Used 2006 Hyundai Sonata Consumer Reviews
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A Perfect 10
This car kicks! It's fast, it's sexy, it's reliable (with a 10 year warranty, it kind of has to be), and it's a good value. We love it's looks, and refinement.
Bigger, better, & cheaper than my Accord
Buying this car, I made a step-down in features from my former 2002 Honda Accord coupe. But the price difference more than made it worth it. I love the spacious interior, but bought it for the HUGE trunk space, as I make long trips south each winter, and need to pack it full with clothes & supplies. Once I got used to no power seat or side mirrors, I enjoyed driving this as much as the Accord, with more power for pulling out fast when needed, or passing quickly. Steering a bit mushy, seat could be more supportive. Love the MP3 CD feature - made several from iTunes playlists. I don't drive many miles (young retiree!), but not one problem in the 20,000 so far. Sheet metal does dent easy.
- GLS V6 SedanMSRP: $5,97710 mi away
- LX SedanMSRP: $4,43916 mi away
- GL SedanMSRP: $3,99533 mi away
Great family car
We bought this car for the family. I was an Accord owner before and I was looking for something comparable. The wife and I do love to drive this car. We have a couple of teenagers who will soon start driving so I know they will enjoy it as much as we do.
Great VALUE
Just took delivery of my GLS V6 (paid $17,500 with no extra options but rebates just went up another $500 so I missed out on that). Nice so far. Just an incredible value compared to Honda & Toyota. Although I love the deal, I can't believe Hyundai has to offer such high rebates. That does not bode well for their future. More people need to get on the Hyundai bandwagon because you save so much $ (even without rebates) and get more for your money. I guess it is harder to overcome past quality stigma than expected, but Hyundai has arrived. Like everything I read, a comparable Accord or Camry might be slightly better but at way higher cost. Sonata won't depreciate as well but costs less.
Glad I bought it
I bought this car as a replacement for our gas guzzling minivan. The biggest draw was the standard safety features. My wife and I looked at the competitors, none of them offered comparable equipment for anywhere near the same price point. The engine is strong and works well with the 5 speed auto transmission and while the handling may not be a best in class sports sedan it certainly is acceptable for my everyday driving needs. I have owned an accord and still own a camry, both are good cars but this is the first hyundai I ever considered buying and so far I think it's worth it. I would recommend this car to others.
Very Good Buy
I bought my 2006 Sonata LX in April of 2007. It had about 3,000 miles on it. Since then I've driven it nearly 35,000 miles. This car has performed well and has had very minimal problems. The ride is great and the acceleration is more than adequate. The only service I have done to it besides regular maintenance was: power mirror replacement(under warr.), brake light sensor (under warr.), passenger sun visor broke(under warr.). I also had to replace some air valve in the engine due to stink bugs crawling up inside it...ugh. Thats nothing against the car tho. Overall, I love this car and it's been very reliable. Would definately consider buying again!!
My Sonata-one problem
Love the car. It is fantastic except for one thing. THe leather seats which look great are killing my back Make sure you have a good back for them.
Great car great price
I purcased my new Sonata to replace my 06 Elantra that I totaled in an accident. I decided for more room and comfort and would never consider anything but a Hyundai. The ride is comfortable and there is so much room. The dealership is great I can not say enough about the whole Hyundai experience quality and price all rolled into one.
Excellent Car For Price!
An excellent car for the price and a very good car in its class. I now have 5500 miles on my 2006 GL (four- cylinder, four-speed) and am quite pleased. City MPG is at or above the 24 advertised, but highway MPG is above the advertised 33 at about 65 MPH on cruise. Acceleration is what one should expect for a 4.2L mill; get the V-6 if you want quicker performance. Ride is quiet and comfortable with very good road and engine noise shielding. The four- speed is smooth, and the manual override is practical, fun and effective when needed! Drivers' visibility is very good to excellent, and my 6'-4" frame fits ok. Adjustable-height seatbelts assure a comfortable torso fit. I like this car!
suprise
As a person that has not owned anything smaller than a full size American car,the ride, performance, and handling of this were the biggest surprise I've ever gotten from a car. The car performs exceptionally well! The ride takes a little getting used to. I purchased the car for the warranty, and got a big surprise.
Good DEAL
Very well built , quiet , good power , fuel mileage is very good 27-30 mpg avg and very good price for all the options
Best Car Surprise!
I purchased this car only one week ago, but for someone who spends a good deal of time commuting to work, this car is the best surprise in a car purchase I've ever had. Compared to my Volvo S40, Honda Accord, and Mazda 626, this car blows them away. More power, size, quality (yes, that's quality) and style. And all I was looking to do was save some money with this purchase. Time will tell, but for now I'm convinced this is the best car purchase I've ever made.
Move Over Honda Accord Look Out Acura TL
This car is HOT! Totally redesigned, better engine/gas mileage and performance over previous models....Spend the extra money on the LX, there is not one feature it lacks, and this car is totally turning heads! We are the first purchaser of the LX in Western Washington, people aren't sure if they are looking at a new Accord or TL. The back looks like Accord tail lights, but TL bumper/dual exhaust. We bought the dark metallic blue, with beige interior, of course with sunroof and upgraded audio......every option available for $23K, same options on Accord is $30, and $33 for TL. It drives great, is fast, has get up and go, 235 HP! It flies, is comfy, and very stylish and sporty. Get one!
Great Car
Like others, I was hesitant to look at Hyundai's because of the brand name and it's old reputation as a cheap car. Well... after looking at sticker prices, I was "forced" to take a look at the Sonata, and I can't be happier about it. The car performs fantastic. It's quick off the line, powerful in highway passing, has a smooth ride, and the gas mileage isn't too bad (most of my miles are highway). I've driven family member's Accords/Camrys/Altimas and my honest judgment is that I have the best car, and saved thousands over their choices. My only complaints are purely superficial, seats need to be longer for comfort, steering wheel radio buttons don't allow channel changing.
2006 Hyundai Sonata GLS V6
Having been saddled with a 4 cylinder for 7 years, I decided to upgrade to a V6. However, with the gas prices being what they were, I wanted a V6 with decent mileage. Having compared the Hyundai Sonata with the Honda Accord, I went with the Sonata GLS w/option 5 because I don't need leather seats, a seat warmer or a 6- disc CD changer. I used the reviews posted at Edmunds.com and a few other online reviewers. So far the acceleration is excellent, the silence of the interior is deafening, and the roominess had been complimented by my family & friends.
Absolutely great car
I have owned a lot of cars from a 99 Mustange Cobra to a 01 Lincoln LS V-8 and the 2006 Sonata V-6 is an awesome car! Handles great, good ride with 17" wheels/sport package, decent fuel mileage and a great looking car. When I brought the car home everybody asked what kind of a car is it. Grey interior is sharp with durable looking fabric. Instrument panel very informative and easy to read. Several of my neighbors are planning on purchasing one after driving mine. The only aftermarket item I put on the car was a rear spoiler that really set the bodystyle off. Overall the best vehicle I have owned ever.
BRAND SPANKING NEW (NEARLY)
Automatic headlights and lower fuel prices would make this vehicle the ultimate mover.
Best Car I've Ever Owned!!!!!!!!
I can't stop admiring this car. I never thought I would buy a Hyundai, but once I drove the Sonata GLS V6 I was sold. What a great car, fit and finish is perfect.
All the Car I'll Ever Need or Want
We've had our Sonata GLS V6 for about six months, and I have yet to find anything I don't like about it. The worst thing I can say is that the knobs and buttons are slightly different from those in my Hyundai Sante Fe, so that it can be momentarily confusing. The ride is postive, with great road feel, but also comfortable. The car handles beautifully at any speed. The car is fast enough, and its performance is best when it is need the most, at passing speeds. The automatic transmission shifts so smoothly it is almost spooky. I confess to not having driven the competition, but it is hard for me to imagine that, for the money, any of the Japanese sedans is better.
Excellent Value
Traded in a 2002 Chevy Trailblazer for a V6 GLS. After 15 years of SUVs and pickup trucks, the Sonata handles like a Porsche (okay, not really). Still, the handling is crisp and the V6 winds up nicely. I drive in the Mountains a lot, and this car moves right along on steep twisting roads. Mileage (25mpg for first 1k miles) good for a V6. Bottom line - this is a VALUE purchase. There are better cars available, but not even close to this price. At some point, the Honda/Toyota brand just isn't worth it.
Great car
This car has been one of our best purchases....rides and drives well and it is very comfortable. We just recently have taken two trips over 500 miles and it is responsive even at the high elevations when going in the mountains. It is amazing how much cargo volume is available
Compares well to two Maximas
At 30K mi in 3 years, I have absolutely no complaints. The power/smoothness/quiet/comfortable ride & build quality have made the V6 Sonata a pleasure to own. The only repair so far has been the driver's sun visor, which was replaced under warranty, and Hyundai has a redesign that corrected the flaw. Hyundai's 60K mi bumper to bumper warranty is much better than the competition's. The engine burns zero oil, and holds 6 quarts. I get 27-28 MPG hwy consistently, & 22.1 MPG on my 20 mi commute to work. My car is loaded, and a comparably equipped Camry would have cost me $36K. Mine was delivered for $19.2K. How can you beat the value? I'd buy another Sonata in a heart beat!
great all around
people have been saying great things about the sonata and i'm one of them. shopped accord, camry, g6, altima and narrowed down to sonata and accord. got the sonata cuz of better styling, warranty, roominess, and price. but after driving it, i think i still would've got it even if it was more expensive, and the warranty was the same. the car is roomy, quiet, fast, and looks great. especially in black, it looks to be in the same class as an audi a4 or acura tl.
Driving is believing
compared camry, accord, and altima, and there is no comparison!!! great get up and go. nicely appointed. thought a car with this quality would be $3000 more, but was greatly surprised. and the warranty!!!!!
Love this car!
I needed a new car that I think would last a long time. Went to a few dealers and could not find a good deal until I stopped at a Hyundai dealer, and I test drove this car. I am 6'4" tall, and in my experience, it was always hard to find comfort in a car, until now. I have tons of head and leg room, with much room to spare. The performance of this car has been exceptional for the 2 years I have had it. It takes off fast when I need it too, I can pass on the highways easily, and with the ESC, it handles great in the snow (I live in Michigan). It was a great purchase and has never let me down as of yet, and it saved myself quite a few dollars over other cars with the same options!
Great car spoiled by driver seat
Quiet, yet powerful ride. Great build quality, Lots of room, inside, and in the trunk. However, almost all overshadowed by the very uncomfortable driver seat.
Watch out big 3
I love the design of this new Sonata. The dual exhausts are hot and the car really takes off for the 6. The seats can be a little uncomfortable and the ride of the GLS is a little tight but overall I am very pleased. People always take notice of my dark cinnamon beauty coming at you. This new Sonata should make people want to check out Hyundai before going to Toyota,Nissan, or Honda. The pickup is awesome and the interior is well appointed. This is a fresh new car from Hyundai in a sea of all the bland camrys,accords & altimas. Very pleased with the dealership and got a great lease also. Cant beat the warranty. Try and beat that Honda, Toyota and Nissan.
Hooked on Hyundai
After dumping my mint condition '98 Lincoln Continental, I was worried about adjusting to a smaller engine. No worries now! No adjustment issues, Sonata is more quiet with a smoother ride. Paid a little extra and got the 10 yr bumper to bumper warranty. Upgraded raido to Eclipse GPS through dealership and love it, would never own a car w/ out one. I'm getting 24 - 26 mpg on the hwy, but am doing 80 mph. I'll have a good laugh at the Honda Accord buyers when they take their cars in for service when their 3 yr warranty runs out! Parents dumped Cadillac for the Azera, sister dumped Civic for a Sonata, too. Stop hesitating and get one.
excellant
I had purchased this car exactly a year ago and completed 28000Kms so far and have no problems yet.I used to own a merc before and am totally satisfied with this one and will always recommend to friends.I love to drive and always find reasons to drive.Other than the steering being a bit slippery, everything else cannot get better. The performance on highways, the silent ride and the space inside is great.
Great car
Excellent car--fun to drive--beautiful design. My friends admire it. I definitely would buy another.
Glad I did
Hyundai makes your purchase a part of the family kind of experience. My wife is the primary driver and she likes the sporty feel and the power. She moved from an SUV and is enjoying the difference in handling.
Unsurpassed!
Amazing car for the price - I've owned Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen, Infinfty, Audi & BMW and I'm as impressed (if not more, considering price) with this car than I was with any of the others. It makes so much sense - on so many levels. The instrumention is intuitive, the ride responsive, the styling on the mark. The styling/$$ ratio far outstrips Camry, Accord, and Altima. So many positives - hard to 'go-there' with suggestions for improvement.
Look before you buy a Toyota or Honda!
I was looking for a reliable, fuel efficient car to replace my SUV. I drove cars from Honda, Toyota and Nissan. On a whim, I drove the Sonata. What a surprise! It's as smooth and quiet as a Lexus and sips gas like a Civic. Outstanding warranty, huge trunk, great looks, and thousands less than the competition. Only have 10,000 miles so I can't speak to reliability, but so far so good.
This Car Rocks
This is a fantastic car. Quick acceleration, quiet, comfortable, economical. Great value.
Fun to drive 2006
We have had ours 2 weeks and love this car so far. Excellent gas mileage fun to drive.
Nice Car!
Great family car. I wanted something Safe reliable and cheap. With standard Electronic Stability Control, the 10 year warranty and a great price, I was hooked. Since buying the car I have found it to be very comfortable, very quiet, and it even looks pretty good. I like having the MP3 capable CD player and all the extera features. While not the nicest car on the road, it is without a doubt, the best value on the road. I highly recommend it.
Wonderful car
Great car. Exceptional value. Local service/dealership and Hyundai national VERY interested in customer satisfaction..constant follow up. Highly satisfied, second Hyundai owner
This Car is a Keeper
Love the car, I could sell this car, I also purchased one for my 73 year old mother. This car is a long life keeper!
I should have bought a Toyota/Honda
It would be a really nice car if not for the road noise which is terrible. I have a ghost in my car that appears at 60-65 mph (sounds like your blowing in an empty bottle). The dealer can't fix it. It is so annoying that I look forward to traffic so that I wont have the "Howl". The best advice I can give is: "you get what you pay for". Beware
Tons of issues
Wow! Where to start. Here is the beginning. Not even a year, air noise on the drivers side back window, oil pressure gauge, oil temperature gauge, inside gauge for the outside air temp, engine ideling issues, brake rotors warped at 8000 miles, multi CD player sticks and won't eject, auto shut off of lights stops working from time to time, a major rattle in the dash, and not to top it off, The TRANSMISSION is having issues. The dealership is waiting for the district rep to come in. What more can I say. I got a lemon.
Great car.Look out here comes Hyundai!!!
Great power train packages.The 3.3 is better than Kia's 2.7 V6 and delivers a good punch being sister cars in body style. Fuel milage is better than fair even with the heavy foot.They do share the 2.4 4 cyl engine.Hyundai offers alot of standard features other cars call options.For ex. fog lights,electronc stability control for few.In a nut shell Hyundai is getting better fast.Dont fall asleep other asian auto makers Hyundai is paying attention to consumers demands and has come along way.Who's laughing now.
excellent value
I have owned 16+ previous cars, and I love this hyundai.It even handels better than a previous sport type car I had.I bought the gl manual because I drive about 100 miles a day and for the warranty price,style,and overall driveability,I didnt find another vehicle even close. It came with v performance rated tires and you can really throw the car into a corner.Dont get me wrong you arent going to be winning any speed contests with it but overall very fun to drive
Warning: It costs $3,500 for a clutch job!
My clutch failed at only 85,000 miles (and half of those highway miles), and to my dismay I found that this car has a "dual mass flywheel" that can not be resurfaced and is ONLY AVAILABLE through Hyundai. To fix the clutch AND replace the flywheel costs almost $4,000!! Update: At 105,000 miles the car threw a rod and the engine was toast. It would have been another $4,000 to replace it so I gladly parted ways with this car - and with Hyundai FOREVER. I'll sound like a shill for saying it, but my mechanic literally told me that I should have bought a Honda. I bought an Accord new in '94 and sold it (still running fine) after 12 years and 175,000 miles. Since I drive 25,000 miles a year I need a good commuter car, so after the Sonata died I bought a '14 Civic new and am really happy with it. It's too late for me, but not for you.
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
Happy
It is a beautiful car. I liked the very responsive mannual shift yet smooth. One of the best vehicle out there for your money.
This is IT!!!!
I did not expect such excellent quality from Hyundai. Well this one with 5M runs like a Lexus IS300. Well actually better than the Lexus. The top two Japanese brands such as Honda and Toyota won their high reputation over the past couple decades. I think Hyundai will achieve the same high reputation within the next two years. This 06 Sonata OUTPERFORMS Toyota Camry and Honda Accord not only by the price advantage but also by its built quality and superior performance!
Poor Gas Mileage
The highway/ city gas mileage has averaged 17 mpg over the course of 12 fill ups and a recent (3/2/07) highway fuel consumption test performed by the dealership revealed 16 mpg. I've filed a complaint against Hyundai with the Better Business Bureau but I'm looking to take this issue higher up. I drive the '06 GLS 3.7 liter V6.
NO OIL Pressure at Start-up
After a careful break-in and driving the V6 Sonata for 26000kms, it takes up to 4 secs for the oil pressure to builb-up, every time it`s been restarted (genuine oil filtet used). Took it to dealership and hooked-up a manual cauge, my complaint was confirmed, but Assured this condition is NORMAL. 10 starts a day @ 4 secs at a time = 4 hrs per Year, running the motor without oil. How long does Hyundai and its Engineers think this motor will run before it needs a major overhaull? Is there a check valve to be installed to prevent oil back flow?
Best car purchase I've made in 30 years
My '90 Gran Marquis needed replacing after 200K and another round of shorting somewhere in the firewall. With the good reviews from my wife's coworkers, we looked at Sonatas, liked them, and bought one. 100K/10 year warranty was a plus, since we both drive cars to their graves.
The Family car you want to own
This car has been my commute vehicle for a 72 mile a day commute and it has worked flawlessly for the past 2 years. The dealer treated me well, gave me an embarassingly low price, and taken fine care of me since. The car, unfortunately is not a performance vehicle and handles like a big car. But every time I get in to go, it always takes me. Plenty of room in the interior and the trunk. I'd buy another in a second!
Excellent
I have recently had a 2002 Saturn Vue and a 1999 Accord LX V6. I needed something with better mileage. I considered numerous other cars, but found that this '06 Sonata, even with a 4 cyl was better laid out than even the mid-upper levels of a Camry and an Accord. This is much better than the Accord. I have received many compliments on the look, the interior, and the smooth ride. I got this for less than 20k...this would have gone for closer to 30k with comparable models. The 4 cyl has great power, the trunk is huge, the interior has a very Euro-style to it, the shiftronic is great, the stereo is loud and even has tweeters. The warranty is phenomenal. Very happy with this purchase.