2008 Hyundai Sonata GLS review from North America

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.