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Should I take Alabama or Korean Sonata

15K views 20 replies 11 participants last post by  dmlexpert 
#1 ·
I'm going to dealership on Monday to see the car. they offered me really good price few days back Most likely ill take it. Now I'm in this confusion. should I go with the US(Alabama) built sonata vin starts with 5 or Korean built vin starts with K. They offered me same price for both cars with the same specs. Im little paranoide that they are some problems found in US built model such as rattling sound or fuel gauge etc. maybe the factory is new and they are not as mature as Koreans, cz the US factory just started making sonatas or korean made are more reliable cz they have been building them for years. etc. etc.

If you are happy with your Sonata and have no problems, please let me know if it is U.S or Korean :)

Thanks...
 
#2 · (Edited)
Understand your concerns, sir. I was faced with the same dilemma (if you want to call it that) with my 2011 Elantra purchase. Korean or American build? As it turned out, it was the color that ultimately made the decision. Never had an issue with that Alabama-built vehicle. Bought another one in 2013. Also from Alabama. Had a couple of issues with it but extremely minor. And the warranty handled it with great ease. It wasn't a "worker" issue, it was a part supplier issue. And, like I said, it was corrected. This can happen to vehicles manufactured at either facility. Even BMW's manufactured in Georgia aren't exempt from subcontractor issues. No manufacturer is, be it televisions, or air conditioning systems. You're only as good as your sub-contractors. Now, having said all of that...If you were buying a Chevy built in Detroit versus one built in Korea, I'd say buy the Korean one. And I'd say that in a "New York heartbeat."

The Montgomery plant is one of the most modern car-producing facilities, today. I'm sure it rivals the Ulsan plant in every aspect where quality manufacturing is concerned.

Pick your ride based on your personal preferences: color, options, etc.. Then, drive away and feel good about it. You'll be fine. And leave knowing that the warranties are there for your peace of mind in the event something does happen. Odds are in your favor, either way.

Post pics of the new ride so we can see it. Try to keep the 3 foot wide smile to a minimum so as not to distract from the beauty of the car. Put the wife or girlfriend in the foreground to improve the quality of the surrounding scenery. :grin:
 
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#4 ·
Nowadays I don't think there is any real reason to prefer a Korean built version. If anything, there have been some labor issues in Korea. Since the U.S. plant is non-union I don't see that as a problem. Kia is next door in Georgia with a new plant, and my 2013 Santa Fe was actually built FOR Hyundai at the Georgia plant. Except, as I stated earlier, the only issue I ever had with it was the software problem with the gas cap warning light, I think I'd go with the U.S. version at this point in time.

Hyundai Motor Group Unions Vow to Strike in August Over Wages - Bloomberg

My Sonata was built in the U.S. My Genesis was build in Korea. I don't see any difference in the build quality.
 
#6 ·
I didn't know you could have that choice? Anyway mine was built in Alabama and after 2 years, zero issues.
Pretty much, it's narrowed down by color choice. Only certain plants build certain colors. Don't ask me why because I don't have a clue. I know the Radiant Silver and Shimmering White Metallic Elantra's are built in Montgomery. Because I have owned/own one of each.
 
#7 ·
maybe the factory is new and they are not as mature as Koreans, cz the US factory just started making sonatas or korean made are more reliable cz they have been building them for years. etc. etc.

If you are happy with your Sonata and have no problems, please let me know if it is U.S or Korean :)

Thanks...
The Montgomery, Alabama plant has been making Hyundais for nine years now, since May 2005.

Don't know where you live. Let's say southern California.
Do you want your new vehicle shipped 2100 miles, overland from Alabama???
....... OR ......
6000 miles, overseas from Seoul, South Korea???

I have been happy with my '14 Santa Fe Sport made in West Point, Georgia, 80 miles from where I live.
 
#9 ·
All US Sonatas are built in Alabama, except for the hybrid, which hails from Asan, South Korea. Only the Elantra sedan has the option of Korean (Ulsan) or Alabama production. The Elantra GT and coupe are all Korean.

There may be some confusion stemming from the Kia Optima being built in Georgia as well as Korea, so you can get a Korean Optima and a Georgia Optima. But you won't find a Sonata with VIN "K" unless it's a hybrid.
 
#12 ·
The word on the street is that they are importing the Veloster engine and the DCT from Korea and building the Eco here. That is why they have such a small mix planned - the logistics of moving powertrains over that distance. And I don't think they want too many sitting on the shelf if the reception is cool.
 
#13 ·
I would prefer Korean made because most of the production engineering/layout are probably Korean based...If they have problems they probably have to report back to head engineering office in Korea to get it fixed...

Some stuff I found from Autonews

Automotive News
February 24, 2014 - 12:01 am ET LOS ANGELES -- Hyundai notched big gains in its sales, market share and image when its swoopy 2011 Sonata hit the market. But barely three years later, the mid-sized car has left Hyundai with a black eye.
Problems reported by owners of the 2011 Sonata were the main reason that the Hyundai brand ranked fifth from the bottom in the latest dependability rankings from J.D. Power and Associates.
Hyundai owners reported an average of 169 problems per 100 vehicles in J.D. Power's 2014 Vehicle Dependability Study, which measures the performance of vehicles after three years of ownership. It was Hyundai's second year of increasing problems after steady improvement from 2009 through 2012.
Also contributing to the low scores was Hyundai's Elantra compact car, J.D. Power said. The current generation of both cars launched as 2011 models from Hyundai's plant in Alabama, which has been running around the clock on three shifts since the fall of 2012.

The Hyundai brand finished 27th, or fifth from the bottom, in this year's J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study rankings. The study measures the average number of problems per 100 vehicles reported by owners who have owned their cars for 3 years.

Chung Eui-sun, vice chairman of Hyundai Motor Co., visited the plant last week; the company declined to describe the purpose of his visit in detail.
Ed Kim, an analyst with consultancy AutoPacific, says the dependability shortcomings are unlikely to hurt Hyundai's brand in the near term. Kim says most consumers pay closer attention to J.D. Power's initial-quality rankings.
Still, he says, the poor dependability scores are a red flag for a brand that has put years of work into improving its quality reputation.
"We've finally reached the point where people have far fewer prejudices against Hyundai's quality," Kim said. He added: "The poor VDS performance is a warning sign to Hyundai because it takes a lot of time and money to build and rebuild a reputation for quality, which they've successfully done for a long time since introducing their 100,000-mile warranty. But it can be destroyed in a flash."
In a statement, a Hyundai Motor Co. representative said the company is "very disappointed" by the results, adding that it "is in the process of examining every component of the score to determine root-cause solutions and improve our products and processes." A Hyundai quality executive was unavailable to comment last week.
It's not uncommon for vehicles to have problems in their launch year, but the Sonata launch had more problems than usual for Hyundai and for the industry in general, said Dave Sargent, J.D. Power's vice president of automotive, who leads the annual study.
The Sonata was a game-changing vehicle for the Hyundai brand when it arrived as a 2011 model, with a distinctive design that shook up the otherwise staid mid-sized sedan segment. It soon became Hyundai's top-selling car.
Such success can be a double-edged sword, especially if durability problems persist, says Karl Brauer, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book.
"That car was at the heart of a lot of the momentum that they were seeing at the same time that their image, sales and everything was getting better," Brauer said.
"You don't want any of your cars to have a bad reputation, but it would be far better if it was something more obscure from their model line."
Sargent declined to identify the main issues that drove the Sonata complaints. But for the industry in general, the J.D. Power study found a rise in engine and transmission problems, especially for four-cylinder engines.
"While striving to reduce fuel consumption, automakers must be careful not to compromise quality," Sargent said in a statement when the study was released. "Increases in such problems as engine hesitation, rough transmission shifts and lack of power indicate that this is a continuing challenge."
The 2011 Sonata ushered in advanced powertrain technologies that were rare in the segment at the time, such as all-aluminum engines, gasoline direct injection, six-speed transmissions and continuously variable valve timing. It was also the first mid-sized sedan to use a turbocharged four-cylinder in place of a V-6 for high-end models.
In its statement, Hyundai said it expects its dependability ratings to improve in next year's J.D. Power study.
AutoPacific's Kim noted that Hyundai has prioritized improving vehicle quality over growing sales volume for the past few years. "Knowing them," he said, "I'm sure they're not sitting still."
You can reach Ryan Beene
 
#15 ·
The majority of Hyundai's problems have been from design flaws, not assembly problems. The design and parts are the same, no matter if the car comes from Alabama or Korea.
 
#17 ·
I have a 2011 Alabama built Elantra, My dad has a 2013 Kia Sportage built in Korea. (My mom has a 2012 Kia optima built in Alabama. I have had a few minor issues, and now a slightly larger issue. I am at 45K and it is covered under warranty. My dad's Sportage blew the radiator at 12K miles. I'm not joking, but it was covered under warranty of course. My mom's car has had 0 problems. It is fully loaded with the panorama, navi and heated/AC cooled seats. She has close to 40K on hers and has only changed the oil, filters and Just recently; the stock Nexen tires. All the cars are built pretty well, and none of them rattle like my dads 2009 Avalanche he traded in last year.
 
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