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| Its interior is nicely designed and put together well. Some of the materials aren't quite as high quality as its Japanese competitors, but the differences are only slight. The much lower price of the Korean car, however, should make it a serious consideration. |
The 2000 model year saw cruise control become standard equipment, as well as a set of 15-inch alloy wheels. 2001 brought a mild restyle to the grille, from its classy waterfall design to a new twin bar look, while the rear decklid received a few subtle tweaks. Split folding rear seatbacks were now available.
Two recalls affected 4,495 1999 through 2000 model year Sonata's, the first only affecting V6 models. Before the problem would have been fixed on warranty, the engine may have experienced intermittent low speed stalling due to a faulty Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor. The second recall only affected 135 cars, so chances are the one you're interested in didn't experience the airbag warning light illuminating without cause. Not much of a problem anyway. The 2001 Sonata experienced no recalls.
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| The Sonata had a 4-star side impact rating for front occupants and a 5-star rating for those in the rear - a very safe sedan. |
Its few recalls and general reliability are two good reasons the 1999 through 2001 Sonata gets positive reviews from its owners, making it an excellent used car buy. Topping this is an issue that while negative to new car buyers is advantageous to those kicking used tires, poor resale value. A smart shopper can pick up a 3-year old fully loaded Sonata GLS for the price of a bare-bones Japanese alternative.
And that pretty well sums it up. The 1999 through 2001 Hyundai Sonata offers a lot of style, equal substance and a relatively trouble free ownership experience to those in the used car market. It might not perform quite as well as a comparatively equipped Honda, but it won't set you back nearly as much money either. Not a bad compromise.