2006 Hyundai Sonata: Opinions?
 

Hi all.

I've got a new car on my wish list for 2006; probably won't happen but
a guy can dream....

Right now I drive a 2004 Chevy Malibu Classic, which is fully adequate
but no more. I've always been partial to GM but less so lately. I've
driven darn near everything in my day, but never a Hyundai---or for
that matter any Korean car. Never even ridden in one, as far as I
recall.

Like a lot of folks, I've started to pay attention to Hyundai lately
because word-of-mouth is their cars keep getting better and more
reliable all the time, plus the prices are much lower than Toyota or
Honda and a bit lower than GM, and of course the great warranty.

The past few days I stumbled across some great reviews of the '06
Sonata. Looks almost like my dream car: Roomy mid-size sedan, FWD,
5-star crash-test ratings, powerful 4-cylinder engine but still
(supposedly) 33 mpg highway, ABS, traction control, side airbags,
16-inch wheels, a great warranty, etc.

All for $18K fair market value for a bare-bones model with automatic
transmission, which is what I want. A key point is the features I want
that are options on the Malibu or even the Camry and Accord are
standard on even the base Sonata.

So, what's it like driving this car every day? I like a smooth ride but
decent handling and steering; yes that's a tough combination to find,
which is one reason I like Chevy; they have issues but their
suspensions/steering/braking suit me. Is the 33 mpg estimate anywhere
near accurate in the real world? What are the quirks or little problems
unique to this model? Oh, and since winters are moderately rough here
in northeastern PA, what are the OEM tires and how do they handle in
the snow and ice?

Thanks in advance for all advice and guidance.

Regards,
Eric M