2007 Hyundai Sonata GLS from North America - Comments

Lincoln/Mercury dealer gave us this rental as they fixed our 2003 mercury mountaineer (too many problems to list).

The handling is amazing, very nimble, I liked it very much. The V6 has more than adequate power, but is not awe-inspiring.

The exterior looks like the honda accord of two generations ago.

The interior is absolutely filled with cheap plastics. Everywhere you look - the console stereo, all over the front. The middle storage bin feels very cheap. The instrument cluster is a bit ugly. the door panels have an abundance of cheap plastic, particularly on the arm rests and the door pull.

The steering wheel gives off an intense vibration - very uncomfortable.

Overall - The car from the outside is a bit ugly, and from the inside it feels very cheap. On the plus side the car handles very well and feels like silk. The ride is very comfortable, little road noise, the V6 engine is silky and shifts are smooth. A very smooth car.

This is the first person I've ever heard call the '07 Sonata ugly. You're pretty much alone on that one. Most people who complain about the styling say it looks too much like the Accord... but better. In terms of cheap interior plastics, it might not be pretty to look at, but it won't put your car in the shop like your Mercury. I disagree that the dashboard is ugly. I think it's a refreshingly unique design. I think the '07 Optima's dash is tackier looking. I drove one and was very impressed overall. It seemed very solid, smooth, and quiet. The 4cyl. had plenty enough power for my taste, although it was very gruff sounding when pushed hard. For $18k in this day and age, I was impressed. A comparably equipped Accord is about $24k. It'll probably be more reliable in the long run, but you just can't justify and extra $6k for an Accord. I thought the interior was very stylish, but was disapointed with the quality of plastics... looked cheap. Toyota has been great at making cheap, plastic looking interiors for a LONG time now. As long as the reliability holds up reasonably well over the next few years, I think the Sonata is a fantabulous value.