- sedan 211,958
- 1,688 below average
- 1,399 great
- Egg Harbor City, NJ
-
- autoshopper.com
- 1,688 below average sedan 211,958 gasoline black automatic
2003 hyundai sonata review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. It costs less than the name-brand sedans, but measures up well against them. sonata is packed with features, making it an excellent value. The interior is nicely finished and has a general feeling of quality. Than bmw, mercedes-benz, cadillac, lincoln, lexus, acura, volvo, mitsubishi, mazda, mercury, or saturn. The sonata has been part of this success. Hyundai sold more than 62,000 sonatas here in 2001. Hyundai gave the sonata a major facelift for 2002, and it presents an elegant shape with a bold waterfall grille and headlight treatment. . lineupthree models are available: sonata 15,499); sonata gls 16,999); and sonata lx 18,324). the base sonata is well-equipped for its price. It comes standard with air conditioning, am/fm/cd audio system, rear defroster, power mirrors, power locks with keyless remote, power windows, cruise control, remote fuel door and trunk releases, 60/40 split folding rear seat, variable intermittent wipers, and 15-inch all-season tires. Gls also comes with heated mirrors and a power antenna. Hyundai's automatic transmission adds $500 to the price of any sonata. the v6 engine is available as an option for the base model as part of a $1050 option package that includes a power moonroof or as part of a $1600 package that includes the moonroof and anti-lock brakes. Abs, traction control, and the moonroof can be added to any sonata for $1250. The moonroof is also offered as a stand-alone option for $550. Other combinations and permutations are available as well. . walkaroundthe hyundai sonata is strikingly handsome, expressive without being oppressive, with graceful lines and rich details that one would expect on a far more expensive automobile. The sonata's overall shape suggests the feline form of a jaguar; while its sophisticated headlight treatment could have been borrowed from a mercedes-benz. It's better looking than the kia optima, which shares the hyundai's architecture. the waterfall grille is formal but not pretentious. Chrome trim around the grille, over the doors and on the trunk is well placed, and like jewelry tastefully worn, it enhances rather than distracts. The bold headlight design is more than stylish. The small low-beams are halogen projector lamps that produce a uniformly bright pattern, and the complementary high beams are very bright. Good headlamps are extremely important, especially on dark and stormy nights. The sonata's are excellent. the sonata's pull-type door handles feel solid. The doors close with a solid thunk. The interior materials are of good quality, and vastly superior to what's found in the new saturn l-series sedans. The interior is nicely finished, again better than the saturn. The interior is conservative in appearance and sitting in a sonata while parked is a positive experience. the front seats are broad for maximum comfort, and lightly bolstered, making it easy to slide in and out. A pair of knobs on the driver's seat permits adjusting the seat bottom from cushy to firm for good support to the legs and posterior. Switchgear is clearly marked and easy to operate. Radio controls are big, clearly marked, and easy to operate. Hvac is straightforward with two rows of big buttons and knobs that are easy to discern and operate. Window switches are conveniently mounted on the doors, but, alas, are not illuminated. Gauges are clearly marked. the upper and lower portions of the instrument panel are dressed in contrasting shades of vinyl. The plush fabric on the seats is repeated in the door panels. The gls and lx also have a two-compartment center armrest. The glovebox opens with a firm feel. Only the ashtray feels flimsy. There's a nice rubber-lined spot ahead of shifter for my wallet. hyundai has wrapped the sonata's wheel in a leather-like urethane that's buttery soft and wonderful to hold. It's characteristic of the attention given to detail throughout the sonata's interior. The ignition switch is on the dash, rather than plugged into the steering column. a splash of artificial wood around the center stack of the gls and lx won't fool anyone, but looks somehow appropriate anyway. A frame of burnished aluminum surrounds the automatic shifter quadrant, with the shiftronic manual-override slot alongside. Illuminated shiftronic manual shift indicators were added for 2003. carpeted floor mats come standard for 2003. Lx models now offer a homelink remote system and electrochromic inside rear view mirror as options. Hyundai added electric switches for the trunk and fuel door releases for 2002. The rear seat folds 60/40, allowing long items to pass through from the trunk. Map pockets on the backs of the front seats add useful storage space. changes made to the rear suspension for 2002 allowed hyundai engineers to increase the sonata's trunk volume to 14. 1 cubic feet. Steering is sharp and the available v6 and automatic are a responsive team, delivering good acceleration performance for passing or merging onto freeways. hyundai 's 2. 7-liter v6 provides quick acceleration from a standstill. The sonata accelerates smoothly and without great drama. It doesn't have the most powerful v6 among mid-size sedans, so the hyundai would probably lose a drag race against a toyota camry v6. The hyundai v6 idles quietly, but not silently. the sonata's automatic transmission is responsive and sophisticated. Shifts are smooth, almost unnoticeable. Using fuzzy logic, the transmission's electronic controller adapts to the driver's style and minimizes hunting when climbing hills. It's sometimes helpful to slap the shiftronic lever to the right and downshift manually, but it isn't necessary as stepping on the gas will induce it to downshift. Using the shiftronic is fun at times, however, and can give the driver more precise shifting control. Slip the shift lever over to a second slot, and once there row it fore and aft to shift up and down manually. The transmission will hold the selected gear rather than shifting automatically. It does not, however, offer strong power, especially at higher elevations. It lacks the response of the v6, particularly at lower revs. It delivers 22/30 mpg with the manual, 21/28 with the automatic. The v6 gets 20/27 mpg with the automatic. sonata's ride is smooth, soaking up tar strips and potholes. Some popping over seams can be heard, and at speed the sonata has a tendency to drift within its lane. We enjoyed even the pianissimo passages of classical music on the sonata's standard cd player. Drive it very hard on a bu. Power Locks✔ Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Power Mirrors✔ AM/FM✔ Cruise Control✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ CD Player✔ Alloy Wheels
1,399 Egg Harbor City, NJEgg Harbor City, NJ at autoshopper.com