Hyundai Sonata is Tops in Consumer Reports Reliability Survey

Hyundai Beats Toyota in New Consumer Reports Survey and Last J. D. Power Initial Quality Study

No doubt executives running Toyota, the world's most profitable automaker, are experiencing greater concerns over South Korea's

The Hyundai Sonata was awarded top Entry Midsize Car in the 2004 J. D. Power and Associates 2004 Initial Quality Study (IQS). (Photo: Hyundai Auto Canada)

Hyundai than classic rivals Honda and Nissan.

After all, Honda and Nissan target a slightly different, more sport-oriented buyer than Toyota, one that South Korea's number one producer is successfully luring away from domestic and Japanese new car buyers due to lower prices, unique styling, attractive features and now, top-tier reliability.

This last point was made crystal clear when the brand's Hyundai Sonata was awarded top Entry Midsize Car in the 2004 J. D. Power and Associates 2004 Initial Quality Study (IQS), which came out last year. In the same

The Hyundai nameplate ranked 7th out of 37 brands with 102 problems per 100 vehicles, which was second among entry-level brands behind 4th place Honda and ahead of 9th place Toyota. (Photo: Hyundai Auto Canada)

U.S.-based survey, the Hyundai nameplate ranked 7th out of 37 brands with 102 problems per 100 vehicles, which was second among entry-level brands behind 4th place Honda, with 99 problems per 100 vehicles, and 9th place Toyota, with 104 problems per 100.

While J. D. Power and Associate's 2004 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) showed Hyundai near the bottom of the barrel, ranked in 32nd of 37 nameplates, with 375 problems per 100 vehicles, the study surveys owners of three year old vehicles, and doesn't necessarily reflect the ownership experience a new 2005 model year buyer can expect.