2011 Hyundai Sonata “Challenge” - One day, 1,000 miles and just one tank of gas…

[xcel]

Hi All:

And what was alluded to in the FE CC Data… Final SG-II offsets while employing beginner and intermediate techniques needed a 6% negative offset to match the actual. About right for a ScanGauge-II attached to most cars in the summer.

Good Luck

Wayne

[xcel]

Hi All:

And a few pics of the accents and features I have been talking about the past two weeks… These are included on all models including the base model as reviewed and shown!

2011 Hyundai Sonata - Steering Wheel Controls


Upper Left – Mode, Tuning and Volume controls. Upper Right – Cruise Control
Lower Left – Bluetooth Phone controls. Lower Right – Trip Computer Functions

XM, Audio, Hands Free Cell and a Trip Computer on the $19,195 Base model? Wait until you see the comparisons to its competition in the Mid-sized, Compact and Sub-compact classes!

Wayne

[xcel]

Hi All:

Again, this is a base model and includes variable dash illumination (all vehicles I have driven as of late include this of course), Stability Control On/Off, and what many vehicle manufacturers are moving away from, that being interior fuel door and trunk releases.

2011 Hyundai Sonata Interior Controls and Releases

Wayne

[MaxxMPG]

Wayne,
Excellent photo of the trunk and fuel filler release buttons. I recall one review (C-R, I believe) said the buttons were adjacent and could be easy to confuse, but the photo here shows the convex bump on the trunk release button that allows the driver to locate the button by feel. Not all inexpensive cars have an inside fuel release, but Hyundai included it on the Sonata. Just another unexpected feature that didn't fall under the knife of the cost-control department, and a very handy addition for the next gas price spike when siphoning thefts again become a problem in urban and suburban environments.

[xcel]

Hi All:

Some very subtle but very important highlights to accentuate the 2011 Sonata experience. Again, this is very unusual for a car costing under $20K to include this level of upscale detail.

2011 Hyundai Sonata – Vent and Radio Controls


Notice the chrome vent angle adjustment tab and the chromed edged Open/Close roller wheel?
In addition, a number of chromed accents around the radio and ventilation controls.

While you have to get used to the Sitting Man, after two or three days, you will discover how easy the electronic controls are to operate. Just hit the man and the air flow can be changed from upper level dash only to the floor only or to both or defrost and floor. Very simple and easy to do without fumbling around. All the buttons and switches have a decent tactile feel as discussed very early on in the thread.

Although I did not take a pic of it, there is an overhead LED Center Console soft light with just enough glow so you can find your Pepsi (if that is what you drink ) or pad and paper without fumbling around in the dark with the interior lights not being illuminated.

All are nice touches and again, all of this for under $20K??? I have driven $30K + vehicles without this level of detail and feel of luxury!

Wayne

[MaxxMPG]

The daylight photo of the radio and HVAC also do not show that the labels for the buttons are backlit in a cool ice-blue at night, and everything is very well lit and labeled with clear lettering. The buttons have those thin "keys" of fixed plastic between them so they are easy to locate by feel when you have spent a few days with the car and have gotten to know how everything is laid out.

Also shown in the photo above is the location of the hazard flasher button - perfect position for a momentary flicker to warn speeders approaching from behind without having to move your hand far from the wheel.

[xcel]

Hi All:

And finally 2011 Hyundai Sonata - Variable Intermittent wiper controls are standard on the base all the way up. Most midsize automobiles include these today but many still don’t while expecting you to pay extra for this basic feature…

2011 Hyundai Sonata - Variable Intermittent Wiper Controls

And something else I forgot to take a pic of… Darn it, I always remember this stuff when the car has been driven back to its hideout in Bensenville, IL.

The Center armrest/console is a dual storage type unit. The top opens for the easy to get to items like possibly a wallet, notepad/pens, change, Bluetooth connected cell phone etc. The bottom section opens up for storage of your iPod/Zune with the input in the Aux input located at the bottom, CD’s, various other sundry items you may or may not carry in your vehicle and all can be accessed by two levers. One for the top section and one for the bottom. Both levers are on top of one another other while not interfering with each other.

Wayne

EDIT - by MaxxMPG - Here's a snapshot of the two storage compartments on the Sonata center armrest, and also glove box and pair of cupholders.

Upper left shows upper storage compartment - perfect for cell phone or receipts. No need to place your sunglasses in there because the Sonata has a handy sunglass holder above the rearview mirror, by the dual map lights.
Lower left shows roomy lower storage compartment - deep enough for larger items like a small camera bag. It also would fit the owners manual, which is the size and weight of a small dictionary. Some owners have complained about rattling from the glovebox, but it turns out that moving the manual to the center console resolves the rattle. The "rattle" turns out to be nothing more than that zillion-page 40 pound fly swatter they include in the glove box.
And the cup holders are big enough for a Big Gulp, although as Karen has mentioned in the past, the forward cup holder does get in the way of shifts to 2/4/6, so you'd want to use the rear cup holder in the 6MT Sonata.

[xcel]

Hi All:

The ever important linked mileage log:

And saying goodbye to my trusted steed after a long and arduous trek to the Big Apple and back again. As most here know, I quickly become attached to the Review vehicles that show up every once in a while. This one turned out to be pretty darn special indeed!

2011 Hyundai Sonata – Saying Goodbye


Mr. Kleist of STI driving the Hyundai Sonata back to its real owners.

And did I mention “I cannot believe you receive all of this in an automobile for less than $20K”? Yeah, I know. About 20 times already

We’ll have a few more items to add in a few as Chris has setup a very interesting and pertinent historical angle to the 2011 Hyundai Sonata “Challenge” - One day, 1,000 miles and just one tank of gas and what happened on Long Island over 80-years ago... Stay tuned

Good Luck

Wayne

[2009PriusChat]

Great work! Thanks very much!

[xcel]

Hi 09PC:

You are welcome

The Spirit of St. Louis and 2011 Hyundai Sonata parallels.

A historic look back.

Charles Lindbergh, otherwise known as “Lucky Lindy”, left Long Island’s Roosevelt Field at 07:52 AM on May 20, 1927. His trek was noteworthy due to the fact this was the first time a man and heavier than air machine were able to fly solo and non-stop across the Atlantic. The much heralded Spirit of St Louis (the “Flying Gas Tank”) with over 2,700 pounds of fuel onboard was flown non-stop over 3,600 statute miles landing on the outskirts of Paris after 33.5 hours of dead reckoning and navigating by the stars when visible by the now famous and at the time, young aviator…

Lindbergh’s first plane and the one he flew his first solo in was a US Army surplus Jenny. That plane was found dismantled and stored in a barn in Iowa in the early 70's. With dedication and hard work by aviation enthusiasts, the plane was carefully restored and is now on display at the Cradle of Aviation Museum located in Garden City, New York, adjacent to the site once occupied by Roosevelt Field from which Lindbergh took off on his famous solo flight to Paris in 1927.

While not even close to a 3,600 mile trek, not nearly as noteworthy and something anyone can do when they put their eyes on the prize and mind to it, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata proved its worth during its own single tank of fuel dash across an all-highway distance some may have considered impossible from this large a sedan at its introduction just 7-months ago.

Just like the Spirit of St. Louis’ flight some 83-years prior, Hyundai now offers a large and fully equipped sedan in the form of the all-new Sonata capable of taking us to whatever location we deem desirable on a minimum amount of fuel. Skipping the dreaded pump while we traverse the vast distances from Anypoint, USA to any other point anywhere else is just a by-product of excellent design and engineering and all for a cost most anyone can afford.

2011 Hyundai Sonata at the Cradle of Aviation – Long Island, NY


Can you even imagine what Charles Lindbergh would have thought about today’s large yet
inexpensive, long range, bank vault safe and fully instrumented 2011 Hyundai Sonata?

Good Luck

Wayne