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Hyundai Azera vs Hyundai Sonata

32 messages,  Last post on Oct 24, 2008 at 3:16 PM

You are in the Hyundai Azera Forum.

What is this discussion about? Hyundai Azera, Sedan

Messages Page 3 of 4

#15 of 32 Sonata better than Azera in terms of reliability & durability ??? by njalan

Jul 10, 2008 (8:54 am)

Posting numbers 8 thru 14 all gave down-to-earth advice for which I am grateful. However, Dr. Don (#14 drdonrs) pointed out his 06 Azera had "...steering wheel replaced twice, ...new front shocks installed, ... timing chain tensioner replaced" all in less than 2 years and under 16,000 miles. That raises the issue of reliability and/or durability. At the same time, there was no such issue mentioned in his 06 Sonata.
 
My wife actually sat in an 09 Sonata back seat when I test-drove it last month in a nearby Hyundai dealership. She declined to test-drive the car. She expressed some interest when she saw the 08 Azera in the showroom later. I have to admit that I never heard the name Azera (until I participated in this forum) and was surprised to see such a beautiful car in a Hyundai dealership, Sorrrrrrrrry. We just came in to see the Sonata.
 
If we ever have a chance of owning a Korean car, I think my wife would pick the Azera over Sonata, although I very much would like to buy the latter. For me the fuel efficiency factor alone on the Sonata scores a lot of points. Since I am a senior citizen already and she is not too far behind, we are not in a hurry to go anywhere (especialy in no rush to go to the cemetery, a wishful thinking).
 
Now I have a tall order for you folks out there. Just in terms of reliability and durability, which is a better car to own in the next 5 plus years?
 
Sincerely,
 
njalan
 
p.s. Did I hear that the Azera might be discontinued in 2010 or 2011 after the all new RWD is out? (My wife and I have no interest in a RWD car.)

#16 of 32 Re: Sonata better than Azera in terms of reliability & durability ??? [njalan] by drdonrs

Jul 10, 2008 (9:45 am)

Replying to: njalan (Jul 10, 2008 8:54 am)
njalan, actually my Sonata had the timing chain tensioner replaced (these were all issued TSB's) and because I had an exce4llent relationship with the service manager he also authorised replacement of the rear shocks. The shock situation is a factor that creates, for some, a suspension that is somewhat noisier than some individuals like. It happens going over "rippled' pavement at around 35 to 40 mph. You can look up the postings regarding suspension here at Edmund's and at the other web-site, Hyundai Forums. It absolutely doesn't detract from the overall ambiance of the Azera or the Sonata.
If you look up the distress some new car owners have with other models, and that includes Honda, Toyota, and some of the luxury names, you will come to realize that the Hyundai product is, in most cases , equal to or better than many others.
As an aside if you want to give your wife a treat then buy the Azera with all the toys except maybe a built in GPS which is a waste. I have a Garmin which I can move between the 2 cars and it's next to foolproof. You should be able to save a goodly amount of money on the purchase price as compared to other comparable models. Take your spouse out for a ride in both cars over the type of roads that you normally drive on. The difference between the Sonata and Azera is more luxury and more room. I love my Sonata but if we are driving anyplace of any distance from home, it's a no brain er. It is the Azera.
Don

#17 of 32 Re: Sonata better than Azera in terms of reliability & durability ??? [njalan] by auld_dawg

Jul 10, 2008 (9:58 am)

Replying to: njalan (Jul 10, 2008 8:54 am)
Actually, the Sonata had the timing chain tensioner and "thunking" problem {front suspension} in 06 too. Both issues taken care of long before the 09 model year came out.
 
The 09 Azera is out now, and these two issues are also history in the Azera. I haven't heard about the steering wheel issue, that I'm not sure of..........
 
Even all dressed out, the Sonata will cost less to own over the next five years, taking things like fuel costs {which will probably continue to rise} into account. Whether a Sonata will be any more durable is a question, the Azera too has improved.........
 
Good luck on the "badge" question. When I made the decision to go with the Sonata, I wound up getting a lot of static over the decision from my g/f {now ex}. An Acura TL would probably have been ok, an Accord maybe... but a Hyundai? Even sharing my research, and letting her see the the issues raised on the Accord forum over the 08s wasn't as important to her as the "badge" issue........
 
Good luck..........

#18 of 32 Re: Sonata better than Azera in terms of reliability & durability ??? [njalan] by cobrazera

Jul 11, 2008 (4:10 am)

Replying to: njalan (Jul 10, 2008 8:54 am)
We have owned an '06 Azera for 16K miles and a bit over a year and a half, and also have chipping on the steering wheel which consists of 3 or 4 spots of about 1/8" diameter where the shiny outer layer has chipped off from a ring or keys. It shouldn't happen, but is not even worth a trip to the dealer to fix.
The suspension, except for some minor harshness and noise on very rough pavement, suits us very well with good control and a smooth and quiet ride. We could get the struts replaced under warranty, but again, not worth a trip to the dealer, IMO.
I guess it all depends on whether you expect your car to be absolutely perfect. If we had spent $40K-$50K, we'd expect perfection, but not at the $25K we spent for ours. The Azera is worlds better than the $42K Jag we traded, though.
Bottom line: our Azera has been to the dealer twice - for oil changes. Who knows what the future holds, but just in case, there's the 10 year/100K warranty.

#19 of 32 Sonata vs. Azera by wamba2000

Jul 16, 2008 (1:18 pm)

Njalan, I went through this same process a couple years ago. We went in looking at the Sonata, ended up saying, "what it that" when we saw the Azera. After over two years and 17000 miles, the only things repaired have been the rear shade screen was crooked ( fixed by dealer under warranty) and a piece of the under car cladding came loose ( there was a TSB about this, fixed under warranty.) My steering whell has a few chips, but I just never seem to need to take the Azera in for service, so I'll get around to having it replaced one of these days.
 
In the meantime, the Azera has proven to be so comformtable, mileage ranging from about 18-19 in all town driving and high 20's on highway. It is quiet and very comfortable. It is my wife's car to drive, and she greatly appreciates the comfort and looks of the car.
 
My suggestion: go with the Azera, if it will make her happy. The difference in mileage and upkeep isn't worth mentioning.
 
PS, Because of my Azera experience, we now also have a Santa Fe and an Elantra in the family. Hyundai, much to mine and others suprise, has it's act together on quality and my dealer has been just fine to work with.

#20 of 32 Azera Limited or Sonata Limited? by budh

Oct 03, 2008 (6:57 pm)

Not only do I have the 2009 Azera Limited (preferably with no option package, although tough to find) on my radar screen, so is the 2009 Sonata Limited V6 and, to a lesser degree, the Honda Accord EX-L 4-cylinder.
 
As for the Sonata Limited V6, is the Azera Limited worth the extra money over it? Is the Azera significantly quieter and smoother? Are there are other attributes to the Azera that make it worth the extra money and 3 mpg less than the V6 Sonata?
 
I admit one appeal to the Azera is how few of them you see on the road.
 
And any comments comparing to the Accord would also be appreciated.
 
Bud H

#21 of 32 Re: Conpare Azera with Sonata [oskidunker1] by sonaz

Oct 11, 2008 (7:56 am)

Replying to: oskidunker1 (May 27, 2007 5:01 pm)
Probably too late now, but here goes:
 
I initially passed on a 2007 Sonata because of the short seats which were not as supportive as what I needed for long drives.
But ended up getting one mainly for my wife who loves it. Limited 6 Cyl 3.5 .
 I like it too, and the seats are ok for about a 1 hour drive in the NY metro area.
We get about 21mpg around town, and up to 31 with steady high speed driving.
 
Later, I got a 2007 Azera for myself, as I needed the more solid seating for long (4+ hours) trips. I get 30 mpg at steady highway speeds 60-65 mph, slightly less if I go 70-75. 16-20 mpg in town, depending on traffic, roads taken, time of day, etc.
I got the 3.8 l but the 3.5 motor is probably would have been adequate. The 3.8 has about 34 more HP .
 
I'd have done bettter with a 2008 because they tightened up the front end a bit. The 2007 does lean a bit in corners as you observed.
 
Any dealer service will be costly, compared to non-dealer. I haven't had any real service issues (except tires had to be replaced when new on the Azera, and brake rotors on the Sonata had rusted on the lot - had to be re-ground)
 
Regards,
Hal in NJ

#22 of 32 Re: Conpare Azera with Sonata [sonaz] by budh

Oct 14, 2008 (4:16 pm)

Replying to: sonaz (Oct 11, 2008 7:56 am)
The recent posts from a few owners on how their new 640 shocks are not working out for them is making me greatly reconsider my 2009 Azera Limited purchase. It would be nice to know if the 2009 models have similar issues, but it might be awhile before I find out about anyone with similar issues on a 2009 model.
 
Perhaps back to the drawing board on what car to buy: Accord, Sonata, Azera, all on my list, but it would be great to get a somewhat luxurious car with good headroom and moderately decent gas mileage for close to $30K or less!
 
Any other choices out there if not the Azera?
 
Bud H

#23 of 32 Re: Conpare Azera with Sonata [budh] by cobrazera

Oct 15, 2008 (3:55 am)

Replying to: budh (Oct 14, 2008 4:16 pm)
recent posts from a few owners on how their new 640 shocks are not working out for them
It has been rehashed many times that the Azera suspension is not by any means "sporty", but that does not mean it is considered to be inadequate or junk by the vast majority of Azera owners. I'm sure that there are thousands of owners like myself that are quite pleased with our cars.
My '06 Azera ( 20K miles, and original shocks ) is a fabulous freeway cruiser, and the soft ride keeps me from being beaten up by the horrible backroads on which I drive. The car is driven at or slightly above the speed limit wherever it goes, and the suspension works just fine. Take a test drive in the car on the roads and speeds on which you will drive, then decide for yourself.
 
Richard

#24 of 32 Good Points by oskidunker1

Oct 16, 2008 (8:13 am)

Replying to: cobrazera (Oct 15, 2008 3:55 am)
Overall, I like the car. Seats are more comfortable than my Audi A6 (too hard). The high seat position has eliminated the leg pain I experienced in the A6. The car is quiter. It gets better gas milage. I like the Cruise control lay out better.The dealer service is far superior.The price was great.
 
 All that said, test driving this car will do you no good because the way it rides new is not the way it rides after 5000 miles. This is the damest thing I have ever heard of.95% of the time the ride is ok but if you drive allot over over passes, elevated roads or bridges you will be annoyed by the float and will be forced to drive no faster than 60 to keep control of the car.I can live with it if it does not get any worse.
 
Even if an after market shock were available , I would be reluctant to buy it until I had evidence that the Springs would not destroy them after 5000 miles.
 
 I would look at other cars if I were in the market now but I really don't know what could comapre. I hate small cars and anything big is too expensive.I bought the car to reduce my costs so I would not consider the Genesis.My brother in law bough one so I will report back on that because he drives allot of miles and will soon be beyond the 5000 mile barrier.

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