Cars Review

In an attempt to make up for the lack of reviews I am posting a second review today. The Hyundai Sonata, I split up the 2007 and 2008 from the 2009 because theyre surprisingly different despite not looking very different.



Introduction: The Hyundai Sonata is Hyundais mid-sized car. Originally introduced in 1985 to replace the disappointing Hyundai Stellar and ending Hyundais rear wheel drive lineup. The Sonata is now in its 5th generation, the new 6th generation Sonata is ready to take over for the 2011 model year.

I wasnt really all that thrilled about the Sonata much like other Korean cars when I first started out. It was the 2009 models where I was surprised about how different Hyundai has become.



Performance: I havent driven any of the V6 Hyundai Sonatas so my review will stick with the standard 2.4L 4-cylinder engine included in the base Sonata models. The 2009 has an updated version of the engine meaning it produces more power than the original 2007-2008 models. The original engine produced 162 hp and 164 lbs.ft of torque. The updated engine has 175 hp and 168 lb.ft of torque. The differences between the two is rather minimal although I will say the 2009 feels a slight bit smoother and less strained. The acceleration time is roughly 9.5-9.8 seconds from 0-100 km/h. Not a very quick car but its reasonably smooth and modest.

My Score(both): 6/10 - Not a very quick engine but reasonable for its power.

Handling: Ive noticed some differences between the two version here. Starting with the earlier Sonata, when you take one of these cars into a corner the body roll and lack of steering feel is very apparent. The wheel isnt exactly light but it doesnt translate into an enjoyable experience. I found the earlier Sonata a rather boring vehicle to take into a corner. Now the 2009 Sonata is a much different experience. The steering is more sharper and a far more willing car to be pushed to its limits and giving a better sense of steering feel that the older Sonata wouldnt give. The roll is also less pronounced and dynamically a better experience overall. I can easily say the 2009 Sonata was my first taste of Hyundai turning its image into a better car company.

My Score(2007-2008): 5/10 - Very boring, quite a bit of body roll and not willing to play.

My Score(2009): 8/10 - Better steering than the previous version, less body roll and far more enjoyable to drive in comparison.



Interior: This is easily the biggest difference between the two versions. The earlier Sonata has a very plain interior design, there is very little styling input into the interior. The plastics look functional but overall not very nice and the stereo is very bad. While the old interior isnt a great place to sit inside it was well equipped and functional. The newer 2009s seemed to completely change and fix what was wrong with the previous interior. The plastics were of higher quality and were much nicer to feel and look at. The entire center console was changed to a higher level which really impressed me. The gauges had a nicer clean modern look with the white and blue touches while the older one was pretty dated. The stereo unit is a far nicer one although its still a troublesome item and likely the only thing in the car that needs repair early. The atmosphere of the newer interior really shows Hyundais commitment to higher quality. The build quality on the Sonata is very well done either version. Most Sonatas in North America are built in Montgomery, Alabama.

My Score(2007, 2008): 5/10 - Very boring and unattractive, but built well

My Score(2009): 9/10 - One of the best economical interiors Ive seen especially at this price range, its plastic but its very nice plastic. The stereo is the only small weak link.

Styling: This is always my problem with Korean cars in the past, they rarely put enough time and effort to style their cars. This 5th generation Sonata doesnt solve this problem but the coming 6th gen shows Hyundai has changed this. From much of its styling its clear the 5th generation Honda Accord was its major inspiration both rear and front are similar. The earlier Sonata does have a nicer grille than the 2009 and 2010s but neither really substantially differentiate themselves from the old Accord.

My Score(both): 2/10 - A nice copy job, but still a copy job and is not good styling by any means.

Value for money: The Hyundai Sonata relies solely on its low price range to take market share away from the bigger automakers. The Sonata does not disappoint here, both versions are very well equipped even in rather base specification. Hyundais pricing is rather aggressive and trying to take away from Honda and Toyota. The deal looks a bit less impressive when one adds options for the Sonata but ideally the base Sonata will work for most buyers. The older Sonata was not all that refined and is less appealing especially with the updated 2009s which is better in almost every way. The newer Sonata is a very good deal for an inexpensive relatively large car.

My Score(2007, 2008): 7/10 - A pretty good deal but overshadowed by the 2009s improvements.

My Score(2009): 10/10 - Very well priced and far more refined than before, very hard to argue against recommending it.

Overall(2007, 2008): 25/50 - A so-so boring car with reasonable value

Overall(2009): 35/50 - A pretty good budget value mid sized sedan with one of the nicest interiors in a while, easily the most well updated car Ive ever encountered.

Normally I consider a Kia and Hyundai to be different from each other. This is one of the few examples where I almost couldnt find a single difference, as a result I will review both since theyre almost identical.



Introduction: The Kia Sportage is the older name of the two, it was originally a rugged off-roader built in 1993 and actually managed to stay in production until 2002. The original Sportage was one of the models to receive Mazda and Ford parts due to the Ford-Mazda-Kia partnership. When the Sportage was discontinued in 2002 it had no direct replacement. In 2004, Kia now under the direction of Hyundai due to South Korean government interference revived the Sportage name, however Hyundai also released the Tucson. Both use the same Elantra platform particularly the 3rd generation Elantra, the earliest car I reviewed. The result for the Sportage was that it no longer was capable of going off-road. As with other similar Kia and Hyundai vehicles, theyre both manufactured from different South Korean factories. Hyundai has scheduled a redesign of the Tucson for 2010 due to be on sale soon, its unknown if the Sportage will receive similar treatment outside of Europe.

By the time I drove the Tucson and Sportage Ive come to distingush Korean cars with the old being the bad ones and the newer being the good ones. The Sportage and Tuscon belong on the old column.


Performance: The Sportage and Tucson both share the exact same engines from the 2.0L 4-cylinder to the 2.7L V6. For this review Ive only driven the 2.7L V6 which produces 173 hp and 178 lb.ft of torque. Unlike the Santa Fe, I dont feel this V6 moves this SUV very well. Its just too low powered even for a 2.7...I mean Chryslers V6 of this size is very old and does 190 in both stats. The acceleration is pretty poor for both going from 0-100 km/h in 10.2 seconds. Its not a particularly nice sounding engine either, sort of coarse for a V6.

My Score: 3/10 - Disappointingly slow for a high end engine.

Handling: Both of these SUVs use the old Elantras platform as a result these SUVs are not very rewarding to drive but rather feel like tools. Neither is particularly terrible taking the corners but it always seems like a chore to do so driving these. The steering feel is somewhat lacking especially compared to the Santa Fe.

My Score: 4/10 - Not particularly horrible...but then again it could be so much better.



Interior: Normally this is what sets Kia and Hyundai apart, but for these SUVs theyre extremely similar. Usually Hyundai build quality is slightly better, but due to the similar parts its just not noticeable. The seats are pretty decent and theres adequate room for passengers of average size. The stereo is the old Hyundai/Kia unit and its still as bad as Ive said. The plastics however are not adequate, they age particularly badly when shown beside Hyundais current plastic trim. Theres nothing clever or anything interesting to note aside from this.

My Score: 4/10 - A regular SUV interior with some low quality materials and a bad stereo.

Styling: The Kia has a slightly more agricultural look but the plastic bumper sort of ruins that image. The Tucson is more like a normal crossover but not particularly interesting. The Tucson also shows its plastic front bumper which I dont find very appealing.

My Score: 4/10 - Pretty generic with a cheap looking bumper.

Value for money: As inexpensive SUVs both the Sportage and Tucson seem like a good deal. The weak engine is not very appealing to people who do research their cars. Those who want a practical vehicle wont find these SUVs to be appealing either due to their small size but pretty conventional layout. A Legacy Wagon or Outback is more practical and in my opinion better at everything. The only people who will want these vehicles are those who want the high driving position but dont want to pay a lot.

My Score: 4/10 - Few of these vehicles seem like good value compared to a wagon, most appealing to those who like a high driving position.

Overall: 19/50 - A result of being outdated, the 2010s and Hyundais rise seem more promising...best to wait for those.