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| The swoopy sheetmetal, the stylish and well-built interior, the fresh
engine lineup with a turbocharged four-cylinder replacing a V6 at the
top of the. Photo by Andrew Trahan. |
You can tell a lot about how we like a long-term vehicle by the
number of miles we pile onto it over the year. Our 2006 Hyundai Sonata
LX (“Steady as She Went,” Autoweek, Feb. 26, 2007) left our garage with a
mere 13,241 miles on the odo, putting it fourth for the least miles
logged on a long-term car in our history. Translation: We weren't
thrilled with it.
Now we're bidding adieu to our 2011 Sonata SE 2.0T, which covered 27,227 miles for the year.
What
changed? A lot. The swoopy sheetmetal, the stylish and well-built
interior, the fresh engine lineup with a turbocharged four-cylinder
replacing a V6 at the top of the range and the greatly improved
suspension all help the latest-generation Sonata step into the big
leagues. That means the Sonata is now com-fortably in the conversation
with perennial midsize-sedan best sellers Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
That couldn't be said of the comparatively dull, unrefined predecessor.
Even
after a year, we didn't tire of our Hyundai's phantom black metallic
looks. “The exterior styling is quite nice. This is a good-looking car
that you could recommend on looks alone,” one editor noted. The
stand-out styling also was the topic of many parking-lot conversations
with everyday folks inquiring about the car. They were almost shocked to
learn that it was a Hyundai.
The eager 2.0-liter
force-induced four-cylinder engine received endless praise for its
refinement, no noticeable turbo lag and punch, with peak torque
available between 1,750 rpm and 4,500 rpm. We also averaged 26.8 mpg for
the year, to put it above the EPA combined rating of 26.1 mpg,
note-worthy for a group of lead-footed automotive writers.
Our
year wasn't without problems, though. During the third quarter, a
turbo-charger temperature sensor failed, resulting in a three-night stay
at the dealership waiting for a replacement to arrive.
The
other unscheduled repair trip was to a glass shop after our front
passenger window was smashed while parked in downtown Detroit with
enticing items left in plain view.
Aside from those two
setbacks, the Sonata soldiered on, tackling winter with ease thanks to a
set of Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 winter tires, and it was reliable, with
its maintenance records kept up to date.
Speaking of
maintenance, we had a difficult time remembering the service intervals
for our 2.0T model. Hyundai recommended taking the car for its first
maintenance at 3,000 miles, which was easy enough. But the following
visits were to happen every 4,800 miles. We wondered in our
third-quarter update (“Join the Choir,” Autoweek, Nov. 14, 2011) if a
nice, round 5,000-mile break would be so hard to hit, and Hyundai kindly
obliged. So to turbo Sonata owners out there, you're welcome for
easier-to-remember service intervals.
Other quibbles that
remained throughout the Sonata's stay involved the uncomfortable front
bucket seats and the heavily weighted steering that we guess is supposed
to play to our SE's stiffer, sportier suspension tuning. While we enjoy
the improved cornering ability, the steering system seemed too heavy in
the wide-reaching midsize sedan.
Those complaints aside,
we consider our year with the Sonata SE 2.0T a success. After more than
27,000 miles, the interior held up well and was free of squeaks and
rattles. The car still drives as solid and tight as the day it rolled
into our fleet, which couldn't be said about our experience with the
2006 version. As we said, the latest Sonata is a legitimate
midsize-sedan contender or, as one editor put it, “a winner in this
category.”
What a difference a generation makes.
2011 Hyundai Sonata SE 2.0T
MILES DRIVEN (QUARTER/YEAR): 6,433.8/ 27,227.1
FUEL ECONOMY (QUARTER/YEAR): 26.1/26.8 mpg
FUEL COST (QUARTER/YEAR): $845.25/ $3,684.86
DAYS OUT OF SERVICE (QUARTER/YEAR): None/three
MAINTENANCE:
Purchase and install winter tires ($864.34); replace front passenger
window ($202.00); 3,000-mile service, including oil change, multipoint
inspection ($35.49); 7,800-mile service, including oil change, tire
rotation, multipoint inspection ($64.64); 12,600-mile service, including
oil change, multipoint inspection ($33.27); 17,400-mile service,
including oil change, tire rotation, replace engine air filter, replace
cabin air filter ($98.80); 22,200-mile service, including oil change,
general inspection ($11.72); 27,000-mile service, including oil change,
tire rotation, general inspection ($22.78); install winter tires
($86.78); reinstall summer tires ($78.10); repair windshield chip
($29.95); repair windshield chip ($29.95); recall to update
automatic-transmission control module (warranty); recall to repair
sticking fuel door (warranty); replace turbocharger temperature sensor
(warranty); recall to replace automatic-transmission shift knob
(warranty)
ORIGINAL STICKER PRICE: $27,630
TRADE-IN VALUE: $22,625 (NADA)
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