more about this model
Pros Low price, unexpected standard features, roomy cabin, peppy yet fuel-efficient engine.
Cons Lifeless steering, chassis not as composed as some rivals, manual transmission's throttle damping feature.
Upon checking out the all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata at the Los Angeles auto show, a colleague declared, "Hyundai just might take over the world with this thing." A rather bold statement, yes, but based on our seat time in a Sonata GLS (the entry-level trim, mind you), Hyundai is, at the very least, going to shake up the very competitive world of midsize family sedans.
Much like the Boston Celtics of 2006-'08, this Korean car company has elevated itself from the bottom ranks to become a force to be reckoned with. And these days it's like Hyundai just keeps hitting 3-pointers -- consider the Genesis and the new Tucson. The latest "three" to swish through the net is the all-new Sonata.
Much like an NBA all-star, the latest Sonata has a fair measure of swagger. Whereas before the car wore anonymous, demure sheet metal, the new one sports sculpted body sides and daring, semi-fastback styling. The overall look is more midrange luxury car than family sedan and is indicative of the new confidence Hyundai is rightfully feeling. But the company didn't forget this car's mission: giving savvy consumers plenty of room, solid performance and a lot of features for a modest price tag.
Though the new 2011 Hyundai Sonata doesn't offer the option of a V6, it gets by just fine without one (more on that later). Besides, most cars sold in this segment are equipped with four-cylinder engines, even when V6s are optional. In this game, however, there are a number of good players. And now that the Sonata has a bit of a sporty streak, we'd put its most direct rivals as the Ford Fusion, Mazda 6, Nissan Altima and Suzuki Kizashi.
Pitted against them, the Sonata makes a strong showing with its perky power plant, upscale styling, roomy, well-equipped cabin and strong value proposition. Still, out-and-out domination isn't within reach just yet, as a few of those rivals best the Sonata in driving enjoyment and chassis refinement. But there's no denying that the 2011 Hyundai Sonata offers an enticing package in the form of a talented, well-rounded player that doesn't demand the bigger bucks of the game's more established names.
Performance With 198 horsepower, the Sonata GLS's 2.4-liter, direct-injected inline-4 is the brawniest four in this segment. It packs a strong punch down low and through the midrange before tapering off at higher revs, meaning there's plenty on tap for dicing with city traffic and swiftly merging onto fast-moving freeways. At the track, the Sonata dashed to 60 in 7.7 seconds and ran down the quarter-mile in 15.8 seconds -- pretty quick for a car this size motivated by a four-cylinder.
Competent as the powertrain was, there was still one slight annoyance. The electronically controlled throttle automatically "lets up on the gas" between the driver's manual upshifts, ostensibly to smooth out the gearchanges. But this throttle damping results in a slight bog between upshifts, and anyone who knows how to properly drive a manual transmission does this on their own anyway, so it's just unnecessary. That said, this quirk will be a nonissue for at least 90 percent of the Sonatas sold, as they will be fitted with the six-speed automatic.
Against its best-in-class fuel-economy ratings of 24 mpg city/35 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined, we averaged about 25 mpg. The car's trip computer was rather optimistic, typically showing 30 mpg as an average. Still, our result was pretty good for a car this size under our heavy feet.
When our test track jockey stuffed his foot into the brakes at 60 mph, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata responded with a firm, progressive pedal and a stopping distance of 131 feet. That's a typical number for a family sedan. In terms of handling, the Sonata GLS is a mixed bag. The electric power steering is rather numb and is too light for our tastes. And though it does weight up nicely at medium speeds, enthusiasts will notice too little communication between the tires and their hands.
The numb steering is a bummer, as the actual handling is quite good -- turn-in is crisp and there's only moderate body roll when you press it on a curvy road. Most folks shopping mainstream family sedans probably won't be as picky as we are in this regard. But if they are, they can always consider the Sonata SE, which offers a more rewarding drive via its sport-tuned suspension, recalibrated steering and larger, more aggressive tires.
Comfort Up front, the Sonata's bucket seats offered enough support and comfort that a half-day's drive drew no complaints. And the driver seat and the tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel offered a large enough range of adjustment to allow short and tall drivers alike to get comfortable at the helm. As the Sonata's combined cabin and trunk space is great enough to earn the car a "large sedan" classification by the EPA, rear seat room is expectedly lavish. The high seat cushion provides proper under-thigh support and despite the rakish roof line, there is plenty of headroom for taller folk.
Most of the time, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata's suspension did a respectable job of absorbing broken pavement without jostling the occupants. But it would occasionally get upset and wiggle about over some surfaces (such as concrete freeway seams or more severe potholes) where rivals such as the Honda Accord or Mazda 6 would remain unfazed and more planted.
Function The audio system uses the tried-and-true two-knob (power/volume and tuning) layout and features standard satellite radio and iPod connectivity. However, to use the latter you'll have to spring for Hyundai's aux/USB cable, which costs all of $35. The system's sound quality is pretty robust for a base unit and the iPod interface is intuitive. Bluetooth connectivity is also standard, as are steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, another couple of nice perks for a car priced this low.
If you've been in a Volvo recently, you'll recognize the Sonata's climate controls as they feature a similar little guy we've nicknamed "Mode Man." We don't blame Hyundai for borrowing this clever idea -- you simply press on Mode Man wherever you want the air to flow, for example, head and/or feet. In-cabin storage is abundant, with two cubbies below the center stack and a large, two-tiered console box.
The 2011 Hyundai Sonata passed our usability tests with flying colors. At 16.4 cubic feet, the trunk's capacity is a few cubes larger than an Accord's and had no problem accommodating our rolling luggage case and golf bag. A rear-facing child seat was easily positioned in the backseat and still allowed plenty of room for a taller passenger up front.
Design/Fit and Finish The Sonata's crouching stance and tapering roof line make the car stand out in this segment, where boxy and upright is more the norm. Only the Volkswagen CC, which exists in a higher price segment, exudes the same visual dynamic. Some details are rather overstyled -- notably the grille and taillights -- though they do give the car some added distinction.
As Chevy did with the Malibu, Hyundai's interior designers used two-toning and a mix of textures to give the Sonata's cabin a fancy look that belies its cost-conscious price tag. And the padded dash top furthers the initial impression. Look closer, however and you'll notice hard plastic door panels where rivals feature soft padding. To be fair, the Sonata's upper trims offer a padded insert there. Still, that's nitpicking and the overall build quality is solid, as witnessed by the tight, even panel gaps and smooth movement of the various controls.
Who should consider this vehicle Anyone looking for a roomy, well-equipped and fuel-efficient family sedan with a little spring in its step and some daring styling will be well served by the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. That the new Sonata provides more than you'd expect for the price is just an added bonus.
Others To Consider
Ford Fusion S, Mazda 6 i Sport, Nissan Altima 2.5, Suzuki Kizashi S.
Read our Hyundai Sonata Long-Term 20,000-Mile Test
Used 2011 Hyundai Sonata listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2011 Hyundai Sonatas for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 1,443 used and CPO 2011 Sonatas listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 5,299 and mileage as low as 1. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 360 on a used or CPO 2011 Sonata available from one of 2,633 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2011 Hyundai Sonata ?
Save up to $285.8 on one of 131 used 2011 Hyundai Sonatas for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $5995 as of Apr 19, 2018, based on data from 18 dealers and 258 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 1 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2011 Hyundai Sonata trim styles:
The used 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE is priced around $9176 with average odometer reading of 98835 miles.
The used 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS PZEV is priced around $7478 with average odometer reading of 87057 miles.
The used 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited PZEV is priced around $9000 with average odometer reading of 74195 miles.
The used 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS is priced around $8462 with average odometer reading of 105367 miles.
The used 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited is priced around $9402 with average odometer reading of 91986 miles.
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, Virginia. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
What options are available on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata?
Available Hyundai Sonata 2011 Submodel Types: Sedan
Available Hyundai Sonata 2011 Trims: SE SULEV, SEL SULEV, Sport, SE PZEV, Limited SULEV, SEL, Sport PZEV, Sport 2.0T, Limited 2.0T, GLS, Base, GLS PZEV, SE, Limited, Base PZEV, GLS V6, Limited w/Brown Leather PZEV, Eco, Limited 2.0T w/Black Leather and Gray Accents, Limited PZEV, Limited V6, Sport 2.0T w/Black Leather and Gray Accents, Sport 2.0T w/Black Leather, Eco w/Prod. End 9/30, GL, LX, Limited w/Brown Leather, SE V6
Exterior Colors: Quartz White Pearl, Phantom Black, Symphony Silver, Machine Gray, Scarlet Red, Lakeside Blue, Electric Blue, Shale Gray Metallic, Dark Truffle, Nouveau Blue, Midnight Black, Shimmering White, Radiant Silver, Sparkling Ruby, Pacific Blue Pearl, Phantom Black Metallic, Harbor Grey Metallic, Black Plum Pearl, Bright Silver, Deepwater Blue, Ebony Black, Venetian Red, Pearl White, Powder White Pearl, Indigo Blue Pearl, Indigo Night, Slate Blue, Willow Gray, Dark Cherry Red, Silver Blue, Brilliant Silver, Iridescent Silver Blue Pearl, Desert Bronze, Camel Pearl, Golden Beige, Urban Sunset, Arctic White, Ardor Blue, Desert Sand, Medium Silver Blue, Natural Khaki, Noble White, Slate Gray, Steel Gray, White Pearl
Interior Colors: Gray premium cloth, Beige premium cloth, Black premium cloth, Beige leather, Gray cloth, Camel cloth, Gray leather/cloth, Camel premium cloth, Black Leather w/Gray Accent leather, Brown leather, Black leather, Gray leather, Black leather/cloth, Wine leather, Camel leather, Black, Beige, Beige cloth
Popular Features: Back-up camera, Blind Spot Monitoring, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Keyless Entry/Start, Post-collision safety system, Cooled Seats, Upgraded Headlights, Alarm, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Aux Audio Inputs, Bluetooth, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Rear Bench Seats, Stability Control, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, USB Inputs, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Navigation, Automatic Emergency Braking, Pre-collision safety system, Parking sensors, Power Driver Seat, Auto Climate Control, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Heated seats, Leather Seats, Sunroof/Moonroof, Remote Start, Upgraded Stereo, Power Liftgate/Trunk
Engine/Mechanics: 4, 6 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC, AUTOMATED_MANUAL, MANUAL
Fuel Types: regular unleaded
Drivetrains: front wheel drive
Used 2011 Hyundai Sonata Overview
The used 2011 Hyundai Sonata is offered in the following submodels: Sedan. Available styles include GLS PZEV 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A), GLS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A), and SE 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A). Pre-owned Sonata models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2011 Sonata comes with front wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic.
