Sonata, Fusion called and wants its grill back

[Zap]

So I went car shopping with my mom. I've seen pics of the new Hyundai Sonata and it looked pretty nice. Then I saw it in person, and saw the huge chrome grill. Looks like a Ford Fusion grill but a bit twisted so that it doesn't look as huge straight on, but when you're standing next to it looking down it looks huge. Give me a break!

Oh yeah, and around eight Genesis Coupes at the lot and none were manual, yet a base Sonata was. WTF?

 

[PricklyPete]

So I went car shopping with my mom. I've seen pics of the new Hyundai Sonata and it looked pretty nice. Then I saw it in person, and saw the huge chrome grill. Looks like a Ford Fusion grill but a bit twisted so that it doesn't look as huge straight on, but when you're standing next to it looking down it looks huge. Give me a break!

Oh yeah, and around eight Genesis Coupes at the lot and none were manual, yet a base Sonata was. WTF?

I feel like I've seen a number of the Sonata's without the full chrome grill...just a small chrome piece across the top with the rest of the blades being body color. Either way, I'm not a fan of the grill on the Sonata or the Fusion....but both are great cars.

And that is just stupid about the Genesis Coupe.

 

[phreaqe]

i think the sonota looks great, but i have not seen any of the chrome styles. all the ones i have seen were body color. i do like the look of the fusion as well.

 

[lurk3r]

Ya, news flash hyundai engineers are just pirates. The first Sonata they built here was a weld for weld copy of the 97 accord.

 

[Meghan54]

Ya, news flash hyundai engineers are just pirates. The first Sonata they built here was a weld for weld copy of the 97 accord.

Odd, since the first Sonata was sold here in the U.S. was in 1992 (Canada got them in 1990). Guess that also makes Hyundai engineers clairvoyant, eh?

 

[Evadman]

Ttiwwp

 

[CrackRabbit]

vs

Links are hot.

For the record I have a GLS, it does not have the large chrome grill, only the SE and Limited do.

 

[PricklyPete]

vs

Links are hot.

For the record I have a GLS, it does not have the large chrome grill, only the SE and Limited do.

I have to say...between the two of them, the Hyundai looks much better grill wise. I like the rest of the Fusion better.

I've been seeing a ton of the Hyundai's on the road around St. Louis. Seems like it is selling really well.

 

[Malak]

The Sonatas have a fantastic profile.

 

[Zap]

For the record I have a GLS, it does not have the large chrome grill, only the SE and Limited do.

That explains it. I think most of them were Limited. Seriously, most were around $28k. A few more gets you into a V6 Genesis with much better seats (Sonata leather seats were like sitting on leather covered boards).

 

[Throckmorton]

The only thing those grilles have in common is that both are chrome...

 

[lurk3r]

Odd, since the first Sonata was sold here in the U.S. was in 1992 (Canada got them in 1990). Guess that also makes Hyundai engineers clairvoyant, eh?

Built <> Sold.

 

[fbrdphreak]

The only thing those grilles have in common is that both are chrome...

Word. While they share some basic features, how many ways can you design a grill on a four door family sedan? Moving on...

 

[darkswordsman17]

OP you are an idiot. Your whole basis is they're chromed? Oh no, better tell Ford they copied other companies' cars (including their own from 60 years ago).

 

[darkswordsman17]

Ya, news flash hyundai engineers are just pirates. The first Sonata they built here was a weld for weld copy of the 97 accord.

What? Seems like you're full of fail like the OP.

At best, the back half of the previous gen Sonata looked quite a bit like the back half of the previous gen Accord.

 

[Demo24]

I fail to see how people can think these new Sonata's look good. I think they are one of the ugliest vehicles produced in the last 10 years...maybe more. The profile is horrid. Horrible jumble of hard lines, and sagging features.

 

[PricklyPete]

I fail to see how people can think these new Sonata's look good. I think they are one of the ugliest vehicles produced in the last 10 years...maybe more. The profile is horrid. Horrible jumble of hard lines, and sagging features.

I don't think it will age well. It looks better than a lot of the other cars in the segment...but I'm with you on the overall design. None of the cars in the segment are real lookers (Camry, Accord, Fusion, Passat, Malibu, Mazda 6, Optima, Sebring, Regal). If I were buying one in the segment, my money would definitely go to the Regal if it was just based on looks followed by the Fusion, Mazda 6, Malibu, then Passat. The Camry is the least inspiring.

 

[saratoga172]

Lets think about this now. Genesis sitting on the lot with no manual. Sonata sitting on the lot with manual. What I'm guessing, and I also base this off your preference along with the rest of ATG, is that the manual version of the Genesis is the more popular version, thus harder to find. If I were going for a sportier car like that I would be passing on the manual myself. Think about the target market. I wonder how long those auto's have been sitting on the lot. I also wonder how long a manual actually lasts?

Now lets look at the Sonata. Its target market desires auto's over manuals. To be honest if I were looking for a Sonata or similar car I'd just get it in auto. The manual probably doesn't sell as well because the auto's sell first.

 

[lurk3r]

What? Seems like you're full of fail like the OP.

At best, the back half of the previous gen Sonata looked quite a bit like the back half of the previous gen Accord.

spend some time on google images, 06 sonata vs 97 accord, its a bit tough to find an unriced accord some of the plastic changes, but even the hoods are nearly drop in replacements.

 

[Arkaign]

Lets think about this now. Genesis sitting on the lot with no manual. Sonata sitting on the lot with manual. What I'm guessing, and I also base this off your preference along with the rest of ATG, is that the manual version of the Genesis is the more popular version, thus harder to find. If I were going for a sportier car like that I would be passing on the manual myself. Think about the target market. I wonder how long those auto's have been sitting on the lot. I also wonder how long a manual actually lasts?

Now lets look at the Sonata. Its target market desires auto's over manuals. To be honest if I were looking for a Sonata or similar car I'd just get it in auto. The manual probably doesn't sell as well because the auto's sell first.

I think in the past you might be right, but this is 2010, and I sort of doubt many performance fans are picking a Genesis coupe. The Genesis coupe would be more compelling if it didn't end up so closely priced to the 370Z, and now it has the superior and cheaper Mustang V6 to deal with, so unless the customer is dead-set on a Korean car (there are those), an educated performance-oriented customer who wants a high performance manual tranny car is probably going to pick something else anyway. I sort of see it taking over the 'sporty' but a little girly coupe duty from the Eclipse. Most drivers pick auto these days. At least autos are getting better. I would be one of the few that would prefer a manual, but we're a dying breed I'm afraid. Manuals seem to live on mainly in economy cars these days.

 

[darkswordsman17]

spend some time on google images, 06 sonata vs 97 accord, its a bit tough to find an unriced accord some of the plastic changes, but even the hoods are nearly drop in replacements.

When they first brought out the previous gen Sonata, it originally had a bit narrower headlights and grill and less hood sculpting, and from certain angles it does look somewhat close to the 97 Accord, but its still easy to tell the difference (especially from the back and side profiles). Both are fairly generic sedans from the design aspect though, and I think there's enough difference that they don't look like copies much at all (the Accord has much more of a hunchback in regards to the belt/window line vs the trunk line is the major one for me, also the front is noticeably more angular than the Sonata which is more squared off).

 

[ElFenix]

I fail to see how people can think these new Sonata's look good. I think they are one of the ugliest vehicles produced in the last 10 years...maybe more. The profile is horrid. Horrible jumble of hard lines, and sagging features.

agreed. the styling is just way over the top and the profile is terrible. profile is probably dictated by the wind tunnel, though. but that doesn't mean the face isn't from a gargoyle, or excuse the strange lines running all over the place. strange that they got the genesis coupe so right and the sonata so wrong (though BMW does this all the time)

 

[marvdmartian]

Ya, news flash hyundai engineers are just pirates. The first Sonata they built here was a weld for weld copy of the 97 accord.

Yeah, news flash: all automotive engineers look at the other guys cars, and think how they would change that just a little bit, and put it on the car they're designing. All of them do it.

 

[Meghan54]

spend some time on google images, 06 sonata vs 97 accord, its a bit tough to find an unriced accord some of the plastic changes, but even the hoods are nearly drop in replacements.

Really?


2006 Hyundai Sonata:

1997 Honda Accord:

You honestly call the hoods on those cars drop-in interchangeable? Really? If you do, I'd really think about getting an optometrist to examine your eyes. Of course, this doesn't even cover the completely different A, B, and C pillars, the different door handles, wheel arches, and on and on.

 

[CraigRT]

That new Sonata looks so much shittier than the previous gen.
Subaru has been eating themselves alive for a few years too.