2008 Hyundai Sonata Reviews

Grab handles in ceiling have all come out and had to be replaced.

Rear brakes needed replaced at 45,000 miles.

AC compressor seized at 60,000 miles.

Serpentine belt wore out at 50,000 miles.

Belt tensioner needed replacement at 65,000 miles.

Transmission has slipped off and on since we bought it. Now it sticks in 2nd or third when pulling out of intersections, which makes the motor lug and have no power.

Engine rattles and shakes with all sorts of noise at idle when the AC is on, and has no power.

Engine will not accelerate for up to 15 seconds when the outside temp is over 90F from a stop.

Door weatherstrips worn through before 50,000 miles.

Sun visor decided not to stay up after 70k miles.

Overall, the car is fairly quiet and impressive for a four cylinder, but we've had lots of problems with it, and the dealer tells us there's nothing wrong.

The mileage is not really better than the Regal's 3100 V6.

The car handles funny over hills and curves.

The brakes are easy to change, however the dealer tried to tell us nothing was wrong when the inboard rear pads were down to the rivets.

The hard steering wheel hurts our hands, and on a long drive, your backside is going to be very sore due to the hard seats.

The car has otherwise been good, and roomy, and I'm wondering just how much of the troubles we have is due to the dealership and not the car.

One of the tire pressure sensors was not reading correctly.

Best car I have ever owned. Most comfortable, best mpg, most reliable, least cost to maintain.

The good:

We like the size and looks of the Sonata. It is classy outside and comfortable inside. The 4 cylinder has a lot of spunk. We haven't owned it long enough to judge quality, but it's nice to have the warranty, just in case.

The bad:

The accelerator pedal has about a half-inch of travel before the engine starts to rev. This makes it very difficult to leave a light smoothly. Once you manage to ease off the light, the shift to second is hesitant, making it feel like it's beginning to stall. Oh, how I wish I still had the smooth pulling power of the old Regal back.

I would like to have a face-to-face with the individuals that decided to put 60 series tires on a family sedan. What a huge mistake. Driving on a rutted metropolitan freeway is a two-fisted affair, unless you want to swerve into your neighbor. The whole idea of performance tires with their short lifespan, more drag, and higher replacement cost thwarts the practical aspects of the base model sedan.

We are also disappointed in the mileage. We assumed downsizing would gain us economy. Our V6 Buick did better, and was much more comfortable to drive, even with 160k on it.

None, despite this being purchased used.

This is a previous rental car and I paid 62% of what I would have paid for if I got a brand new one. Spacious, very nice ride and it handles well. Fuel economy is good on freeway. I am able to get 5.9L/100KM, driving at 105 KM/hr (60 mph). The cloth they used for the seats aren't very good quality and so is some of the plastic. You should be able to get a 1 to 2 year old one with a very good price as the North American car rental companies are releasing them to the market.

I expect Hyundais' future resale values to go up as the company's products are improving. They are currently in the same position as Toyota in the 1970s, consumers will soon realize their quality and be willing to pay for more.