http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...6-07-iqs_x.htm

As far as the segment winners, the Acura TL is listed in the entry premium car category under the Lexus IS 250/350.

It's funny how Acura is ranked 10th and Honda is ranked 6th in manufaturer initial quality rankings. My expectation would be that the luxury brand(Acura) should be ranked above the regular brand(Honda).

Lexus is ranked 2nd and Toyota is ranked 4th

Inifiniti is ranked 8th and Nissan is ranked 13th

I guess Acura has some catching up to do...

 

Someone may bash me, but I have to say I have owned acuras of 2 generations, and I can say their quality is definitely acting like their transmissions---slipping.

 

I think the new rating system is kind of screwy anyway. It has a handicap built into it now. They don't take into account known problems from what I read the other day. It is weird in the way they do it. This is why Porshe is at the top of the list, because we all know the kinds of problems they have. The survey should be done a year out and not 90 days!! What kind of problems do you normally see in the first 90 days. Not much as the car is not even broken in in that time.

As far as overall brand, the RL has held the Acura brand back a little. They have some issues with the newer technology in it, as those bugs get worked out, that will change, as for all manufactures.

But its still great to see Honda/Acura ubove the curve. Any way you look at it that is a good thing.

The real question is whether or not you are happy and satisfied with your car? As for problems, I have only had 4 issues. The brake squel(6MT), wind noise on passenger side, 3rd gear issue and rattle from seat. The dealer took care of the first three(GM MT fluid for the third), and I did the last. I love driving this car and wouldn't trade it for anything less then a DB7 Vantage!!! But since I don't have that kind of money, I will drive the hell out of the TL.

 

IMO what's more disturbing to me is that freaking Hyundai is ranked THIRD!!!

For many reasons, I honestly can't stand to even see a Hyundai; I'd rather just run them off the road. And yea, I know that "Honda" was once the underdog - yada, yada, yada and they have to start somewhere, blah, blah, blah.

Hyundai is nothing but crap, IMO. Hate 'em!
(...and "hate" is a strong word, you know?)

 

Hyundai is garbage, I have worked on quite a few of them for stereo installs, and hate them everytime. The other is KIA("Killed In Action" how disrespectful) and its a piece of crap. But we are lucky, Daewo went away!! or did they! they where bought out by, non other then, GM.

 

Hyundai is better than Toyota, Honda, Infiniti, Acura, Nissan

 

But you have to admit, Hyundai did come a long way from where they were 10 years ago. I believe when you are considered to be at the bottom of the heap, it makes you work that much more to improve.

 

It's seems odd for Porsche to go from 32nd to 1st in one year.

 

They may have...but they still have a stigma with me; it's still a "Hyundai". A straight up copycat off of Honda. They couldn't even create an original symbol; they had to basically copy off of Honda and put a slight "tilt" to it. I would NEVER drive one, not even if I won it.


Even though they've come some way in 10-years, I sat in the Azera (SP?) for shits and giggles at the Motor Trend Auto Show earlier this year and they ARE BUILT CHEAP.........a door shutting sounded like a tin can; there wasn't a presence of quality or suction to it...just the sound of thin tin. And I know other people who aren't "car savvy" and for example: I'm driving to Philly for work and have two guys with me (me, only female) and the one guy says while passing a Hyundai, "OMG - look at that thing...they copied right from Honda; it looks like an Accord!". So even the most non-savvy car person can identify that.

And on a Honda note: I do understand that Honda was once what Hyundai probably is now and when I bought my 2004 Accord coupe w/ navi (and the bodystyle was still new)....probably two days after having it, a guy walks up to me at the gas pump and asked if he could look through the windows at it and his exact words to me were, "Man, has Honda come a long way!".

Guess I'm just extremely bias?

 

Im in no way a fan of the crooked H, but they have come a long way in 10 years. I would not drive one either, but to say they are built cheap? well DUH! its a $10,000 car brand new from the factory. What do you want from a 10,000 dollar car? They are great cars for commuters who dont care about style and just want a cheap NEW car that has a good warranty. With that said. No way would I ever want one either.

 

How does that not suprise me coming from you.....

 

Porsche only improved so much because they only released one new model. This survey was only for new models in 06.

 

I'm just glad everyone is slowly realizing how overrated BMW's are - tucked neatly on the list b/w Scion and Mazda....I LOVE IT!

 

I got a envelope in the mail from JD Powers the other day. I haven't open yet. I wonder if it was for the '05 TL that I got last summer or the '06 TL I traded it in on?

I'll have to check it out later.

 

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...4376523&EDATE=

If the interior quality of Acura is slipping, than maybe I should be driving a Hyundai?? JK. If Hyundai was "all that" I think they would have been listed in the 2006 Interior Awards; which they were not. I don't even know if they would have been a candidate?

However, Acura (despite your theory) at least won for the best Navigation System and the TL was nominated (1 out of 4) for the best audio system, although it did not win. But, at least was nominated....


And my interior in the TL is FAR BETTER than what I had in my 04 Accord (and that's saying "something" because the Accord has a nice interior). JMO.....

 

My wife's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe is rock solid. There is not one rattle, buzz or anything within the interior. The fit and finish are very impressive.

Don't get me wrong, I love my 2005 TL, however ... the rattles have driven me crazy. I can understand rattles in a 2004 (first build), but by 2005 and 2006 the same rattles that we complain about are still there.

The materials chosen for the Acura are obviously of a higher standard ... however, they obviously either didn't assemble it properly, or it wasn't designed to fit together correctly.

Based on the three cars that my wife and I own.....2005 Acura TL, 2003 SantaFe, and 1996 Honda Civic (still no rattles after 10 years), I would rank their interior quality in this order.

Honda Civic
Hyundai Santa Fe
Acura TL

Never thought, I would put Hyundai above the Acura, but I guess listening to rattles day in and day out will do that to a person.

Would I pick a Hyundai over an Acura? Heck no! I'd rather deal with lower quality interior build to enjoy the beautiful exterior and performance. Bottom line, the perfect car has yet to be built ... probably never will.

 

Yeah, I have nothing against the Hyundai, I think they have come a long way and will continue to put the hurt on other car makers. That being said, as much as I love my TL, there are a couple external panels that are not lined up and the gaps between some of the interior pieces caught me off guard. I agree the perfect car will never be built so take what you like.

I also think luxury nameplates get more scrutiny than the mass market parents. I paid a premium so I didn't have to deal with rattles, so when JD comes knocking, I have to answer truthfully...

 

PianoMan...
I comprehend what you're saying................

But, on the flip-side...my TL has no rattles and the one minor one I had was home-fixed the second day of ownership (metal plate around shifter); the day I brought it home the one rear exterior panel wasn't snapped in all the way and my b/f pushed on it gently and it's tight now.

I do know several folks who own Hyundai's and they love them; my b/f's sister has had the Tiberon since it came out and she's had zero issues with it. But, that absolutely wouldn't sell me enough to go buy one.

Understandably, it's all about someone's individual preference. And I wouldn't judge someone just because they drove a Hyundai.....

As for the perfect car... [for me] would be the BMW 6-series coupe; even with rattles, it would have to be perfect. LOL.

 

the only hyundai ive encountered is my fathers 03 sonata, and the car is super simple, super cheap.

 

IQS doesn't measure what many people think it measures. Especially not after a few changes for 2006.

My editorial on the new IQS:

http://www.truedelta.com/pieces/IQS2006.php

My research will yield much more useful information.

 

personally, i dont like hyundais, but like others have said, they have come a very long way. i rented a hyundai sonata a month ago and i was completely blown away by its quality. the interior material was good, it drove well. it's no sports sedan, but for the money it's a great car. the 2006 sonata achieved 5 star rating by NHTSA except for rollover which was 4 stars. that's a lot better than many cars costing twice as much. hyundais used to be craps, but , i won't be suprised to see it competing against luxury brands in 10 years.

 

Well, I own a 1 month old 06 TL, and I must say fit, finish and overall quality, was FAR better on my 01 TL. I Never had an issue with rattles and buzzing in the interior of my 01. I have them on my 06. I don't know what to do, or even if I should bother saying anything about them to the dealer. I know the dealer will say they cannot duplicate the symptom.

I also have a very close friend who Just got an 06 Hyundai Sonata V6. Say what you want - but it DOESN'T RATTLE OR BUZZ. The enging is as smooth as silk and very fast.

 

Hyundai's main weakness is suspensions. Their cars don't handle well. Kias handle quite a bit better in many cases. So if Hyundai manages to fix Kia's quality...

 

There is a big difference between initial quality, and long term reliability.

On our 2005 6mt, we have had ZERO problems in almost 2 years, which seems better then most get out of their TL's, and I expect the car to have few problems even when it gets old.

There are problems and there are serious problems, much of the TL's problems would be rattles, maybe leather, brake noise, etc, not sensors and fuel pumps crapping out every week , or CV joint boots tearing at 40,000 miles like some German cars....

Brett

 

Hyundai was founded in 1947.

Honda was founded in 1948.

How exactly is the Hyundai name a "copycat"? Did Hyundai perfect time travel at some point to make this possible?

Sorry to let some facts get in the way of your little rant.

 

Dear Sincere Hyundai Advocate:
First of all, it's not "my little rant"...it's my personal opinion and I don't have to like Hyundai and probably never will.

Hyundai may have been "founded" in 1947 in Korea but they weren't being driven in the U.S. then - I was born in 1973 and didn't start seeing Hyundia's until the '90's in my area......

Honda, however made it here in the '70's. So having said that on my "little rant"...it is MY OPINION that Honda is FAR BETTER automobile maker than Hyundai will ever be. They're an established, reliable, quality company in the U.S. where they have been for quite some time........they're solidified.

So be it that Hyundai was first - first at what? Producing a crappy tin-can they called a car until recently (as folks attest to that they've stepped up their quality)?

Regardless of your facts, I still consider them a "copy-cat" - even if their "symbol" came out an entire year first, crooked at that. This is 2006 and they are straight up copying (so it seems) from Honda. Have you seen the Sonata as of late? Hmmmm....similarly looks like the last generation Accord. Probably no coincidence.

In closing, I'm completely done arguing my dislikes about Hyundai. If you like them so much - go to their forum and pledge to be so great. I love my Honda's and I'm entitled to it.

But, thanks for setting me straight!

 

What has better quality, a steak at the local steakhouse or a McDonald's hamburger? It's the hamburger, but people who don't understand quality pick the steak...