Is it just me?

"WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe" (wesbarton89)
11/08/2014 at 14:24 • Filed to: None

Or are these cars absolutely everywhere? I swear, they have to be the most popular current car on the road. I saw four of them parked on just one street today, and I can't go down at least one street or road without seeing at least one or two. If it's the same pretty much everywhere, then Hyundai really hit it out of the park with this car, it's absolutely ubiquitous. Also, most of them seem to be either red or silver.

The new Sonatas (pre-2015) also seem to be nearly as popular. Though, I also saw about three or four 2015 models today, so that's probably another big hit for them.

DISCUSSION (31)

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:25

My school parking lot has a lot of these too.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:26

It's because these are reliable, cheap, inoffensive, and full of kit.

And the sonata? BOOORING. it's like a camry to be honest...

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:26

Have you been living under a rock? I've seen these everywhere over the past 4 years.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest.
11/08/2014 at 14:27

It doesn't surprise me. I guess with a relatively low starting price and a really good warranty, it makes sense. They also have a fairly attractive design, and it's aging fairly well.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
11/08/2014 at 14:28

No, not really. I have too, but just never posed the question until now. I don't go out of town much, so I was just curious to see if it was just a regional quirk.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
11/08/2014 at 14:29

The Sonata is a little boring, but I don't think it's as bad as a Camry in that regard. I've been in both, and I think the Sonata is just a little livelier looking.

Manuél Ferrari > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:33

this car is taking over my part of Southern California

Everybody who wants a new adorable car buys it

I for the dealerships are literally selling the cars as they're delivered. Soon as they get more cars in they're sold

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:34

livelier looking, yes. livelier driving? no.....
it's pretty beige IMO. maybe not camry bad, but pretty bad either way.

I just don't know why people buy them when there are SO MANY other choices including (but not limited to:)

VW Passat

Ford Fusion

Mazda 6

Dodge Charger

Subaru Legacy

duurtlang > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:34

It's probably not just you, but I don't share your observation. To be fair, Hyundai doesn't offer the Elantra and Sonata in my market. They do have more European alternatives here, but they too don't do all that well, especially the larger of the two.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
11/08/2014 at 14:35

No to the reliability part.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
11/08/2014 at 14:35

knew you would show up! :D
hi.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:36

I fully regret buying mine.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
11/08/2014 at 14:37

Currently in the shop going on two weeks. They have sent in engineers to work on it, who know that there is a problem, but can not determine the root of said problem.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
11/08/2014 at 14:38

I personally think the Charger is the best looking car in that class, except for the new refresh. It's growing on me, but I think it's a little step backwards. (minus the SRT models, those are awesome)

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
11/08/2014 at 14:40

A lot of problems, huh? That's a shame. Sucks to hear.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:41

Been in the shop 8 times, and it has been out of service for well over 20 days for those 8 attempted repairs. I am trying to start the lemon law process through the NC Attorney General. Btw, its a 2014 Elantra with only 7,000 miles, and is on its second transmission.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
11/08/2014 at 14:43

That's terrible. Yeah, I don't blame you for going through the lemon law process. That's really surprising, and doesn't seem indicative of Elantra itself. I hope it all sorts itself out. I'd be so angry, and I'm sure you are.

Sn210 > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:48

lol my neighbors across the street just got one. There's another house on the corner that had one too.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:50

I'm just tired of it. I'm hoping that the process can go smoothly so I can go out and get a Subaru Legacy, Forester, or Outback.

SonorousSpeedJoe > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:51

The current generation of the Elantra has been on sale for several years now, so that's not much of a surprise.

I'm surprised at how quickly the 2015 Sonata has spread, though; its initial sales seem to be almost as good as those of the last-generation model.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
11/08/2014 at 14:52

Sounds like some good choices. Hopefully they work out better for you. I'd avoid the Impreza though. One of my co-workers got a 2014, and less than a month after she got it, it was in the shop for an engine issue, and took close to a month to get fixed. I think maybe 1,000 miles were put on it before the issue started.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:54

The Elantra is now what the Civic was before it got all stupid and the Corolla was before they started selling it as America's new used car.

And the previous-gen Sonata was such a good-looking boring midsize car. It makes you wonder who could look at that and the Accord/Camry say, "no, I won't get the sexy, swoopy, angry robot from outer space and I'll get the big box o' blandness". The new one is a huge step back, it's like Hyundai can only make one good-looking big sedan at a time and it's the Genesis' turn for that, so they traded places.

The 2.0 GDI Turbo being phenomenal (I mean, 274 horses on 87 octane, goddamn) doesn't hurt, either.

Also, my girlfriend drives a current-gen Accent hatch, and even with the automatic, it's a pretty decent drive in that way only super-basic cars with tiny skinny tires is. And as far as autoboxes go, it's still a pretty good one, smooth shifting and if you floor it setting off it'll take it all the way to the redline, which is great because the four-pot they put in it is one of the most surprisingly great-sounding engines you can get in a car today. It's got this nice bellowing roar, and it reminds me of the 1NZ-FE that Toyota still puts in the Yaris, which is another surprisingly great-sounding engine.

Also also, on the subject of the Accent hatch, one of those with the engine out of the Veloster Turbo, even one detuned to about 170-180 horses or so as not to cannibalize Veloster sales, would be a fantastic little car.

jariten1781 > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 14:54

Not around here. They're somewhat popular but I see probably 10x as many Corollas and 5x as many Civics.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 15:12

Thanks for the advise, luckily, I can't fit in the impreza.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
11/08/2014 at 15:36

Ah, ok. Well, not sure if the problem applies to any other models. Sounds like you've had enough car-related headaches, but I'd say, overall, you should be good in a Subie.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 16:47

Hopefully if I get one, it will be good. I really just want a Japanese car, with decent reliability, and can not fit into a Honda, Nissan or Toyota.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
11/08/2014 at 17:03

What about a Mazda?

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 17:10

I've tried the CX-5, 3, and 6 and do not fit in any of them. I am 6'9" with really long legs, and a proportionally long torso which makes it insanely difficult to find a car with just the right mix of head and legroom.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
11/08/2014 at 17:26

Oh geez. That would make it difficult.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/08/2014 at 17:31

It certainly does.

RockRam > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
11/09/2014 at 00:09

They are everywhere in the PA, DC, MD, VA area too. Something about cheap and reliability, and warranty.