Edmunds comparo: 1) Sonata, 2) Accord, 3) Camry
07-19-05, 06:30 AM
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Edmunds comparo: 1) Sonata, 2) Accord, 3) Camry
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...4/pageId=64745
"With the Sonata handily dethroning the twin kings of the family sedan segment, Hyundai has shown that, beyond a doubt, it's ready to take a starring role on the automotive stage. Nice job, Hyundai."
"With the Sonata handily dethroning the twin kings of the family sedan segment, Hyundai has shown that, beyond a doubt, it's ready to take a starring role on the automotive stage. Nice job, Hyundai."
07-19-05, 06:47 AM
#2
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Just one more example of how Hyundai and Kia TODAY ( not 10 years ago ) are making some of the best products on the market, considering their low prices. However, one word of caution here: this is an all-new Sonata being built in an all-new plant....in Alabama. The last Sonata.....Korean-built.......had risen to an enviable reliability record, but this new plant is unproven....and the quality results of other recent auto plants from BMW, Mercedes, and Nissan that have opened in the American South have not been encouraging. Toyota also needs to keep this in mind as it opens its new San Antonio, TX truck plant.....and carefully monitor the plant 's quality level.
Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with American Plants in general. The Toyota plant at Georgetown, KY, the Honda plant at Marysville, OH, the Isuzu-Subaru plant at Lafayette, IN, the Nissan plant at Smyrna, TN, and the Toyota-GM plant at Fremont, CA have all had good-to-excellent records. The more recent plants in the American South, though, have not done well.
Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with American Plants in general. The Toyota plant at Georgetown, KY, the Honda plant at Marysville, OH, the Isuzu-Subaru plant at Lafayette, IN, the Nissan plant at Smyrna, TN, and the Toyota-GM plant at Fremont, CA have all had good-to-excellent records. The more recent plants in the American South, though, have not done well.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-19-05 at 06:51 AM.
07-19-05, 08:54 AM
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Hyundai isn't messing around. Kudos to them! 
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07-19-05, 10:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Celicamaro
The japanese got nothin to worry about. It's GM and Ford that'll be hurting when people starts looking at this car in larger numbers.
07-19-05, 11:01 AM
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Just one more example of how Hyundai and Kia TODAY ( not 10 years ago ) are making some of the best products on the market, considering their low prices. However, one word of caution here: this is an all-new Sonata being built in an all-new plant....in Alabama. The last Sonata.....Korean-built.......had risen to an enviable reliability record, but this new plant is unproven....and the quality results of other recent auto plants from BMW, Mercedes, and Nissan that have opened in the American South have not been encouraging. Toyota also needs to keep this in mind as it opens its new San Antonio, TX truck plant.....and carefully monitor the plant 's quality level.
Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with American Plants in general. The Toyota plant at Georgetown, KY, the Honda plant at Marysville, OH, the Isuzu-Subaru plant at Lafayette, IN, the Nissan plant at Smyrna, TN, and the Toyota-GM plant at Fremont, CA have all had good-to-excellent records. The more recent plants in the American South, though, have not done well.
Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with American Plants in general. The Toyota plant at Georgetown, KY, the Honda plant at Marysville, OH, the Isuzu-Subaru plant at Lafayette, IN, the Nissan plant at Smyrna, TN, and the Toyota-GM plant at Fremont, CA have all had good-to-excellent records. The more recent plants in the American South, though, have not done well.
but of course, if you put a price cap on the cars.. especially at 22k, the cheap korean car will offer much more. while the more popular, expensive, established cars cant compete at that price.
Last edited by Dynasty SC; 07-19-05 at 11:05 AM.
07-19-05, 11:01 AM
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to Hyundai, but I must point out that a new model SHOULD always be better than most of the existing models on the market in the same segment. I have no doubt that the next Camry, when released early next year, will kick up the game by yet another big notch. Think baby Avalon.
07-19-05, 11:09 AM
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Unlike the Germans and Americans who are just slow to respond and egotistical, we have read that Toyota is well aware of the threats from Asia. I am sure they will respond accordingly and quickly.
At this price, 21k, the Sonata does trump the other 2 cars with features and value. Now this is GOOD value, getting an equivilant car or more car for less money.
Amazing for the Sonata has really come of age in 10 years. And it does go to show that car prices are O.D (Overdose).
II wonder why the Altima wasn't included? Its never won a comparsion (or came close to winning one) but its selling like hotcakes.
At this price, 21k, the Sonata does trump the other 2 cars with features and value. Now this is GOOD value, getting an equivilant car or more car for less money.
Amazing for the Sonata has really come of age in 10 years. And it does go to show that car prices are O.D (Overdose).
II wonder why the Altima wasn't included? Its never won a comparsion (or came close to winning one) but its selling like hotcakes.
07-19-05, 05:52 PM
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Hyundai is SERIOUS this time .... kudos to them.
True, if you do put a price cap on the sedans, then the Sonata is a better value ... is it a better car overall ... too early to say, reliability and quality has to be judged.
BUT, if you want to an open ended comparison, with all 3 cars fully loaded, or all 3 having V6 engines, the outcome would be different.
I still fail to understand the mentality of testing family sedans on slalom courses and performance.
If you wanted to test performance, should have tested a Camry SE.
Edmunds, listen up ... the core Camry buyer and the overall market for the Camry is not really associated with performance. Why do you need to test so many different aspects of performance?
Why was the true purpose of family sedans not talked about? The average American does NOT take their family sedan through slaloms, or even on mountain roads, only some do.
And as much as you dismiss it, styling plays a huge role, where the current Accord's styling has lead it to lose sales, the Camry continues to rise with it's elegant and well aged styling, while the Sonata looks too close to an Accord, and I am sure this will turn off a lot of buyers. The copycat styling will give people a bad mentality of the car.
Within the context of the comparison, the Sonata no doubt wins ... I agree. I just think the context of this particular comparison was not THAT realistic.
Regardless, both Honda and Toyota need to really bring the heat in their base model sedans, or offer far more value for current sedan pricing. I am confident the new Camry will bring some of that, and possibly the revised Accord.
True, if you do put a price cap on the sedans, then the Sonata is a better value ... is it a better car overall ... too early to say, reliability and quality has to be judged.
BUT, if you want to an open ended comparison, with all 3 cars fully loaded, or all 3 having V6 engines, the outcome would be different.
I still fail to understand the mentality of testing family sedans on slalom courses and performance.
If you wanted to test performance, should have tested a Camry SE.
Edmunds, listen up ... the core Camry buyer and the overall market for the Camry is not really associated with performance. Why do you need to test so many different aspects of performance?
Why was the true purpose of family sedans not talked about? The average American does NOT take their family sedan through slaloms, or even on mountain roads, only some do.
And as much as you dismiss it, styling plays a huge role, where the current Accord's styling has lead it to lose sales, the Camry continues to rise with it's elegant and well aged styling, while the Sonata looks too close to an Accord, and I am sure this will turn off a lot of buyers. The copycat styling will give people a bad mentality of the car.
Within the context of the comparison, the Sonata no doubt wins ... I agree. I just think the context of this particular comparison was not THAT realistic.
Regardless, both Honda and Toyota need to really bring the heat in their base model sedans, or offer far more value for current sedan pricing. I am confident the new Camry will bring some of that, and possibly the revised Accord.
07-19-05, 07:31 PM
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I think the context of the comparo was very realistic, given that this segment is pretty price sensitive. As it happens, the Accord LX, Camry LE and Sonata GLS V6 are each of the company's best selling models. And nothing wrong with wanting a little sport in your mainstream sedan.
People say, my budget is $22,000, what's the best family sedan I can buy? The Edmunds reviewers felt that the Sonata was.
The Sonata won every category except "Personal", in which it placed second to the Accord.
This was the first comparo in which the 2003+ Accord did not place in first. Previously, the Accord got first in comparos conducted by Edmunds, R&T, C&D, Motortrend, and Automobile Mag. A clean sweep.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...6/pageId=57512
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....&page_number=7
http://www.caranddriver.com/article....page_number=10
http://motortrend.com/roadtests/seda...am/index4.html
http://automobilemag.com/reviews/041...aro/index.html
And now little Hyundai comes and stops the Accord's streak.
People say, my budget is $22,000, what's the best family sedan I can buy? The Edmunds reviewers felt that the Sonata was.
The Sonata won every category except "Personal", in which it placed second to the Accord.
This was the first comparo in which the 2003+ Accord did not place in first. Previously, the Accord got first in comparos conducted by Edmunds, R&T, C&D, Motortrend, and Automobile Mag. A clean sweep.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...6/pageId=57512
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....&page_number=7
http://www.caranddriver.com/article....page_number=10
http://motortrend.com/roadtests/seda...am/index4.html
http://automobilemag.com/reviews/041...aro/index.html
And now little Hyundai comes and stops the Accord's streak.
Last edited by jrock65; 07-19-05 at 07:34 PM.
07-19-05, 07:36 PM
#14
Lexus Test Driver
Originally Posted by TRDFantasy
Hyundai is SERIOUS this time .... kudos to them.
True, if you do put a price cap on the sedans, then the Sonata is a better value ... is it a better car overall ... too early to say, reliability and quality has to be judged.
BUT, if you want to an open ended comparison, with all 3 cars fully loaded, or all 3 having V6 engines, the outcome would be different.
I still fail to understand the mentality of testing family sedans on slalom courses and performance.
If you wanted to test performance, should have tested a Camry SE.
Edmunds, listen up ... the core Camry buyer and the overall market for the Camry is not really associated with performance. Why do you need to test so many different aspects of performance?
Why was the true purpose of family sedans not talked about? The average American does NOT take their family sedan through slaloms, or even on mountain roads, only some do.
And as much as you dismiss it, styling plays a huge role, where the current Accord's styling has lead it to lose sales, the Camry continues to rise with it's elegant and well aged styling, while the Sonata looks too close to an Accord, and I am sure this will turn off a lot of buyers. The copycat styling will give people a bad mentality of the car.
Within the context of the comparison, the Sonata no doubt wins ... I agree. I just think the context of this particular comparison was not THAT realistic.
Regardless, both Honda and Toyota need to really bring the heat in their base model sedans, or offer far more value for current sedan pricing. I am confident the new Camry will bring some of that, and possibly the revised Accord.
True, if you do put a price cap on the sedans, then the Sonata is a better value ... is it a better car overall ... too early to say, reliability and quality has to be judged.
BUT, if you want to an open ended comparison, with all 3 cars fully loaded, or all 3 having V6 engines, the outcome would be different.
I still fail to understand the mentality of testing family sedans on slalom courses and performance.
If you wanted to test performance, should have tested a Camry SE.
Edmunds, listen up ... the core Camry buyer and the overall market for the Camry is not really associated with performance. Why do you need to test so many different aspects of performance?
Why was the true purpose of family sedans not talked about? The average American does NOT take their family sedan through slaloms, or even on mountain roads, only some do.
And as much as you dismiss it, styling plays a huge role, where the current Accord's styling has lead it to lose sales, the Camry continues to rise with it's elegant and well aged styling, while the Sonata looks too close to an Accord, and I am sure this will turn off a lot of buyers. The copycat styling will give people a bad mentality of the car.
Within the context of the comparison, the Sonata no doubt wins ... I agree. I just think the context of this particular comparison was not THAT realistic.
Regardless, both Honda and Toyota need to really bring the heat in their base model sedans, or offer far more value for current sedan pricing. I am confident the new Camry will bring some of that, and possibly the revised Accord.
i agree with u, i think with this comparison that they should have all three models with the V6 engine, u cant have one V6 and teo inline-4 and then praise the V6 power over the 4-cylinder models. But If I had to choose between these three, i would pick the toyota, then honda, but im sorry but i would never consider a hyundai. just what i think
07-19-05, 07:38 PM
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Originally Posted by jrock65
I think the context of the comparo was very realistic, given that this segment is pretty price sensitive. As it happens, the Accord LX, Camry LE and Sonata GLS V6 are each of the company's best selling models. And nothing wrong with wanting a little sport in your mainstream sedan.
People say, my budget is $22,000, what's the best family sedan I can buy? The Edmunds reviewers felt that the Sonata was.
The Sonata won every category except "Personal", in which it placed second to the Accord.
This was the first comparo in which the 2003+ Accord did not place in first. Previously, the Accord got first in comparos conducted by Edmunds, R&T, C&D, Motortrend, and Automobile Mag. A clean sweep.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...6/pageId=57512
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....&page_number=7
http://www.caranddriver.com/article....page_number=10
http://motortrend.com/roadtests/seda...am/index4.html
http://automobilemag.com/reviews/041...aro/index.html
And now little Hyundai comes and stops the Accord's streak.
People say, my budget is $22,000, what's the best family sedan I can buy? The Edmunds reviewers felt that the Sonata was.
The Sonata won every category except "Personal", in which it placed second to the Accord.
This was the first comparo in which the 2003+ Accord did not place in first. Previously, the Accord got first in comparos conducted by Edmunds, R&T, C&D, Motortrend, and Automobile Mag. A clean sweep.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...6/pageId=57512
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....&page_number=7
http://www.caranddriver.com/article....page_number=10
http://motortrend.com/roadtests/seda...am/index4.html
http://automobilemag.com/reviews/041...aro/index.html
And now little Hyundai comes and stops the Accord's streak.
Yes, the Accord has been the top dawg in this segment for sometime now and it still is, even with this loss here and even if its ugly as sin. The interior is just wonderful on the Accord.
And yes, at this price point, and with Hyundai quality up, funny but salesmen will have to use the prestige tactic now, to sell an I-4 model.