia.
I dont want to be Fan boy No.1976 or No.2010.
Is too funny?
You can be after me you can be No.2
First come First Served

CrustyTheClown

Really hyundai are not so bad, just they are no longer [Getz excl.] the bargain they once were, and NEVER EVER the best in ANY segment they compete in.

Might as well buy vastly superior Japanese made for very little extra coin.

They have VERY good and well trained salespeople at the dealerships me think.
The Oracle’s Teacher

This very article is about how this car won the major safety award in its class in the USA. Are you totally thick? Never the best? Wow you are so out of touch. Or stoned.

Which vastly superior Japanese do you refer to? Toyota with its superior recall numbers? Nissan with its ongoing covered up recalls? I know because I own one. The only mainstream manufacturers I’d place above this lot out of Japan are Mazda and Honda and only just. When the dollar equation is added and they are matched for trim they are still streets ahead of the Japs.

Jinsei

It’s weird the ix45 hasn t even been launched here in Australia. So how do you know all of that? Just one of your rough guesses?

Man wait for it too come and test drive it, it wouldn t be too late if you say that after then
GoHyundai

were you just talking about AUDI’s interior designs?

yea I agree with you,

HyundaiSmoke

You guys wont get this Sonata. Youll get the i40 that comes from the i-flow concept that will debut in Geneva. i40 is lighter weight, and will offer smaller powertrains as well. It will be more luxurious than the Sonata.

Australian and European buyers have a more discriminating taste than Americans, Koreans, and Chinese. You guys will require an even more opulent product.

By the way an Alfa MiTO (Blatant Accent Rip Off) was spotted in Detroit today by AutolineDaily. Its at the very end of the Autoline After Hours podcast.

hundi stroker

hahahah rip of hundi, who could be bothered , man get a grip , your not in an institution are you .

Why would alf even bother to look at any korean car , style mmmmm and the accent looks chinese .
HyundaiSmoke

Youll get this Sonata as i45? I wonder why the second midsized car?

I sure put my foot in my mouth, as this is the first Ive ever heard of you guys getting this as i45. From what I always understood i45=Santa Fe. Unless thats why the ix-desigation is of importance. maybe youll get Accent Sedan and hatch as i25, and Elantra Sedan and hatch as i35.

The Oracle’s Teacher

The replacement for the Elantra will be sold here along side the i45 (sonata) It will wear the i40 badge. It has already been covered in a rival website. The Santefe replacement will have an “ix” prefix. Possibly ix40. Hyundai’s long term plan is to have vehicles on sales in Australia in “every” segment of the market.

They currently have two models beneath the i30. One is the i20 which goes on sale around June. The second is being evaluated at the moment for Australia which is the i10. They are keen on this to push the entry price back down.

i20 is small class, like rio. i10 is micro class like punto. Elantra replacement is small medium and i45 is medium. They eventually plan to go into the large class with the genisis range but don’t believe Australia is read yet. KIA will be introducing the Cadenza here soon also in the medium class.

The Oracle’s Teacher

That being passenger market.

HyundaiSmoke

I wonder if they are going to do this system then?

i10
i20
i25-Accent
ix25-I wonder if we in the US will get that now?
i30
i35-Elantra
ix35-Tuscon
i40
i45-Sonata
ix45-Santa Fe
i50
i55-Azera
ix55-Veracruz
i60- That secret smaller RWD car Hyundai/KIA is developing
i65-Genesis
ix65-Genesis Truck
i70-Equus

You guys will have an interesting lineup a mix of both US and Euro Hyundai.

This is like the Benz strategem, and they should continue this upmarket push they got going for them.

CrustyTheClown

Thoughts on the i1000 model?

okies

Whole world is hypnotized by Hyundai. Damm
Wake up world, go and buy Toyota PLEASE…

Shak

we value our lives and dignity.

o

I wont take this award seriously seeing as the sebring has won it.

HyundaiSmoke

But the Sebring is safe, and thats the only thing it can do right mate.

The Sonata is the a better car of course, but those few patriots will buy a Sebring becuase the best thing it has going for it is that its a #1 IIHS Score, and My fellow Americans can be a little religious at times about safety.

okies

Yes.
Look at look Hyundai’s eyes
We all hypnotized by Hyundai…

We love Hyundai…we love Hyundai…we love Hyundai

scatman

Yes the headlamps are very distinct, they have a definate slant that makes them standout.

Ken

I’m sorry if it’s has been stated but what is the “sister Kia car” to this Sonata and has it also come out?

okies

It must be Kia “cadenza” if you want to know. or “K7″ they calling in Korea.
It also sounds tasty.

The Oracle’s Teacher

Yeah it is the Cadenza and is being released here this year also. It’s a good looking car. Go to KIA’s website and it is on the home page.

Hjalle

Another great Hyundai comments section! Hyundai articles have become worse than Ford and Holden. Why does everyone need to love Hyundai. Cant people have different opinions?? I mean the people who dont like the looks of Hyundais or prefer european can still accept the fact that they are a good brand, they jsut dont need to love them, like some other individuals do

Whitbomb07

Hjalle

There have been repeat offenders in Hyundai threads that actively trash talk the brand and put forward biased or completely false statements, my posts merely are to clarify these posts and show there faults.

I have no problem with a person who does not like the brand but does respect it. However I will go out of my way to show how wrong a person is who attacks the brand with false and/or misleading statements.

Regards

Whitbomb07

scatman

Justice shall prevail with your tireless efforts, You are indeed a warrior.

CrustyTheClown

They are justifying there low price/quality made-in-koran purchase…

HyundaiSmoke

Dont Worry Oracle, people cant resist making a Superior purchase, and:

1. They will Buy.

2. They Will Like it.

3. They will become the very fan boys they hate.

Watch youll see.

Korean “Fan Boys” are taking over every automotive thread Ive ever seen on Earth. We make not only good quality reliable product now, but we are now making our product look as good as it runs.

This thread reminds me of the US threads 3-5 years ago. The Journalists said the product is very good, etc…. You have about 20 Hyudai/KIA lovers and the whole placeis attacking us.

Guess what?

1. 90% of those people who used to hate on us in US Threads, now say very nice things about our products.

2. The 2-5 Die hard Haters that still remain are hated, and are the bad guys. Kust remember, that 3-5 years before us Korean fan boys were seens asthe bad guys.

3. Australians are behind us Americans about 3-5 years in your attitudes about Korean cars. I think the top secret smaller RWD car that will slot between Genesis and Azera will be great for your market, and should be enough to bring 90% of the haters over the top.
Taranaki Dave

Last time I looked, this was a thread about the Hyundai i45 and the safety award it won in the US. It’s pretty reasonable to expect fans of the badge to openly express positive comments about it. I wouldn’t have looked sideways at a Hyundai a couple of years ago. Since the i30 won best small car under $30K, I have since opened my eyes a little, I should say a lot. As someone else said in an earlier post, Hyundai are going to force other makers to lift their game in order to compete. I can’t wait to see how well the ix35 and i45 will sell.

CrustyTheClown

The i45 will tank, just like the Sonata and Granduer have.

The ix35 will sell ok , once they drop the price to a realistic level to where it needs to be, ie like the Tuscon level as per now, $22,990 D/A in a FWD edition.

First test of the ix35 in Sats. TheAge motoring section, it got slammed, just another medium effort by hyundai.

hyundia fanbios need to take there rose-coloured glasses off……

The Oracle’s Teacher

Maybe he is part of it?
QwkEddie

People say that the new Subaru Liberty is ugly.
This car really,really looks Korean …bloody awful!

robbo

How can a car ‘look Korean’? What a stupid comment. Is there a standard? A benchmark that is set by a country? Does that mean a Commodore looks Australian? Or Euro?? WTF?? And I suppose next you’ll compare the Liberty to this and how the Subaru looks ‘Korean’ too. Damn, would hate to think Subaru didn’t realise they’re car is Korean, as if the designers cheated on them with the designer-next-door.

Golfschwein

How can a car be ‘voted’ the safest? Do crash test results and other real data not count for anything?

The Real Car Fanatic

as far as I know there were only 28 cars from 16 Manufacturers in the testing, the Sonata took out top honours with the highest score overall. So technically it’s the safest of the 28 cars tested. Seems a bit of a crock!

robbo

It is interesting how heated some comments get about what this car is or how it looks, some of you are missing the point I think…so think harder about it; very little folk who would consider this car wouldn’t read comments here or care about “how the grill looks” or “if it’s part of a family face”. Why does it matter? And who cares if it’s indicators look like Toyota, or it smells like cut grass – it’s a car for f*** sake; look at it, drive it, own it or leave it alone and go back to your import Silvia. And if you love or hate Hyundai or anything else non-jap non-euro non-aussie, the fact remains that Hyundai’s marketing is going well, their cars are selling, they appeal to middle age folk with families or no families and with safety and economy in mind, regardless if others think they’re ix35 looks ugly, so what it does the job they want it to do!!! We’re all taking notice of these upcoming brands, even if you complain about it’s looks or it’s badge, they want you to remember them. Just like 20 years ago when we bagged out 3-speed Ford Lasers, times are a changin’, now there are small hatchbacks everywhere, and their safe, good quality and some are even fun to drive even if they’re gutless (look at MINI Cooper for instance).

Do you agree or disagree? Am I going too far??? Stop whinging and make good remarks! Or else….