1991 Hyundai Sonata Base review from North America
"The worst car I have ever owned!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Broken Crank-shaft at 60,000 miles (for those who don't know: The crank shaft is the central component of the rotating assembly of the engine, a part that simply does not break, except on Hyundais) This is a loop-hole in the famous warranty!
The driver's window has broken three times.
The passenger window has broken once.
Replaced the O2 sensor twice.
Brakes squeal, even though rotors and pads have been replaced.
Car would not start after filling at service station, the problem was repaired as part of a recall.
Both rear wheel hub assemblys have gone bad with the right rear tire almost coming compleatly off of the car on the highway!
The car burns copious amounts of oil, even more than my 1970 VW Beetle!
The radio/CD player cuts on and off on it's own.
The air bag does not function and the part is simply too expensive for us to replace.
The paint began to flake off within a year.
General comments?
It is truly a shame when my old VW Beetle is the most reliable of our two cars. I am currently attempting to sell this car, however no one will purchase it for the low $3,000 I'm asking. It would seem that everyone already knows about the extreme lack of quality and lax service inherent with Hyundai.
The dealerships know that they will have a gret deal of service work and will use a mind boggling aray of excuses not to work on your car. Also that fabulous warranty they tout does not cover the most frequent faults.
I' am a Soldier and will not leave my wife with this car when I go to Iraq later this year. It's not safe, and I would rather be in debt purchasing a Honda, than worrying about her with this car.
Most of the repairs/parts have been paid for out of pocket due to lack of dealer support. The parts are expensive and in some cases hard to come by. Resale value on this car is nill, and forget about having a trade-in, most dealers will run from you.
If you are thinking about purchasing this car don't. If like me, you are already stuck then sell this car immediately! Notice that you never see a Hyundai dealer driving a Hyundai!
Recommended reviews
  | A cheaply made cheap car |
| A ploy by Koreans to kill americans. |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model Year | 2000 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 4 cylinder Automatic |
| Performance marks | 2/10 |
| Reliability marks | 0/10 |
| Comfort marks | 4/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 0/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 5000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 64000 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Caprice |
| Date of Entry | 30th May, 2005 |