2011 Hyundai Sonata Reviews

Driver's seat cushion fabric wore out; common problem on the SE with cloth seats. Dealer replaced the seat cushion, but Hyundai has no real fix for it.

Car leaks antifreeze, dealers claims they can't find the leak. The problem is worse with temps near or slightly above freezing. It is not a big leak, but I had to add coolant once a month to keep the reservoir full.

Rattle in front end, which dealer claims is bumper/lower front clip rattling, which they conveniently have no fix for.

Several shocks and sway bar links have already failed. Replaced under warranty, but still annoying - making me wonder about the long-term reliability of this car.

Annoying recalls every month it seems.

Strange combination of chattering/squeaking or knocking noises sometimes during a cold start. The problem goes away within seconds of start-up, but it's not something a car with only 25,000 miles should do.

Brakes collect rust very easily.

The good:

Good fuel mileage, I averaged about 34 MPG highway driving somewhat aggressive, and 21 city.

Snappy and quick performance for a 4-cylinder.

Roomy and comfortable.

Instrument panel is attractive and well laid out.

The Bad:

Terribly rough ride on the SE; it does not even feel "sporty", just bone-jarring.

Lots of road noise, and Hyundai must have skimped on insulation. I can hear the radio outside the car plain as day, with the car running. Along with poor AM/FM reception.

Non-LED projector headlights are too dim at night.

Factory iPod cable is junk.

Huge blind spots due to odd shaped mirrors.

Windshield is defective.

I hit a bear on the low side of the vehicle. Windshield's fluid tank was damaged.

After a snowstorm, salt accumulated on the windshield. When I washed it with Windex, scratches formed. I feel the window is defective. Never had a problem like this before.

Also, the window on the driver's door shows scratches from up and down movement.

The dealer refused to do anything. He made wild accusations; i.e. I used abrasive on the window. (I used Windex). Also that the bear hit the window. If so, insurance would have covered the damage. I have never had anything even close to this.

In total, car has not performed nearly as well as Altima.

My Nissan Altima drove smoother, and was much more responsive.

There is absolutely no excuse for these windows.