Topic: First Drive: 2011 Hyundai Sonata

[Jaeger]

It's just me.  Why don't we go back to bench front seats then?  Then we can carry 6 people in a pinch.  Where does it end?  I've never had to carry 5 people in 48 years of driving.

It's not just you.  If someone needs to regularly transport 5 adults, they need to consider a minivan.  I've done it a mere handful of times in decades of driving - usually in the cotext of an airport run.  I have friends - but they tend to have cars of their own - social outings don't require me to perform a limo service.  I wouldn't make 5 passenger seating any kind of a significant factor in my purchase decision.

Of course I checked out the back seat.  I do the same thing on every test drive to get the best comparison between products.  There's more room in the back of the Sonata, but if I recall correctly (I test drove it back in July) the head room in the back was about the same if not better. 

According to Edmunds, the Sonata has a 1.2 inch headroom advantage over the Passat CC.  A small difference, but definitely noticeable if you are a taller rear seat passenger.

Jaeger

[Shnak]

It's just me.  Why don't we go back to bench front seats then?  Then we can carry 6 people in a pinch.  Where does it end?  I've never had to carry 5 people in 48 years of driving.

It's not just you.  If someone needs to regularly transport 5 adults, they need to consider a minivan.  I've done it a mere handful of times in decades of driving - usually in the cotext of an airport run.  I have friends - but they tend to have cars of their own - social outings don't require me to perform a limo service.  I wouldn't make 5 passenger seating any kind of a significant factor in my purchase decision.

Who said 'regularly'? I said having 5 seatbelts can be useful on occasion. And for a FAMILY sedan, it makes sense to have 5 seatbelts. You know, carrying the neighbour's kids to soccer practice, etc. One of the reasons I personally don't like the Element and Mazda5 is because of seating arrangement... 2 seats just doesn't do it for me.

[John MacDonald]

It's just me.  Why don't we go back to bench front seats then?  Then we can carry 6 people in a pinch.  Where does it end?  I've never had to carry 5 people in 48 years of driving.

It's not just you.  If someone needs to regularly transport 5 adults, they need to consider a minivan.  I've done it a mere handful of times in decades of driving - usually in the cotext of an airport run.  I have friends - but they tend to have cars of their own - social outings don't require me to perform a limo service.  I wouldn't make 5 passenger seating any kind of a significant factor in my purchase decision.

Of course I checked out the back seat.  I do the same thing on every test drive to get the best comparison between products.  There's more room in the back of the Sonata, but if I recall correctly (I test drove it back in July) the head room in the back was about the same if not better. 

According to Edmunds, the Sonata has a 1.2 inch headroom advantage over the Passat CC.  A small difference, but definitely noticeable if you are a taller rear seat passenger.

Jaeger

Maybe I was on a high from that wonderful 2.0T engine and didn't notice.  In any case I'd take the back seat in the Passat CC over the Sonata as I don't need to ever carry 5 people, if that 5th person wants a ride they'll just have to cab or bus it.

[John MacDonald]

It's just me.  Why don't we go back to bench front seats then?  Then we can carry 6 people in a pinch.  Where does it end?  I've never had to carry 5 people in 48 years of driving.

It's not just you.  If someone needs to regularly transport 5 adults, they need to consider a minivan.  I've done it a mere handful of times in decades of driving - usually in the cotext of an airport run.  I have friends - but they tend to have cars of their own - social outings don't require me to perform a limo service.  I wouldn't make 5 passenger seating any kind of a significant factor in my purchase decision.

Who said 'regularly'? I said having 5 seatbelts can be useful on occasion. And for a FAMILY sedan, it makes sense to have 5 seatbelts. You know, carrying the neighbour's kids to soccer practice, etc. One of the reasons I personally don't like the Element and Mazda5 is because of seating arrangement... 2 seats just doesn't do it for me.

LOL Mazda 5 has 6 seats, 2 in each row.

[Shnak]

It's just me.  Why don't we go back to bench front seats then?  Then we can carry 6 people in a pinch.  Where does it end?  I've never had to carry 5 people in 48 years of driving.

It's not just you.  If someone needs to regularly transport 5 adults, they need to consider a minivan.  I've done it a mere handful of times in decades of driving - usually in the cotext of an airport run.  I have friends - but they tend to have cars of their own - social outings don't require me to perform a limo service.  I wouldn't make 5 passenger seating any kind of a significant factor in my purchase decision.

Who said 'regularly'? I said having 5 seatbelts can be useful on occasion. And for a FAMILY sedan, it makes sense to have 5 seatbelts. You know, carrying the neighbour's kids to soccer practice, etc. One of the reasons I personally don't like the Element and Mazda5 is because of seating arrangement... 2 seats just doesn't do it for me.

LOL Mazda 5 has 6 seats, 2 in each row.

Yep, except those 5 and 6th seats disappear as soon as you have more than a grocery bad to carry... and then, you're left with 4 seats and a kid sitting on the curb waiting for a taxi.

[Jaeger]

LOL Mazda 5 has 6 seats, 2 in each row.

Yeah, but you sure wouldn't want to be in that last row.  And you definitely wouldn't want to put adults back there - not if they have legs, anyway.  In fact, it's barely suitable for kids, given that those small enough to fit probably still need car seats of some kind which cuts down on the limited space even more.

My wife and I both found the rear seating in the CC to be noticeably less spacious than that of my Altima, but still more than acceptable for two adults.  Given that the Sonata is a bit longer and  wider - and runs on a 3 inch-plus longer wheelbase - I would expect it to offer slightly better room than the CC.  Which it does.  But overall they're pretty close.

The thing that impressed me most about the CC was the VERY well sorted out chassis.  Firm, but not harsh with very little body roll even on some fairly aggressive corners.  That's the biggest reason I found it fun to drive, notwithstanding the significant power drop from the V6 Altima.  And the fit, finish and quality of interior materials sit a cut above anything I have driven in the class.  I found the base-ish Sportline 2.0T to be a screaming good value.  I look forward to some seat time in the Sonata to see how close it comes. The V6 CC is ridiculously overpriced in my books.  Comparably equipped to my Altima, it would be deep into Infiniti G territory.

Jaeger

[Wheelboy]

I think someone needs more friends!

Quality trumps quantity.  Hence my Vette.     

[John MacDonald]

LOL Mazda 5 has 6 seats, 2 in each row.

Yeah, but you sure wouldn't want to be in that last row.  And you definitely wouldn't want to put adults back there - not if they have legs, anyway.  In fact, it's barely suitable for kids, given that those small enough to fit probably still need car seats of some kind which cuts down on the limited space even more.

My wife and I both found the rear seating in the CC to be noticeably less spacious than that of my Altima, but still more than acceptable for two adults.  Given that the Sonata is a bit longer and  wider - and runs on a 3 inch-plus longer wheelbase - I would expect it to offer slightly better room than the CC.  Which it does.  But overall they're pretty close.

The thing that impressed me most about the CC was the VERY well sorted out chassis.  Firm, but not harsh with very little body roll even on some fairly aggressive corners.  That's the biggest reason I found it fun to drive, notwithstanding the significant power drop from the V6 Altima.  And the fit, finish and quality of interior materials sit a cut above anything I have driven in the class.  I found the base-ish Sportline 2.0T to be a screaming good value.  I look forward to some seat time in the Sonata to see how close it comes. The V6 CC is ridiculously overpriced in my books.  Comparably equipped to my Altima, it would be deep into Infiniti G territory.

Jaeger

I know what you mean about the V6 being over priced but if you were considering buying an Audi A4 I'd say try out the V6 Passat CC as you'll get more care for your value.  But that's like saying if you're looking at a Acura TSX you should try out a Honda Accord.  I've tried the Infiniti G and wasn't overly impressed.  It wasn't that it was a bad car it just didn't feel as fast as I'd expect a 300+ HP vehicle to be, I got the same impression from the Genesis Coupe V6.

[John MacDonald]

I think someone needs more friends!

Quality trumps quantity.  Hence my Vette.     

Who needs friends when you have a Vette.  LOL

[Wheelboy]

Who needs friends when you have a Vette.  LOL

Fer sure.  Most are just wannabees and who needs those?

[sacrat]

I like the back seat of the CC better just because it doesn't pretend to offer a 3rd seat in the middle, that's just a styling thing.

When I sat in a CC I thought that was a great step in the right direction.  2.5 rear seats has always seemed like a poor idea to me.

I disagree. Because I have kids it's not unusual to have three in the back when my daughter wants to go to the mall or a movie with friends. Three teenage girls fit quite comfortably in that 2.5 space, much more than 3 adults with expanding waistlines. Perhaps you meant to say that the Passat CC doesn't pretend to be a family car

[sacrat]

I finally drove the new Sonata yesterday. Since I'm currently driving a 2009 Sonata Sport I hope I can offer a unique and useful perspective.

First the styling. That grille doesn't look so overwhelming in person. Parked next to the old Sonata the new one looks downright racy. It also looks lower, but I think the crest of the roofline is about the same height.Some traditional family buyers might be put off a bit.

The GDI engine is a little noisier off idle, but very quite when cruising. The 25 extra horsepower is noticible but not overwhelming.

Handling is greatly improved. This Limited model with the standard non-sport suspension cornered as flat as my Sport model, but with a much smoother ride. The steering also had better feel despite being electric. I'm wondering now if I'd pony up for the sport suspension when it arrives. This improvement is day and night for those who rightly complained about the ride on previous Hyundais.

The transmission was also much better. The shifts are smoother than mine and the placement of the shifter closer to the driver is brilliant. My shifter is in the traditional position on the 09 with the manual mode requiring pushing it further right.The response in manual mode on the 09 is lethargic.The new one brings the manual mode to the left.I was able to use just my wrist to switch through the gears with my elbow resting comfortably on the well padded armrest, and the response was instantaneous. It actually felt, dare I say, "Sporty", very un-Sonata like.

Dislikes were minor, the main one being that they moved to IPod and USB hookups to the bottom of the instrument panel where prying eyes can see. My hookups are in the central console out of sight.

Overall, I was quite impressed. I'll have to drive a Turbo with the sport suspension when it arrives in Canada to see if it's worth the extra cost. I'd recommend  anyone who hasn't driven a Hyundai for a while to test drive this one. You'll be surprised.

[Wheelboy]

I like the back seat of the CC better just because it doesn't pretend to offer a 3rd seat in the middle, that's just a styling thing.

When I sat in a CC I thought that was a great step in the right direction.  2.5 rear seats has always seemed like a poor idea to me.

I disagree. Because I have kids it's not unusual to have three in the back when my daughter wants to go to the mall or a movie with friends. Three teenage girls fit quite comfortably in that 2.5 space, much more than 3 adults with expanding waistlines. Perhaps you meant to say that the Passat CC doesn't pretend to be a family car

I don't need a "family" car as my family is long gone and can afford their own transportation.

[John MacDonald]

I finally drove the new Sonata yesterday. Since I'm currently driving a 2009 Sonata Sport I hope I can offer a unique and useful perspective.

First the styling. That grille doesn't look so overwhelming in person. Parked next to the old Sonata the new one looks downright racy. It also looks lower, but I think the crest of the roofline is about the same height.Some traditional family buyers might be put off a bit.

The GDI engine is a little noisier off idle, but very quite when cruising. The 25 extra horsepower is noticible but not overwhelming.

Handling is greatly improved. This Limited model with the standard non-sport suspension cornered as flat as my Sport model, but with a much smoother ride. The steering also had better feel despite being electric. I'm wondering now if I'd pony up for the sport suspension when it arrives. This improvement is day and night for those who rightly complained about the ride on previous Hyundais.

The transmission was also much better. The shifts are smoother than mine and the placement of the shifter closer to the driver is brilliant. My shifter is in the traditional position on the 09 with the manual mode requiring pushing it further right.The response in manual mode on the 09 is lethargic.The new one brings the manual mode to the left.I was able to use just my wrist to switch through the gears with my elbow resting comfortably on the well padded armrest, and the response was instantaneous. It actually felt, dare I say, "Sporty", very un-Sonata like.

Dislikes were minor, the main one being that they moved to IPod and USB hookups to the bottom of the instrument panel where prying eyes can see. My hookups are in the central console out of sight.

Overall, I was quite impressed. I'll have to drive a Turbo with the sport suspension when it arrives in Canada to see if it's worth the extra cost. I'd recommend  anyone who hasn't driven a Hyundai for a while to test drive this one. You'll be surprised.

Good review.  It's actually a more insightful review comparing it to previous model as I did not test drive the old model (both me and my wife found it too plain looking).  I'm glad you can confirm the harshness at idle and low speeds but at cruising speed it's quiet.  I do have one question though, I've read in a couple of reviews that the old Sonata is a bit quieter because they used a bit more sound proofing.  Could you confirm that, or was the difference non existant.  From my understanding they reduced the sound proofing material because they wanted to save money and weight.  The weight savings definitely contributed to it feeling just as sporty as your 09 Sport model.  I too am looking forward to trying out the Turbo version because it will have paddle shifters and hopefully make the vehicle a bit lighter (2.4L engine compared to 2.0L).  Thanks for the update.

[Wheelboy]

..........you're left with 4 seats and a kid sitting on the curb waiting for a taxi.

It'll do the chubby little devils good to walk or ride a bike.  Heck I remember back in MY day..........!

[Jaeger]

I like the back seat of the CC better just because it doesn't pretend to offer a 3rd seat in the middle, that's just a styling thing.

When I sat in a CC I thought that was a great step in the right direction.  2.5 rear seats has always seemed like a poor idea to me.

I disagree. Because I have kids it's not unusual to have three in the back when my daughter wants to go to the mall or a movie with friends. Three teenage girls fit quite comfortably in that 2.5 space, much more than 3 adults with expanding waistlines. Perhaps you meant to say that the Passat CC doesn't pretend to be a family car

The Passat CC is perfectly fine as a family car - so long as your family doesn't exceed 4.  If it does, this car is not for you.  And I would suggest that if you have a family of 5 or more, a minivan is a better bet as your primary family vehicle in any event.  We have one child.  The Passat CC would suit us just fine.  To suggest that a family car "needs" to have seating for 5 is to confuse your own personal requirements with a rule of general application.

So far there seems to be consistent criticism of the engine noise in the Sonata.  Quiet while cruising?  Aren't all engines pretty much quiet while cruising?  A loud and coarse engine is not something I could live with long term.

Jaeger

[Shnak]

So far there seems to be consistent criticism of the engine noise in the Sonata.  Quiet while cruising?  Aren't all engines pretty much quiet while cruising?  A loud and coarse engine is not something I could live with long term.

Jaeger

From what I can read, engine noise is only a 'problem' at idle where it's more pronounced than a non-DI engine would normally be. But that's a common problem to all DI engines. Besides, this GDI engine is nowhere near as noisy as even the newest TDI engines are, and prople are coping just fine with those. My '04 TDI's were louder than normal engines and it didn't bother me one single bit.

[Wheelboy]

The Passat CC is perfectly fine as a family car - so long as your family doesn't exceed 4.  If it does, this car is not for you.  And I would suggest that if you have a family of 5 or more, a minivan is a better bet as your primary family vehicle in any event.  We have one child.  The Passat CC would suit us just fine.  To suggest that a family car "needs" to have seating for 5 is to confuse your own personal requirements with a rule of general application.

I'm surprised anyone is taking exception to a couple of us saying "Two rear seats is lots".  Heck if they need 3 rear seats (2.5 actually) then buy a car so equipped.  Personal choice is why we have 2-dr coupes, 2-seater sports cars, 4-door 4.5 seat cars, 3-row seating SUV's, vans and school buses.  My summer car is a Vette and I've never come close to needing more than 2 seats.  But that's ME.  Porsche just came out with a 4 door car for those in need of such.

So far there seems to be consistent criticism of the engine noise in the Sonata.  Quiet while cruising?  Aren't all engines pretty much quiet while cruising?  A loud and coarse engine is not something I could live with long term.

I drove a Sonata 2011 last week and it was rough and loud (relative to my Acura V6) getting up to 130 on the 401 but nice and quiet once I was cruising.  I expected that.

[safristi]

...cruising fer friends........................ ............can't we all just be fiends in yer back seat.....  ...is this yer VET!! ......