2003 Hyundai Sonata review from North America
"Disappointing.. made cheaply, poor service"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
1) CD player was unpredictable about which discs it would play. After about 3 years it would not play anything.
2) Cassette player held converter for IPod attachment - would not eject the cassette and then mangled it.
3) The 'chrome' paint (actually a thick aluminum foil type covering over plastic) has pealed off the grill and door handles, twice.
4) The moon roof randomly gets stuck in the open position, then randomly closes.
5) The fog lights fail on such a frequent basis I don't even bother to replace them anymore (bulbs are about $20 each)
6) For a compact car, the fuel economy is awful -- has been since day 1.
General comments?
I test drove a standard roof sedan, then the salesperson offered me a 'deal' on a moon roof version, which I bought it. The moon roof mechanism lowers the passenger compartment ceiling height and makes it very uncomfortable for me -- a 5 foot 10 inch height person.
The cars ONLY good points are -- the 6 cylinder has nice acceleration, and it looks good standing still.
Recommended reviews
| I hate it and will never buy another Hyundai! |
|
| Stylish, but poorly built |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 2003 |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 6 cylinder Automatic |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 4 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 72500 miles |
| Date of Entry | 22nd March, 2009 |