Hyundai/Kia owners and mechanics: chime in!

[Tactically Fat]

Setting: My 2006 Nissan Altima is getting to be a money pit. I think we're going to limp it along as much as we can - but my patience has limits.

High on the list for a replacement would be a 2017/18 Kia Optima or same years Hyundai Sonata. PRIMARILY due to a mix of the luck we've had with our 2009 Kia Sedona and the prices that a 1-year old ~10k mile Optima/Sedona can be purchased for. Can even get a brand new one for quite reasonable money if you don't go crazy with options.

I'd like a Honda Accord to be #1 on the list - but I just don't know that we can afford one. Same with a Honda CR-V. Or a Subaru Outback. Or a Subaru Forester. (My wish list is, unfortunately, long)

Toyota Camry is off the list due to cramped back seat. Toyota RAV-4 may be on the list but a few ergonomic issues may DQ it (as well as price). Won't consider another Nissan because their CVTs are crap.

So: Owners - what are your opinions?

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

PM inbound.

 

[Tactically Fat]

PM inbound.

I'm giddy with anticipation!

 

[Brandon]

I left the life of the M5 for a 2016 Sonata.
Decently sized car, comfy - not the greatest but far far far from the worst. Back seats have plenty of leg room - if that is important.
The transmission is a little slow to downshift. With all the modern features it has it lacks a auto-dimming rear view mirror but can be added on as an option.

Gas milage is around 30mpg. We did average 37 to and from our trip to Makers Mark.

 

[Tactically Fat]

I left the life of the M5 for a 2016 Sonata.
Decently sized car, comfy - not the greatest but far far far from the worst. Back seats have plenty of leg room - if that is important.
The transmission is a little slow to downshift. With all the modern features it has it lacks a auto-dimming rear view mirror but can be added on as an option.

Gas milage is around 30mpg. We did average 37 to and from our trip to Makers Mark.

We're base-model shoppers... So auto-dimming mirrors aren't a make/break deal. Unless it's on a used one, that is. Rear seat leg-room is a big concern. My kids are still in booster seats for the time being - but they're gonna be BIG kids. And we keep cars until they won't go no mo'. (Or it costs us $3000 within 6 months to keep a $2000 car going....ahem)

Have you had any issues at all with your Sonata? Even the littlest most minor things?

 

[Brandon]

We're base-model shoppers... So auto-dimming mirrors aren't a make/break deal. Unless it's on a used one, that is. Rear seat leg-room is a big concern. My kids are still in booster seats for the time being - but they're gonna be BIG kids. And we keep cars until they won't go no mo'. (Or it costs us $3000 within 6 months to keep a $2000 car going....ahem)

Have you had any issues at all with your Sonata? Even the littlest most minor things?

The only thing that has been a bother to me is the tire pressure monitoring system. And it could very well just be my car as it has alot of miles for a 1-2 year old car. Just over 50k.

The tire monitoring system will light up when it detects a tire at or lower than 27 or 26psi. Sometimes as you are driving it will raise the psi to above what the rest of the tires are but still continue to light up. Its nothing big and nice to see what the psi are in the tires but an annoyance when it shows the tire as an issue when it has higher psi than the rest after driving.

My car is the base, I bought it with 47k on it and it is upto 52k now. I drive it 52 miles round trip to work and then what ever else for errands and what not. I can't say anything bad about it and for the price I think it is hard to beat.

Leg room I would imagine would be enough to have booster seats in comfortably. Trunk space is pretty good as well.

AHhhhhh as I was typing all of this I just thought of one thing I hate about the car. The glare on the windshield from the dash is annoying in the late morning/early afternoon hours.

Some of the pros:
Road noise is pretty quiet at high way speeds
Cd player, usb port for music plus aux cord, radio including xm (my trial just expired and I will not renew it) sound is good
If I recall it is 5 star safety rated all around which was one of the reasons I considered it.
Blind spot mirror on drivers side


Cons are the 2 things already mentioned
Tire pressure monitor
dash board glare

 

[Cameramonkey]

My 07 Forte with 113k has a similar annoyance that Brandon noted. Except mine errors out (the Forte doesnt list individual tires, just an error light when one goes low; up to you to figure out which) and nobody can tell me why.

I took it in repeatedly and they could never reproduce and therefore refused to try. Except for the last visit. (I would mention it when it was in for other things) I was approaching 100k, so I wanted them to take one last look at it before the warranty ended. Same song and dance. "if we cant reproduce it, nothing we can do, but we will try." I even had video of it doing it, but they wouldnt even try to figure it out without a code or seeing it themselves live.

Fast forward 10 minutes and the service writer realized that system wasnt part of the remainder of the warranty and had expired 30k ago-ish. As soon as she realized that, her attitude changed.
"You know, I guess we could start replacing parts to see what fixes it."
"Wait, when its YOUR dime, there is nothing you can do, but when I'm paying you'll gladly throw *MY* money at it? Not a chance. Give me my damned keys back. " I'll never go back to Ray Skillman. /rant

Id be driving down the road and suddenly it would go into an error state. It flashes the light for 30 seconds then stays on to indicate a system error. It would then turn off randomly. It would usually turn on during long road trips after a couple hours. Seldom on my 30 minute commute.

But overall I like my Kia. Very reliable and economical.

 

[Tactically Fat]

The "TPMS system light" will come on on our Sedona every once in a while, too. Generally when it's VERY cold and we're on rough roads. Not the "low tire light", mind you, but the "there's something wrong with the system" light.

Just had the consumable parts within the TPMS stuff replaced last week. Perhaps the light won't come on again. That and the windshield washer pump went out a few weeks ago. And it's located in the passenger side front wheel-well - right where I can't easily access it.

 

[sugarcreekbrass]

A few yrs ago we bought my wife a used 2011 Sonata. It only had 27k miles. It now has 86k and still runs like new. No issues, just had a couple of minor recalls. The only work I have done on it is change the oil, replaced the front brakes, and had new tires put on it. She averages 30+ mpg hwy/city driving and upper 30s straight hwy. It also handles really well in the snow we’ve had lately. We will be looking for another Sonata when the time comes.