I'm probably one of the few consumer drivers that can say he traded in a 2011 model car for a 2010. Probably not a big bragging point at the end of the day.

Let me start off by saying that I am far from a Hyundai basher. My family has owned 3 of them since 2007 and we haven't spent one dime on anything other than oil changes.

With a baby on the way, I went shopping back in February for a bigger vehicle. I was interested in the 2010 Sonata, however I went shopping on the very weekend the 2011 hit, in limited quantities.

On a quick inspection basis, it was a gorgeous car that got better mpg than the 2010. I "special ordered" the color combo I wanted, and it came in a month later.

The sticker on the car completely optioned out with nav was $28,200. I managed to get it for $25,700 from a high volume dealer, though reports from around the country since have many people forced to pay very close to MSRP to get one due to high demand.

Here's what it came with:

Push button start with proximity key
Infinity stereo
Nav w/touchscreen
Bluetooth for both phone and mp3 streaming
iPod connectivity
"Leather" seats
Carpeted floor mats
Power driver seat
Integrated voice command (one button for initiating all commands)
Phonebook download
Caller ID shows name and number if in your phonebook on incoming calls
Estimated 35 mpg highway
Rear vents
3 banks of 6 presets for XM vs. 2 in the TSX

The 2 major features I miss the most in the TSX are the proximity/push button start and the better nav display. Not having to take the key out of your pocket to start the car is pretty cool, though I don't mind using the stiletto key now at all.

Here's what the TSX has the Sonata doesn't:

Verbal temperature control
Power passenger seat
Memory driver seat
Aux/USB slots hidden in armrest

For those wondering why I traded the car in, here's a short laundry list of minor reasons:

Black/black terrible color combination for Florida (I bought in winter in Georgia)
Uncomfortable, hard and cheap seats, especially for long trips
Rough suspension

More importantly, as a new Dad, I also had major safety concerns with some of the stories coming out about steering issues and the associated recalls. I decided I'd rather have something more long term with a history of reliability.

Also, you can't compare the interior of the 2 cars even a little bit. The TSX is so much more comfortable and luxurious. Most of the inside of the Sonata is made from cheap plastic susceptible to scratches and fingerprint smudges.

The seats in the TSX are a total home run compared to the Hyundai's total strikeout. The Sonata has a bigger trunk with built in storage tray. No trunk liner is available for it. It also has a more comfortable, bigger back seat.

I actually like that you can use the HFL and the nav at the same time. In the Hyundai, the phone supercedes all other options. Also, the microphone is near the driver side door making it useless for the passenger without yelling and more susceptible to road noise. Also, the touchscreen, much like an iPhone, ends up always looking smudged unless you don't use it.

As for the actual driving, the I4 in the Sonata was zippy and powerful enough for highway passing. It's a much lighter car than the TSX, which is part of how they get the improved mpg. However, my wife said that my TSX felt like riding in a tank by comparison (she means that in a good, safe way).

To summarize, if you want up-to-date bells and whistles in a larger car for the least price possible and don't have concerns about 1st year model reliability, you will probably like the Sonata.

If you want entry level luxury and proven performance, spend the extra $4k on the TSX Tech.

 

That was fast! nice comparison!

 

Thanks for the quick comparison.

At the end of the day, I think the immediate competitor for Sonata is the Accord and Camry. Even with the mild refresh for 2011, the Accord still looks bland. Hyundai has come a long way in the past few years, Toyota and Honda needs to quickly improve or become second best to a Korean car company that wasn't in their radar a few years back.

 

We own a 06 tsx and a 11 sonata. In order to get the 6MT with the sonata-you get no options like power seats, sunroof, nav. etc. We are very pleased with it so far. We also love our tsx with almost 114,000 problem free miles. We traded a 05 elantra gt with over 100,000 problem free miles for the sonata.

 

thanks for the update!

 

De nada.

 

I bet you the extra 4k will be even out in used car value 3 to 5 years from now. I bet the Acura will still be worth 2k to 3k more when you sell it.

Last but not least; if someone asked what do you drive or what will you pick me up in, do you really want to say Hyundai?

 

Hyundai designers are lazy. They just photoshop popular cars together then voila...instant car design! Unfortunately...the cars look like some maniac took parts of popular cars and welded them together.

LOL.

 

pics?

 

I have no problem saying I own a hyundai and the people we have given rides to complimented the car. (this included owners of lexus, bmw, etc.) With the miles we put on our cars even our tsx value is not that great.

 

I will tell someone I will pick them up in a Hyundai just to see there reaction...lol

 

Time will tell.

Actually, I got a lot of compliments on that car and people were shocked when I told them I sold it. I just wanted something I could see myself happy in a few years down the road, and the Sonata wasn't it.

 

Interesting situation...atleast you are happier with the TSX. The new Hyundai/Kia and Ford products seem to be better than anything coming out of Honda/Toyota lately.

 

It depends on what you like in a car.

If I were 22, the Sonata would be fantastic. Bells and whistles galore, great mpg, and awesome exterior looks.

At 42, I value things more like comfortable seats, refined ride and overall quality.

 

Too bad you did not just buy the tsx in the first place.
We have been very happy with the many hyundai's we have owned and also our tsx.
Our daughter's first car was a 02 Elantra, bought new. She made the car payments-no we did not buy it for her. She was working full-time and taking night classes. She was driving too fast, failed to make a sharp turn and crashed into a big tree head-on (luckily no other vehicles were in her path). The elantra was totaled but she was unhurt.
In order to get all those bells and whistles on the sonata you have to do without manual transmission.

 

I must admit that South Korean products keep getting better year by year. Still a fan of Japaneses products but who knows, I might want to own a American car, a Germany car, and probably a South Korean one in my life b4 I'm really gone for good.

 

Agreed.

Same here. I traded in the Sonata to get happier, not to go from sad to happy.

That's ok. I also choose to no longer have dial up Internet or a cell phone the size of my shoe for the same reason I don't have a manual.

 

I agree-no longer have dial-up or a huge cell-phone but as long as it is offered and I can still drive-I want manual transmission vehicles- The 3 vehicles my husband and I own have 6MT.

 

It is B.S the TSX doesn't have push button start.

 

The Porsche GT2 RS doesn't have push start. That's bullshit too, huh? /Sarcasm.

Push start doesn't make a car good or bad. Just turn the key; its the same thing, jeez.

Also, the Hyundai Sonata doesn't compete with the TSX. Its more of a competitor to the Camry and Accord.

I know this is not really a good argument for not getting a Hyundai, but dude, its a Hyundai... Who drives Hyundai? I personally don't want to be picking up a girl in a Hyundai. If she knows even a minimum information on cars; she would know Hyundai is a joke brand, no offense to any Hyundai owners.