Another link...that site has mad ads.

2011 Hyundai Sonata SE First Test - Motor Trend

I like that they went with a DI engine, but I think the decision to not offer a V6 is a poor one. The turbo DI will be coming along, but I still think a lot of people who buy the Sonata might want the V6. I know most of the previous Sonata's I've seen on the road are the V6 model, and it was a pretty power mill in the later models. I'm also disappointed in the lack of a manual, but it's understandable in that type of car.

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2010 Genesis Coupe
Nordschleife Gray 3.8 Track M/T w/NAV

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2010 Nord Gray 2.0t Track - featuring Beyond Redline, PowerAXEL, Cp-e, Mishimoto

I'm curious...how do you see this as the way the industry is going? I'd argue most shoppers for a 4 door sedan of that size will want a V6 over a DI 4 or even a turbo DI 4. Hell, most people out there don't even really understand what the difference is with DI. I'm also curious to see how well they did with cabin and engine noise as DI motors are very loud and diesel-esque sounding. I think most of your average consumers out there that go get a 2011 Sonata in the higher trims would much rather have a V6, than a turbo DI 4. Consumers rightly or wrongly prefer a decent HP V6 over a boosted, new technology 4 cylinder engine IMO, and turbo engines have the stigma of "being more complicated" and "requiring more maintenance". I don't agree, but your average Sonata buyer is not a car enthusiast like we are...

Personally, I think they should offer three levels....the DI4 base, the turbo DI4, and the highest HP rating in a V6...maybe a reworked 3.3L with ~275HP.

*shrug*

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2010 Genesis Coupe
Nordschleife Gray 3.8 Track M/T w/NAV

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Gimli
2009 Phantom Black V8 Hyundai Genesis sedan w/tech

Be prepared, because 90% of the Hyundai line up & probably other manufacturers lineups will be 4cyl engines with or w/o DI & the addition of a turbo for those that want that extra power.

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'04 Honda 450R (stupid fast)

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All mods, little left factory

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2010 Genesis Coupe
Nordschleife Gray 3.8 Track M/T w/NAV

Yup, it's not a matter that people WANT a V6, it's that the domestic industry (and it is the domestic industry) has trained them to believe that bigger is better, more cylinders is better, more displacement is better: it's an attitude that's been fifty years (ok, sixty) in the making.

However, what Tufast and Gimli say is true: V8's will be relegated to very, very specialized, limit runs. V6's will become rarer. We will be returning to the land of economy, both by legislation (emissions and CAFE standards) and simple necessity: Gas IS going to go up. And when it does, eventually, it will stay there. If you're driving a 13mpg V8, or even a 22mpg V6, you simply won't be able to drive much. It'll be too expensive.

I realize no one wants to hear that, but it's simply true (and it makes me cringe. Cuz I love to drive).

Yes, alternatives are going to appear. But hybrids aren't there yet. They're a media darling, that's for sure, but I4 diesels get better mileage than most hybrids, ESPECIALLY the V6 hybrids that are popping up. Hybrid is good for emissions, sure, especially in commuter cars, but they're dependent on driving style for fuel economy.

Same goes for pure electric. The grid in North America (Canada and US both) and arguably the rest of the world too, simply can't sustain that many people plugging in in the evening. We can barely deal with people running air-conditioners in the summer without having rolling brownouts: add twenty or thirty million electric cars getting plugged in at 6pm? Boned. Beyond that, we're still getting a good portion of our electricity from fossil fuels (coal specifically) and while it's a lot cleaner than it used to be, "clean" isn't the phrase I'd use to describe any burning process.

I was very, very impressed when I first heard that Hyundai was going to simply cut the V6 option. It's a brave move, but they've got a vehicle that's attractive and functional, ffighitng for best in the class, that will have better 4-cyl power (non-DI) than any of the competitors, making the Sonata a good choice for people going 'base', and wanting a 4-banger. On the other side, that same 4-cyl non-DI engine, while less powerful than the competitors v6's, it's not a lot less powerful than some of them (there's still V6's out there in the 220hp range). When you then throw in a DI 4-cyl in six months or so, that gets 4-cyl fuel economy, with V6 power...?

If you can break people of their domestic-grown preconceptions that a midsize HAS to have a V6, they're going to be 18 months to two years ahead of the competition when the CAFE rules castrate their V6's.

It's a smart long-term business plan, and yes, it MAY cost some money up front, some sales right now, but they'll have a lot of development into the future when it arrives, rather than starting then.

Like I said, I'm pretty impressed with Hyundai for going this route.

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"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses." - Elwood Blues

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