New cars: Hyundai Sonata vs. Ford Fusion

Don't sleep on Kia.

 

Mrs. Tri and I also are looking for a new car (159,000 on the Acura and I could easily get a PR out of it) and we took a Sonata out for a spin last weekend. We liked it a lot and the price was right in line with the two other models we looked at (Accord, Camry); the only hesitancy was that everyone says it'll lose its value much faster than the others. That's my only experience with the Sonata, but it did leave a favorable first impression.

 

My wife is an auto journalist. She would tell you the following things in order:

1. Your most economical option, by far, is to keep your current car until it has at 150,000 miles. Today's cars are designed to get to 200k. You also don't lose much resale value, proportionally, after 110k (i.e. you can drive it about 40k more miles and still sell it for something close to what you could sell it now).

2. The Sonata and the Fusion both have excellent reputations for reliability, so you should probably pick the one that appeals to you most ascetically. The Fusion is probably a little better on reliability and resale, though.

3. Ford is - by far - the No. 1 American auto maker for quality so far, and has a very good chance of passing Toyota and equaling Honda for reliability if it continues on its present track. Anyone who uses phrases like "Fix or Repair Daily" is putting laughs over the present state of the auto industry.

 

Go see Brad Benson. He'll help you out. I'd be curious to see if his ad - no payments for first year is legit offer.

 

I have never driven a Sonata, though I do like the way they look.

I did have a Fusion as a rental car for about two weeks while my regular vehicle was in the shop a few years back. It was a badass little mo-chine, I can tell you that. There's a reason they use them for NASCAR.

 

This is where I come down on the issue. I buy UAW- and CAW-made cars exclusively (currently have a 2010 Chevy Malibu and a 2000 Buick Park Ave.) and I've never encountered a significant problem. The trashing of American-manufactured cars is so '80s.

 

Bought a 2008 Ford Fusion SEL in May. Love it. Looks and rides brand-new. Two others at work own one and they have no complaints either. One drove to Hilton Head last year in hers and said the ride was great.

Mine had 48K miles when I bought it. It was some kind of company or rental vehicle. Only problem I've had is one of the tires appears to slowly leak. The acceleration isn't great, but once you're up to highway speed it's a smooth ride. I can set the cruise at 80 and you can't even feel the road. I do have the Sync system. It's awesome.

I did think about getting a Hyundai. What I read they seemed very comparable cars. Never got around to test-driving a Hyundai. Found the Fusion I wanted online, went and looked at it when the dealer was closed, then went to test-drive it and decided I wanted it.

Probably can't go wrong with either one. Make sure you look used before you decide. In my areas there seem to be a glut of Fusions for sale so the prices were great. Got mine for 3K under Blue Book value.

 

It's time to fix the car and drive it another 100,000 miles.

I did $1,300 worth of maintenance on a car with 150,000 miles on it a few years ago, and it's still humming today at about 260,000 (just an estimate, since odometer broke at 214,000). Steve Spurrier was coaching at Duke when this car rolled off the assembly line.

Fuck car payments, and fuck higher insurance premiums on newer vehicles.

 

Coincidentally, this just appeared in today's Globe & Mail about Hyundai's need to manufacture MORE cars in Canada.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/driving-it-home/time-for-hyundai-to-build-in-canada/article1874816/

The sales and market share numbers say Hyundai needs to invest in Canada. Period. Honda builds almost everything it sells in Canada and one of every two Toyotas sold here is built in Canada, too. Ford, General Motors and Chrysler also have a significant manufacturing presence in Canada. Of the five top-selling auto companies, only Hyundai does NOT have a manufacturing facility in Canada.

My brother in law (who works at Ford in Oakville) drives a Fusion and absolutely loves it.

 

From this, the Sonata seems VERY safe...and fast.

A Stockton area man allegedly trying to outrun California Highway Patrol officers early Tuesday morning reportedly crashed his 2011 Hyundai Sonata east of Willows at 130 mph, but was unharmed.

The CHP arrested Billy Henderson, 37, immediately after the 3:18 a.m. crash on Highway 162. He was booked into the Glenn County Jail on a no-bail parole hold, and on fresh charges of reckless driving, driving on a suspended license and resisting arrest, jail officials said.


http://www.orovillemr.com/news/ci_17135100



But if it was me, I think I would go with the Fusion. Ford really is making good cars these days.

 

I'm curious, what car do you drive that it has lasted so long?

 

Thank you for all of your insights. I really appreciate it.

I was leaning toward the Sonata because of the better warranty. But it seems like most of you think very highly of the Fusion.