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Forgive me if someone here has posted and I have overlooked.
I am soon purchasing a new car and have narrowed it down between a '15 Sonata SE (with popular equipment package) or a '15 Accord LX. Our local Hyundai dealers have awesome deals on Hyundais right now - a really good sale... you can get a base '15 Sonata SE for $17,986 + TTT or a Limited for $21,986 + TTT. I can get one with the PE package for $18,986. The Accord will run me a minimum of $20,400 + TTT (or $22,400 for an EX) and it does not have any type of crash response system or satellite radio. I know the Honda has Pandora compatibility, but not sure if I would like it as much as satellite radio. I also like that Hyundai didn't put the gas door/trunk release on the floor where it gets dirty.
Anyway, I have driven them both and they seem to ride the same. The Hyundai seemed a little underpowered to me, but the Honda may have been as well and I didn't notice it. For some reason the salesman at Hyundai kept wanting me to keep it in "SPORT" mode. I liked the big radio/info screen on the Accord, but the Sonata has a nice touch screen radio (on the PEP optioned model).
Anyway this isn't about comparison, but is there anything you love or hate about your new Sonata?
I don't own one, but I rented a SE 2.4 last October and drove it from Pensacola up to Gatlinburg and over to Cherokee. I put about 1800 miles on it. It cruised up the mountains just fine, but it did feel more sluggish than my 2012 GLS (hp was dropped from 200 to 185).
Sport mode doesn't give the car more power, but it does delay the shifts, and it tightens the feel of the steering. Unfortunately it also locks out 6th gear, so it's not practical on the highway. For the 2015 models, the ECO with the 1.6 turbo seems to be the most recommended model, but it does have the new 7 speed DCT transmission. The 'Gamma' engine (1.6) is probably a better and more modern engine than the 'Theta II' (2.4/2.0T), but that's just my opinion.
I recommend driving the ECO to see if it's feels more powerful.
I have the 2015 SE and love it. Drives and rides super smooth, and the Sport option is nice too, since you can feel the difference from Normal mode, at least on accelerating. I prefer this new exterior styling to the last model's too, as it looks more refined and a bit more "mature". Huge back seat and trunk space is a plus, as well as good visibility. Only drawback is how low it seems to ride as more than once I have scraped the front end bottom guard while driving into traffic.
Yes, I had wondered about the ECO model. They actually have those on the lot as well for only $1000 more. My concern was that transmission. I heard it was quirky, so I wonder how well it will hold up over time? Will it conk out at the 100k mark? lol.
The one I test drove last year was an SE and last week I tested a Sport 2.4L. The ride seemed a little more busy than the SE I drove last year, but according to the salesman and window sticker, the Sport should have the same suspension. It indicates that only the Sport 2.0T and Limited 2.0T has a firmer suspension. On the lot, I was pushing down a little on the back fenders and there was one Limited 2.4 sedan that pushed down easy, indicating that it had fairly soft shocks (struts?) and springs, but the rest were the same as even the SE.
I still haven't heard from the dealer. He was trying to find me a SE model with the "PEP" option package. I guess no luck. I also have Subaru Legacy on my list, but our 3 local dealers hardly even have any! Also, the Accord is still there too... hard to get past the location of the fuel door release and no satellite radio on the LX.
I suspect you'll see that DCT transmission start to make its way across the Hyundai lineup. The 2016 Tucson will have it as an option, and the next gen Elantra likely will as well. I guess Hyundai realizes most people don't like CVTs.
Have you considered trying to find a CPO Azera? It'll still have the 10yr/100k powertrain warranty.
I suspect you'll see that DCT transmission start to make its way across the Hyundai lineup. The 2016 Tucson will have it as an option, and the next gen Elantra likely will as well. I guess Hyundai realizes most people don't like CVTs.
Have you considered trying to find a CPO Azera? It'll still have the 10yr/100k powertrain warranty.
I see. I guess I need to drive that ECO model to compare. I am actually not a fan of the new Azera's. I love the '15 Genesis however.
Well I was really close to getting a '15 Sonata, but now the dealer said if they had to send from another lot to get the options/color I want, I do not get the additional $1000 sale price. Then when I acted as if I was no longer interested, the tune changed and they said they would check and see if they could do it, or even come down $1000 on an ECO model and get it to me for that price as they had some one the lot that were the colors I wanted, which was $18,986, which seems like a great price on a new Sonata ECO, but I wonder what the catch with financing is. Now they say I have to let them do the financing as the car is being so under their cost. Strange thing is they say I can use my finance company, but THEY have do it and I cannot use my branch of the credit union and let my credit manager do the loan. To be honest, I am paying around 50% down... not sure if the dealer knows that at this point or not.
I was a little frustrated and contacted a local Toyota dealer that has a brand new '15 Corolla LE on sale for under $16K. I emailed twice, no reply. So I sent a text via their website. She finally replied, said she had been busy and was sorry, but that was the only one they had at that price. I replied back and asked if I could use my own financing if I decided I wanted the car and no reply from her again hours later. I am still waiting for a reply to my email and text. I am almost over this new car buying process and just getting a used car from a private seller. It is ridiculous. Around here you have very high pressure salesman/dealers and you have some that act like they don't care if they sell you a car or not.
I drove a '15 Accord LX today and really liked it, but seems to lack a lot of features for $20,400 (sales price I was quoted).
My cousin (who is a very wealthy guy) always tells me when he looks at new vehicles he tells the salesman he does not want their card when they offer it. He said he gives them his phone # and call him when they are ready to deal?
I wouldn't worry so much about who finances it, as long as you get a good interest rate. Mine was financed through a bank in Atlanta I had never heard of before.
Yeah, don't worry about financing. I've always taken whatever rate the dealer needs for me to get a good deal and then refinanced it with my credit union a few weeks later.
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I know the Honda has Pandora compatibility, but not sure if I would like it as much as satellite radio. I also like that Hyundai didn't put the gas door/trunk release on the floor where it gets dirty. 
