Review of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS

In March of 2011, I finally decided it was time to upgrade from my dented, wobbly-wheeled 1999 Ford Taurus and join the new century. After comparing numerous vehicles in its class, I settled on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS. After five months of owning this vehicle, I decided I should share this knowledge to help you decide if the 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS is the perfect car for you.

The first thing everyone looks for when purchasing a vehicle is the price. The 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS starting price was $19,950. When comparing this vehicle to other vehicles in its class (such as the Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, and Ford Fusion), not only was the Sonata GLS cheaper, but it even came with more features. The Sonata comes with XM Radio, which has engrossed me so deeply that I’ve already renewed my subscription. It also comes with Bluetooth capability, allowing you to dial and receive calls hands-free through your car stereo system, as long as you have a fairly modern smartphone. The Bluetooth feature also allows you to listen to your smartphone’s music wirelessly through your car stereo. Another interesting feature is the Active Eco button. By enabling this button located next to the steering wheel, the engine operates slightly more efficiently to provide a small boost in your MPG performance. It appears to control when your engine switches gears, keeping RPMs down and therefore increasing efficiency of the engine. This seems to result in a 1-to-2 MPG boost in performance.

As far as the specs are concerned, the 2011 Sonata GLS runs on a 4-cylinder, 2.4L engine at about 198 HP. If you are not looking for a car bustling for speed, this vehicle may be for you. The vehicle advertises 34 MPG for highway driving, and 22 MPH city driving. I have averaged about 31 MPG over five months, spending about 90% of my time on the highway.

The interior is very spacious. Although classified as a mid-sized sedan, Hyundai states that the interior has enough space to qualify as a full-size sedan, and I believe them. I regularly load up three passengers in my vehicle and no one (including the 6’5” beast-of-nature friend of mine) ever seems to have any problems with leg room. In the Sonata GLS, the seats are coated with stain-resistant cloth that feels nice and leaves me with an ounce or two of confidence when I start transporting kids in the car.

The overall feel of the car is excellent. Unlike most older cars I have driven, the Sonata GLS handles very nicely, responding almost instantaneously to the motions of the steering wheel. The performance has been pure, and I have had no problems requiring maintenance after five months of owning this vehicle. The bottom line: If you are looking for a mid-size sedan with great features, good gas mileage, and at a great price, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS may be the perfect vehicle for you.


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