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Hyundai Sonata

I dreamed I was a race car-driver in a new Hyundai Sonata

By Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

Imagine getting a chance to drive on the Texas Motor Speedway. And then imagine you were driving an all-new car with an experienced race-car driver sitting besides you.

This fantasy was a reality for me when I got a chance to test-drive an all-new 2006 Sonata. This is a Hyundai like you’ve never seen before.

I am not the only one who fell instantly in love with the Sonata. It received a “Most Appealing Entry Midsize Car” ranking from J.D. Power and Associates in its Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study. But the thing that really won my heart was the purse holder hook that flips out onto the front passenger seat side.  That was a spark of pure genius in my book.

Most women I know have this where to put your purse problem. Thanks, Hyundai for finding such a great solution.

Safety First

Another thing that really impressed me was the segment-leading safety equipment. Since I am recovering from a serious car wreck (not my fault, I was rear-ended by a “negligent driver” in a rental car in Florida) I really was interested in safety features. I have to admit I thought how different my accident might have been if I had been in a “safer” car.

Wide Open Spaces

My priority for a car, after safety, is lots of trunk space and maneuverability that makes it easy to park.  My car has to perform in a shopping mall—that means have a good price to start with (so I have extra shopping money for the mall), get good gas mileage so I won’t feel guilty going to sales, and then be able to stop quickly if I see a sign with my favorite four letter word: SALE.

Does This Make You Feel Safe or What?

Why Is This Car So Popular

The midsize Sonata is the best-selling sedan in the Hyundai product line, and the first 2006 model rolled off the production line in March at Hyundai's all-new manufacturing plant in Montgomery, Ala. The all-new Sonata was designed specifically to meet the needs of the American consumer and is the product of three years of intensive collaborative development at Hyundai's global R&D operations, including those in Michigan and California.

"Everyone at Hyundai is excited about this new 2006 Sonata," said Robert F. (Bob) Cosmai, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. "It is the embodiment of our new brand strategy - Drive Your Way. And we feel that the Sonata will be a brand-altering product for Hyundai - after drivers experience this car, they will realize that it truly delivers class-leading safety equipment, interior spaciousness and standard amenities."

Before the engineers started working on this Sonata, Hyundai began by surveying U.S. consumers in "concept clinics" held in San Diego, Calif. four years ago. More than 200 people rated the current Sonata against rivals such as the Camry, Accord and Taurus. From that input, the 2006 Sonata began to take shape. "We try to make cars from a customer's point of view, not from an engineer's," said Oh Sung Hwan, deputy general manager for production control at Hyundai. And, Joel Piaskowski, chief designer for Hyundai's California Design Center in Irvine, Calif., added, "We feel this new Sonata will appeal to a lot of drivers who may not have considered Hyundai in the past."

The 2006 Hyundai Sonata is an all-new vehicle featuring refined, sophisticated styling and an interior package so roomy its U.S. government size classification is "large car," slotting it a full class above Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima. It is available in three trim levels: GL, GLS and the top-of-the-line LX. All three trim levels deliver a level of standard equipment that is typically a cut above comparable models in this same class.

This new Sonata also sets a new standard for safety equipment with six standard airbags (dual front, front seat-mounted side-impact and front and rear passenger side curtain airbags), standard active front head restraints, standard ABS and, for the first time in the midsize sedan segment, standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Traction Control. The 2006 Hyundai Sonata was designed to achieve five-star ratings in all National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) frontal and side-impact test conditions

Warranty 

In addition to all that value, the all-new 2006 Hyundai Sonata is protected by the Hyundai Advantage, America’s Best Warranty TM. Coverage includes five-year/60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper protection, 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, five-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance and seven-year/unlimited mileage anti-perforation coverage

2006 Sonata offers an unprecedented combination of safety, power, package and value.

• Six standard airbags: Dual front airbags, front seat-mounted side-impact airbags, and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags for front and outboard rear seat occupants
• Standard ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
• Standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Traction Control System (TCS)
• Standard active head restraints

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SONATA
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/

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