Value is a difficult thing to define. For my mother, value could be found at garage sales, routing through piles of old t-shirts and action figures to help accessorize my childhood for as little money as possible. For my wife, value is something completely different. It’s not necessarily spending as little money as possible to put clothes on her back and food on the table; it’s about finding the perfect balance between quality and cost. Sometimes, that can be the cheapest option, but almost never is it the most expensive one. The bottom line is that you have to weigh what you expect out of an expense versus how much you actually intend to spend.

This philosophy can very well be applied to cars as well, and my wife has proven that over and over again during the course of her life. Where my first car was an absolute heap of scrap metal that I bought for $700 cash, my wife’s first car cost her and her mother $5,000. But it ran better, was safer on the road, and lasted her longer. In other words, case in point.

The same can be said about the latest version of the Hyundai Sonata. 2011 models are sparking a ton of interest and can be had for a relatively low amount of money. It’s the Turbo version of the Hyundai Sonata that really deserves a pip-pip and Cheerio for its value, however—a mere $25,000 for a gorgeous car that balances 274 horsepower and 32 miles per gallon as perfectly as possible. Power and efficiency, folks, and at much lower than you’d expect to pay for a comparable vehicle in the same class.

The Chevy Malibu, Honda Accord, and Toyota Camry all are similar cars, but purchased brand new these cars cost more and provide less value. The Sonata is the automobile that offers the perfect balance my wife would completely approve of. It’s by no means the cheapest car on the market, but it’s sturdy, fast, fuel-efficient, and beautiful. By all means, if you want to buy the cheapest option, then go ahead. You’ll definitely save money in the short term, but will you love your car? Will you be able to count on it no matter the weather? Will anyone be impressed by it? Those are the questions you need to ask yourself, and you can still find a good deal without having to bankrupt yourself in the process.

Labels: Hyundai Sonata, Hyundai Sonata 2011

As somebody who watches a lot of sports, I’m familiar with the term “dark horse.” It’s an idiom that derives from horse racing, specifically referring to a horse that gamblers didn’t know about before the race and therefore couldn’t figure it into their bets. From there its use caught on to represent any person or thing that rises to prominence from seemingly nowhere. This is why every NFL preseason there are dark horse candidates to make the Super Bowl. There are dark horses in “American Idol” and political races. And there are dark horses in the automobile industry.

Actually, every year Edmunds.com puts together a list of the top ten dark horses among new vehicles which they consider to be the best cars getting the least amount of buzz. After all, the only reason dark horses are in fact dark horses is because too few people have heard of them to expect much out of them. Once someone takes the time to get the word out, they can stop being unknowns and start getting the recognition they deserve.

On this year’s list, Hyundai ended up with two models getting praise—not surprising considering Hyundai’s slow and quiet rise to the top of all automakers in the last few years. The models in question are the 2010 Hyundai Genesis and 2011 Hyundai Sonata. 2011 Sonatas have been reasonable sellers, but too few people are giving the sedan the props it deserves.

For one, the Sonata packs a V6 while also managing to lead its class in fuel economy. That means buyers can have both power and decent mileage in a car that looks and drives great. The Genesis won the North American Car of the Year last year and has done nothing but gain traction as a heat-seeking large sedan that continues to take chunks out of some of the more luxurious brands’ sales all over Florida. Lease Hyundai Genesis or Sonata now if you want to get in on the action, and do so knowing that you’ll get a great car, even if it doesn’t have quite the recognition of something like a Ford Explorer or Toyota Camry.

They’re called dark horses because they’ve got a real shot, and it used to make gamblers really angry when they missed a good bet. We’re giving you the opportunity to jump all over the ball right here, and you’d be crazy not to take it.

Labels: Florida Lease Hyundai, Hyundai Sonata 2011

Hyundai, the world’s fastest growing automaker, is so hot right now it’s as if folks are creating new awards just to bestow on the Korean car company. Like in Florida: Hyundai lease program wins a gold medal. Okay, so maybe that’s an exaggeration, but AutoPacific, a future-oriented automotive marketing and product-consulting firm in California, recently announced they were awarding the 2011 Hyundai Sonata their first ever President’s Award.

Now, it’s not like this is AutoPacific’s first go around in the awards realm, being out in the Golden State and all—they also hand out a Vehicle Satisfaction Award, an Ideal Vehicle Award, and a Motorist Choice Award—but do know the President’s Award resulted from a special analysis of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Their findings were stunning.

Using a similar methodology to their other vehicle satisfaction research, AutoPacific had 975 drivers take the 2011 Sonata out for a spin and rate the car in 48 separate categories from performance to comfort, eco-responsible technology to convenience. The Sonata scored a remarkable 775 out of 1,000. To put this in perspective, no other car has ever scored that high in any of AutoPacific’s research. While garnering high marks throughout, where the 2011 Sonata scored exceptionally well was in the unique styling category. This is important because for years Hyundais have been known as small, inexpensive knockoffs of brands like Honda and Toyota.

You can bet the Hyundai design team was cognizant of this as they went to work on setting their product apart. And according to a press release from Hyundai, the 2011 Sonata has a “fluidic sculpture” design language, meaning it “is a consistent, cohesive design language.” Close attention was given to “the interplay of natural, fluid elements with more rigid surfaces and structures to create the illusion of constant motion.” It was “inspired by nature.” Sounds good, and looks good, too. But don’t think the 2011 Hyundai Sonata is all style and no substance. It gets 22/35 mpg, has a new Theta II 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection engine with 198 hp standard, and, as all Hyundais do, comes with the 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

Although AutoPacific is based in California, you can bet the reverberations of the President’s Award will be felt all the way to Florida. Hyundai leases should turn into purchases, and the Sonata should be mentioned now, if not already, in the same breath as the Accord. Hyundai might’ve sneaked up on some people as they rose up the automotive ranks, but with all the awards and plaudits coming their way these days, none of this should catch anyone off guard anymore.

Labels: 2011 hyundai sonata, Florida Lease Hyundai

The safety of a vehicle is imperative and should not be compromised when purchasing a vehicle. The 2010 Hyundai Tucson crossover is by no means lacking in this category and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHW) agrees, naming the vehicle the “Top Safety Pick” after it earned the highest possible rating in all safety categories.

The Tucson comes equipped with Electronic Stability Control, four-wheel disc brakes, traction control, six airbags and additional standard safety equipment. Such cutting edge technology is what earned the Tucson the highest possible rating of ‘Good’ in all front, side and rear crash tests. Hyundai Sonata 2011 dealers comment that the Sonata has also been praised for its safety features and has too been honored with the “Top Safety Pick” status by the IIHW.

Aside from the abundant list of safety features the Tucson is endowed with, Hyundai made sure that the rest of the vehicle matched its prominent safety features. The crossover received a head to toe makeover which yields a three inch longer and one inch wider body than the previous Tucson model. The expanded body not only improves the already impressive safety of the crossover, but also provides optimal passenger comfort and capacity.

The five passenger crossover’s rear seats fold down to increase the cargo area from 26 cubic feet to 56 cubic feet. The interior comfort of the car is complimented by quality features, including silver accents, eight way adjustable driver seat, and a built-in trip computer, which lend a luxurious aura to the vehicle.

Under the Tucson’s hood is a 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder engine creates 176 horsepower while conserving fuel. Equipped with an Eco Indicator, the Tucson will disclose to the driver information that will increase fuel economy.

The Tucson’s safety and eco-friendly features will no doubt allow for a healthy and safe drive. But if you want a happy, healthy and safe drive, all you would need is an affordable price tag attached to the car, which luckily, the Tucson also has. The crossover’s cost of under $19,000 makes it one of the least expensive vehicles in its class. Hyundai Sonata 2011 dealers say that the Sonata will provide the same happy, healthy and safe drive, starting at $20,000, in a different size.

For residents looking for a Florida lease, Hyundai vehicles can provide a happy, healthy and safe drive that has earned the Tucson and Sonata esteemed recognition and regard.

Labels: Florida Lease Hyundai, Hyundai Sonata 2011