Wednesday, May 11, 2011

2011 Hyundai Sonata

I got a new car. It is the first one in my life that is brand new. The other four vehicles were hand me downs from my mom. The newest one was a 1995 Mazda Protege. I am passing it down to my niece when she gets done with her finals for second year in college.
The new car is the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. I love it. It has A/C which I have not had in five years in the southeast Texas heat. All the speakers work! The windows roll down! And the trunk space is spectacular.The mileage is awesome for highway driving. Running errands in stop and go traffic isn't all the great but I am complaining about 31 MPG for stop and go traffic. I set the cruise and ECO button on highway.
The Sonata has Shiftronic which means I can put it into standard and city running I get about the same mileage doing 35 or 40 on the back roads.
It is comfortable on long trips. My mom, NikNak, and I went to Montana to visit family. From my mom's house to my aunt's house was 1790 miles. I spent 250 dollars in gas. Ninety percent of the trip was fighting northern wind and doing about 80 mph. I still got 35 mpg doing 80 mph uphill. I am very impressed with the takeoff and handling. The brakes respond amazingly, especially when NikNak took off her seat belt and tried to pop into the front seat while I was driving. She did not take her seat belt off again. :)
It handled the snow in Montana very well. Especially since I have never driven in snow before. Everything in and on the car is stock. Including tax,title, and license I paid under 22K. I am very glad I did not get the Turbo or my license would have been revoked by now. It hits 80 like nothing I have ever driven, except a friend's car which was a Pontiac 1996 or 97.
In two and a half months of owning this car I have seven thousand miles on it. I still love it. Even looking at it makes me grin and want to wash it.