Hyundai Sonata NF (2005-2010)

Highly recommended and safe buy – This car has gained an extreme respect and regard for Hyundai as a company. I don't know what they've done, but somehow they've managed to create a sturdy and reliable workhorse which goes on and on. Had this car for three years and never had an issue with it, other than the driver side sun visor broken (which was a manufacturing defect) and… Read more

think these lot was recalled for replacement. But the previous owner missed out somehow.

All this car needs is timely service.

IMHO this car will crap over the likes of Camry's and Accord etc. At any given day in terms of reliability and running cost.

I've clocked 130 Ks on it, and was advised by a reliae mechanic that this can go for further 130K without much of a hassle.

This has definitely broken the prejudice I had for Korean cars. Highly recommended.

A fantastic alternative to a Camry - reliable, spacious, quiet, powerful – Bought this car with 60k (mostly highway) in preparation for starting a family back in 2012. No regrets. Pros: - Lots of space - Very quiet, especially out on the open road (including B-grade/coarse chip roads, where tyre roar was minimal). - Enough power for most situations - Reasonable economy for such a big car (11L/100km in city,… Read more

7.5-8L highway)

- decent handling especially out on country roads

- Generally very trouble free, as you would expect from a modern Hyundai

- 6 airbags, unlike Camry of that era (which had 2, sometimes 4).

- stability control

- decent turning circle

- full ipod/iphone connectivity - so handy.

- auto dusk sensing headlights - brilliant when going in and out of motorway tunnels - amazing this base model Sonata even has it.

- 12V socket in boot (perfect for pumping beach balls during holidays)

- fairly affordable 15,000km yearly service

- Hyundai rarely quibbled about warranty fixes - they would just do it if it was clearly a warranty issue.

- incredible boot with external (not goose neck) hinges that mean you can squeeze in every item literally to the brim of the boot and still close it - it's been invaluable on family trips.

- a really nice interior - classy but practical dashboard and instruments, good soft surfaces and lined cloth on doors, centre console etc

- plenty of practical trinkets like cubby holes, 12V outlets in the centre console as well as in front of the gearstick etc.

Cons

- headlights were bright, but strangely not uniform (much brighter towards the centre than the sides).

- some unexpected wear and tear/niggly items:

* roofline rubber strips that peeled off around 70,000km (replaced under warranty)

* 3 sensors went between 80,000 and 105,000km - the cam sensor (replaced under warranty), the crank angle sensor and brake sensor switch (under pedal, the last two repaired at own cost outside warranty.

* annoying squeaking glass-crack like noise in drivers side over bumps - after 2 years of investigations, it turned out to be the rubber strip outside on windscreen rubbing against the glass - a bit of velcro slid between that and the windscreen glass fixed it. A common problem with NF Sonata's apparently, judging from forums in the States where the car is far more popular.

All in all, this car is a bargain for what it is - a quality well designed and built car that by many driver accounts around the world, will run into the 200-300,000 kms comfortably. If you can get the older Series 1 (2005-2007/8) with the 3.3L V6 engine that might be a good bet too as that is such a smooth engine (but a bit thirsty in the city).

Good – Excellent car that I intend to keep for 200,000 Km. Long warranty makes this possible. Would buy again...possibly the diesel if they bring it here. Have now had my Sonata elite for two years (50,000 km) and not a thing has gone wrong. Well finished well equipped for the price and a delight to drive. This is a luxury car at a bargain price. Very… Read more

quiet and comfortable. Economy 1okm/litre consistently. Tyres lasted 48,000 km. Appreciate the huge boot and the fold down seats. Not a dislike as I knew before I bought it, but I acknowledge the handling is not as good as the best in the class. can be a choppy ride over a very bumpy road. Nice effort Hyundai from your previous model, but you have a way to go yet.

Good – Impression of the car was it looked like a Toyota Camry but a bit more stylish. The weird part is I expected some class of wood grain in the car but it looks a bit too sporty. One of it, is the dials in the instrument cluster are a bit neon and just seems a bit out of place for the car. The seats are pretty comfy and the interior is quite well… Read more

done. The cruise control is a bit different from how other cars but still ok. I love the auto light feature where it sense when lights are required. Also I noticed I did not turn off my lights when I turn off the engine and it would switch off. Not sure there is an override feature but I would say overall is not a bad car to drive. price, space and looks (exterior) dedicated mp3 player, blue screen, a bit sporty inside

Terrible – With every thing that went wrong in the begining it has left a bad tatse in my mouth and I could recommend this car, I wish I never brought it, And will be getting rid of it in the very near future. BUYERS BEWARE. A lot of safety features for your money Had a lot of problems from day one very poor inside finish and a lemon over all the car had too go back plenty of times for warrantee issues, And i am still having problems a year down the track

Good – Very happy with the car. In comparison to the 4 cylinder model, I would recommend the V6. I found my previous 4 cylinder to be mediocre power but very noisy. The V6 is very quiet, strong puller and reasonable fuel economy. ( Around 11 ltr per 100km.) I purchased the V6 model having previously owned 2 of the 4 cylinder models. Have found this to be… Read more

a lot quicker, smoother and has heaps better handling. Very impressive ride and I believe the trim and extras fitted to the car are of good quality and would match whatever Holden /Ford /Toyota would offer. The tiptronic style automatic is great (Full or semi automatic) Great boot space and with drop down back seats, its amazing how much can be placed in the back. Manual seat height / back adjusters are a bit of a pain to operate and set. On long drives, the firm seating gives you a bit of "numb bum syndrome"

Excellent – The sonata elite is a fantastic built car. It isnt perfect, but its close enough. The revvy 3.3 litre 173KW V6 engine bolts from 0-100kmph in just 7.87 seconds. It doesnt handling like a Lotus around corners, or accelerate like an M5, but for this price it gets the job done. Its a smooth handling ride, and the engine is nice and quite. I own a… Read more

Audi A6, and yes the audi handles abit better, and feels better over bumps, and has a few extra gadgets, but for this price, the sonata is a total winner. The Reliable engine, powerful engine, safe & roomy, comfy seats, fantastic looks. No colour LCD screen with inbuilt tv, mp3 player, or navigation options.

Excellent – My first Hyundai and definitely no regrets so far. The fuel consumption is under 11L/100km and the amount of room is exceptional. Interior quality is something you would see in a $50,000 vehicle. The semi auto is decent since it's a five speed so you can change the gear to use less petrol on main roads. So nice to drive, quiet and V6 engine… Read more

doesn't "drink the petrol." The quality of the interior is exceptional for the price I paid for a second hand one. The handling around corners is decent but could be slightly better. None the less it works well anyway.

Excellent – Excellent body shape, quality of external and internal finish. Pleasure to drive. Long warranty and very competitive price. Great car to own and drive! I have had Sonata Elite V6 since March 2006. I love everything about it. Excellent body shape, quality of external and internal finish (beautiful shape, colour, nice leather interior with nice… Read more

details), hips of features with all the bells and whistles on par with luxury cars, very nice handling on the road, quietness and responsiveness, comfortable and roomy (the seats are designed ergonomically and plenty of leg room and width, which makes long trips very pleasant), lots of passive and active safety equipment. Pleasure to drive. Long warranty and very competitive price. A bit thirsty on petrol, especially while driving in the city.

Good – have owned holden, falcon, cortina, mazda 626 ,daewoo espero, and honestly believe this is one of the best outfitted cars I have driven good power and auto gearbox ,17 inch mags give good road handling,great fitout upholstery ,leather seating excellent.size of boot plus power outlet for fridge can't think of anything after the first year