[midas69]

I just received a new survey from Hyundai. This was identified as a survey from Hyundai engineers. It was very extensive and asked about almost all aspects of the car. Honestly, I didn't realize I had so many complaints, but after a while it started to add up. I complained about the suspension noise, tire noise, the glove box rattles, the volume on both the navigation and bluetooth systems. I complained about the awful random function of the MP3 player as well as the INFO ON function. I complained about the overly aggressive recirculate issue as well as lack of an A/C light on in AUTO mode and the inability to be able to turn off A/C when in AUTO mode. I even complained about the poor POI database.

I doubt anything will come of it, but I did find it cathartic.

 

[midas69]

I forgot, I also mentioned the horn.

 

[louky]

they called me too and i complained about how the seat sticks to my buttocks when i drive naked

 

[BigRedNole]

It sounds like there are a lot of small issues that may turn into a larger issue. Are you upset with your purchase? Do you think they can fix a lot of the issues?

 

[midas69]

QUOTE (BigRedNole @ May 22 2010, 06:39 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325408

It sounds like there are a lot of small issues that may turn into a larger issue. Are you upset with your purchase? Do you think they can fix a lot of the issues?

The only thing I would say I'm upset about is the suspension noise. I think it really detracts from the car. 90% of the time I'm alone in the car and I have the radio up high enough to drown it out. But if I have passengers I tend to keep the radio down. The rest of the stuff is really minutia.

Can they be fixed? Sure, all of it can be fixed, but it's not likely. Am I upset with my purchase? Not at all. I knew I'd be making some sacrifices because I couldn't afford the type of car I'd really like to purchase. You just can't beat this thing for the price.

The depth of this survey really shows Hyundai's commitment to improving their products. This is the 5th new car I've had in the last 12 years. None of the other manufacturers ever sent me this extensive a survey. I think giving them honest feedback will help improve the product.

 

[..MiamiLX..]

QUOTE (midas69 @ May 22 2010, 03:17 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325380

I complained about the overly aggressive recirculate issue as well as lack of an A/C light on in AUTO mode and the inability to be able to turn off A/C when in AUTO mode.

Is this a defect in your opinion? The only reason I ask is that is how it was designed with the Auto Climate systems, at least on my Unit.

I would like you to complain that you can pull the Lever on a Locked Sonata and lose a loved one. Some say this is normal. Hyundai says it is!

 

[midas69]

QUOTE (MiamiLX @ May 22 2010, 08:10 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325428

Is this a defect in your opinion? The only reason I ask is that is how it was designed with the Auto Climate systems, at least on my Unit.

In my opinion, it's not how it should be. Whether you call that a defect or a design flaw is up to you. But to me, when the manual cautions against running in recirculate mode for too long yet you design a system that goes into recirculate mode when it's only 72 outside with low humidity and is still in that mode 30 minutes later, that's a problem.

QUOTE

I would like you to complain that you can pull the Lever on a Locked Sonata and lose a loved one. Some say this is normal. Hyundai says it is!

Not sure what you mean. Children should be kept in the back seat where they have child safety locks. If it's your wife you're speaking of and she's dumb enough to try opening the door while the car is moving, well, all I can say is, read up on Darwin.

 

[willsboattail]

Well this is all a Bummer. It sounds like the same problems suspension/tire noise I have with my 2006 Sonata LX V6. I was hoping to eliminate the problems with the purchase of a new 2011 Sonata next month. Guess I will put that on hold. I took a short test drive in a Limited last week and felt a bit more road roar/noise than I currently have. It made me start to rethink things then, now even more after reading these posts.
:excl: Hyundai, are you listening??? :excl:

 

[..MiamiLX..]

QUOTE (midas69 @ May 22 2010, 06:47 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325439

In my opinion, it's not how it should be. Whether you call that a defect or a design flaw is up to you. But to me, when the manual cautions against running in recirculate mode for too long yet you design a system that goes into recirculate mode when it's only 72 outside with low humidity and is still in that mode 30 minutes later, that's a problem.



Not sure what you mean. Children should be kept in the back seat where they have child safety locks. If it's your wife you're speaking of and she's dumb enough to try opening the door while the car is moving, well, all I can say is, read up on Darwin.

I'm sorry I just meant the A/C light does not light when the Auto climate system is on. As far as the Auto circulate thing that is one

of the main reasons I don't use the Automated Unit.

 

[midas69]

QUOTE (MiamiLX @ May 22 2010, 09:41 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325447

I'm sorry I just meant the A/C light does not light when the Auto climate system is on.

The reason it's a defect, IMO, is because it means that you can't use AUTO and still have the A/C off.

QUOTE

As far as the Auto circulate thing that is one of the main reasons I don't use the Automated Unit.

Why not just turn off recirculate rather than not using AUTO? It will stay on circulate after you press the button.

 

[..MiamiLX..]

Midas see if this thread helps any. http://www.hyundai-forums.com/index.php?sh...hl=auto+climate

 

[BigRedNole]

Unfortunately, attention is in the details. If there are so many small issues like this, then the question is what big things might have been an oversight? I am not trying to detract from the Sonata. These little things may simply prolong my decision until the other 2011s come out for comparison. In my short test drive, I found these minor issues:

1. Seat height is too high for me at 6'
2. Entertainment system is severely lacking
3. Small screen NAV system
4. Horn sucks
5. No HID

I could probably get used to #1. Leaning the seat back a little further will help. The Dimension system is mediocre at best (#2). I do not want to have to drop $600-$1000 for an aftermarket entertainment system. If I could have the dealer roll it into the purchase price, it may be worth it. Can I live with it, probably. Do I want to? No. The NAV window is slightly bigger than my Garmin. Since it is the HUB of the entertainment system, you would expect it to be bigger. #4 has been discussed to death. There are better horns on a Hoveround or Rasdal. An old lady in a walker had a louder squeaky horn. #5 is a common item now at relatively low cost. I would much rather have it as an option than an after-market add on. '

I may have to wait longer than I planned. That is not a bad thing. I will be able to experience the MyFord Touch system in a few months when it is rolled out to the Flex. I want to see the design and capabilities. It is an extremely high differentiator for vehicles now.

If I am going to pick up a $400 car payment, I want to have no after thoughts about the purchase. I do not want to have these lingering problems that make me question the purchase when I am in it 1.5-2 hours a day.

 

[Craigster]

QUOTE (midas69 @ May 22 2010, 06:17 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325380

I doubt anything will come of it, but I did find it cathartic.

Maybe not with this model, but I got a similarly thorough survey when I had my 2007 Sonata. Most everything I complained about (control layout and lighting), braking, seat comfort and heaters, etc has been addressed in the new model. As you point out, there are some compromises, but compared to other choices within this price point, the new Sonata is a great deal.

Luckily, 90% of your observations can be improved with aftermarket improvements, though they would have all been better included...maybe a few sharp dealerships will put together a great custom "preferred equipment" package - HIDs, sound insulators for the suspension, seat adjustment, etc. - it seems there would be a good market for it already.

 

[abigmutt]

BigRedNole and Midas69:

Yes, I fully agree about all the small issues starting to annoy;
I like your answers and your attitude about spending this kind of money on a new model only to be stuck with all these little compromises for all the years you're driving (and paying for) the car.

I was pretty hot on buying one of these Sonatas (Ltd w/Nav, of course) but after reading threads like this, I think I may wait a bit longer. I don't WANT to, since I'm ready NOW to get a new car, but ........

My current car is a 2003 Cadillac seville, which I bought used a few years ago, PRECISELY for these kind of reasons. I can't afford a NEW luxury car (where these annoyances are often worked out already) but I want something where I'm thinking "****, this is NICE" rather than feeling "uh-oh, yet ANOTHER little design quirk I'll have to learn to live with."
So until now, my solution has been to buy a "state-of-the-art" model from a few years back. My caddy has many features that are just now starting to show up on new mid-priced cars. And it's just a joy to spend time in.
But ..... I really want a NEW car now, and I want at least most of the goodies that already exist with my caddy; but I just don't want to PAY the premium price. That's why I tried to convince myself that this new Sonata might ALMOST be like a luxury car but with a modest price. And that warranty !! Too good to be true on a cheap car like Sonata!

But to read here about all "the little things" that owners are putting up with, I'm starting to back away. Like you, BigRedNole. Especially the failings involving noises & rattles & road-noise: that would drive me nuts after awhile, especially after giving up a refined & silent cruiser like the Seville.


Thanks so much, you guys, who don't just fall in line with all the gushing fan-boys of this new Sonata, and who tell it like it is on forums like this. We need balanced & honest appraisals before (like you said, BigRed) taking on a $400 monthly car payment. The new-car smell & admiring glances do fade after a while and you don't want to be stuck with irritations, annoyances and the thought that maybe you should have waited another year for them to resolve many of the kinks that showed up in the first year of a new model.

It seems that Hyundai truly wants to become a leader, and they're doing most of the right things towards that end; for this I'm quite impressed and applaud them. I'm just wanting to give them a bit more time on this latest introduction.

 

[jng34c]

QUOTE (abigmutt @ May 23 2010, 08:38 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325507

BigRedNole and Midas69:

Yes, I fully agree about all the small issues starting to annoy;
I like your answers and your attitude about spending this kind of money on a new model only to be stuck with all these little compromises for all the years you're driving (and paying for) the car.

I was pretty hot on buying one of these Sonatas (Ltd w/Nav, of course) but after reading threads like this, I think I may wait a bit longer. I don't WANT to, since I'm ready NOW to get a new car, but ........

My current car is a 2003 Cadillac seville, which I bought used a few years ago, PRECISELY for these kind of reasons. I can't afford a NEW luxury car (where these annoyances are often worked out already) but I want something where I'm thinking "****, this is NICE" rather than feeling "uh-oh, yet ANOTHER little design quirk I'll have to learn to live with."
So until now, my solution has been to buy a "state-of-the-art" model from a few years back. My caddy has many features that are just now starting to show up on new mid-priced cars. And it's just a joy to spend time in.
But ..... I want a NEW car now, and I want at least most of the goodies that already exist with my caddy; but I just don't want to PAY the premium price. That's why I convinced myself that this new Sonata is ALMOST a luxury car but with a modest price.
But to read here about all "the little things" that owners are putting up with, I'm starting to back away. Like you, BigRedNole. Especially the failings involving noises & rattles & road-noise: that would drive me nuts after awhile, especially after giving up a refined & silent cruiser like the Seville.


Thanks so much, you guys, who don't just fall in line with all the gushing fan-boys of this new Sonata, and who tell it like it is on forums like this. We need balanced & honest appraisals before (like you said, BigRed) taking on a $400 monthly car payment. The new-car smell & admiring glances do fade after a while and you don't want to be stuck with irritations, annoyances and the thought that maybe you should have waited another year for them to resolve many of the kinks that showed up in the first year of a new model.

It seems that Hyundai truly wants to become a leader, and they're doing most of the right things towards that end; for this I'm quite impressed and applaud them. I'm just wanting to give them a bit more time on this latest introduction.

Just my 2 cents here, but I haven't experienced any of the road noise, wind noise, creaking etc. problems that some others have experienced. This is easily the highest quality vehicle I've driven in a while and I EXTENSIVELY test drove many of the competitors. I would suggest taking the car for a long test drive. Any decent dealership who knows you're actually interested in purchasing the car will let you take it overnight to test out some of the particulars and check out some real world driving. I really haven't had too many complaints myself, but then again, I've never driven any vehicle costing more than 20K. Oh well.

 

[ThePill]

I can appreciate the honest comments and feedback on the Sonata. First, let me say I was not a fan of the redesign starting in 2006. I thought that the exterior was vanilla and the interior was just ho-hum. The 2011 on the other hand is another story. I would agree that it is not perfect like some have pointed out, and does have some design compromises, (what car doesn't?) but it sure is a lot better than some of its competitors.

For one thing, I remember when the all new 2007 Camry went on sale the first major problem to occur was tranny issues, followed up by several minor fit and finish issues. Yes, there are little annoyances about every car, some more than others but Hyundai's mechanicals have been very solid overall. The level and severity of recalls for major mechanical issues are virtually non-existent for this brand when compared to say Toyota, the number one auto brand.

I do agree there are areas in need of improvement when it comes to any car model but I have yet to visit any forum, whether it be BMW, Ford, Honda, Mercedes, Lexus, Toyota, etc. where the members there continue to comment on issues that to some, detract from the ownership experience. Once again we are talking about the level of severity and the enormity of the issues that may detract from the ownership experience. But since there are no "perfectly" built machines, I suspect that there will always be flaws exhibited in one form or another.

The Sonata is not 100% perfect, maybe 90 percent and 10 percent annoyances. Those are acceptable trade offs to me within the price point I am looking at.

 

[midas69]

QUOTE (Proprioceptive @ May 23 2010, 08:57 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325517

I really haven't had too many complaints myself, but then again, I've never driven any vehicle costing more than 20K. Oh well.

And this is part of the key. I test drove the Fusion before I bought the Sonata and thought the suspension noise was about the same. But the car I was coming out of was a 2007 Camry. The car I had before that was a 2005 Acura TL. Both much more expensive cars than the Sonata.

If your (Hyundai) goal is to compete against the Camry then you should strive to make the suspension as quiet as the Camry. But, I don't want it to ride like the Camry. I don't think the Sonata is really any noisier than most of the cars in this segment. But that doesn't mean it couldn't be improved upon.

The rest of the stuff, as I said, really doesn't amount to a hill of beans. Compared to the short-comings of the Camry it's not even a close match. Sure the Camry was quiet, but I hated that car by the time I got rid of it. I don't mean dislike or annoyed, I mean hated. The design choices on that car were insulting.

Driving to work this morning the though occurred to me, what if Hyundai called and offered to buy my car back? Honestly, I don't think I'd do it. Even with all the things I know about it now I'd still prefer it over an Accord, Camry, Fusion, Altima, Malibu etc. Even if I could afford another $5K to fully load them, I'd still prefer the Sonata. If I could afford $35-38K I'm sure I'd be able to find something I'd be happier with. But at just over $25K I'm really not unhappy.

So, despite my criticism I'm still a fan of the car. I don't regret my purchase at all. But I think Hyundai does need to know about things they can improve.

 

[ThePill]

QUOTE (midas69 @ May 23 2010, 10:30 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325530

So, despite my criticism I'm still a fan of the car. I don't regret my purchase at all. But I think Hyundai does need to know about things they can improve.

Midas, I agree with your last comments completely. Let me state for the record that I have test driven several Hyundais in the past, but I have never felt that I wanted to own one until the 2011 Sonata. I do have members in my family that currently own a Hyundai product, namely, new Santa Fe. I have driven that vehicle several times and think it is a solid performer, although I have noted some areas that could be improved, but for the price point, in my opinion, that vehicle succeeds on all the touch points that really matter. But since this is a Sonata forum, I will argue that our critique of the short comings of the Sonata is more driven by our desire to see the model not just succeed but set the standard for other makes to follow.

The other aspect to this discussion is that there are trolls with agendas who will see our comments here as ammunition to fuel and promote their disinformation campaign, by taking out of context, our comments and suggestions for improvements and use this as a wedge against the Sonata at sites like edmunds. Yes, we know who they are.

 

[..MiamiLX..]

QUOTE (The Pill @ May 23 2010, 07:23 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325526

I can appreciate the honest comments and feedback on the Sonata. First, let me say I was not a fan of the redesign starting in 2006. I thought that the exterior was vanilla and the interior was just ho-hum. The 2011 on the other hand is another story.

I love the looks of the NF Sonata. I happen to think this new scrunchy faced redesigned Model is funny looking. I get comments now
in 2010 that I didn't hear in 2006. :liebe011:

 

[abigmutt]

QUOTE (The Pill @ May 23 2010, 09:55 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=325534

there are trolls with agendas who will see our comments here as ammunition to fuel and promote their disinformation campaign, by taking out of context, our comments and suggestions for improvements and use this as a wedge against the Sonata at sites like edmunds. Yes, we know who they are.

why would anyone waste their time with "disinformation campaigns" against Sonata?

I think anyone spending time to post at this forum has at least a mild & positive interest in getting to know what truely are the pluses and minuses of this model.

If it becomes just a site for fanboys, that's no good to anyone except to the current owners attempting to reduce cognitive dissonance and reassure themselves about their brilliant decision to purchase their new car.
Maybe there should be a big section on here, with sub-forums etc., called "My Latest Love Affair" and new owners could go there to post their self-congratulations. I mean, I would go there & read the comments but at least I'd know that this is only part of the story.
Even with all the hard data analysis many of us do when choosing a big purchase like a new car, it's still very much an emotional & subjective decision.

That's why I posted my message to say thanks for those intelligent criticisms & analysis; thanks to members who post thoughtful, honest evaluations & reactions to their new purchase.

...... it's great to see when someone is trying to be as "objective" as one can be in such very subjective circumstances. I wish there was more of it here.