Faults:

Gearbox oil cooler pipe had rusted through and needed replacing, as the transmission fluid was leaking.

Radio antenna needed replacing, as it was not extracting fully.

General Comments:

This car is a used gem. Very cheap for what you get. People think it looks like a Jag.

Engine and gearbox are based on Japanese engineering from Mitsubishi, so the basics are sound. Also the 2.0 litre is easy to work on with good access; cam belt change cost £50 for example. Spark plugs are easy to change. Oil filter requires the driver's side wheel to come off, but other than that, it is straightforward as well. Any mechanic should feel comfortable working on this car, as it is all standard design, and nothing 'clever'.

Handling is OK, but it designed for the American market, so is not up to European standards of cornering at speed.

Fuel economy of the 2.0 is standard for this year and size of engine - 23 mpg in town, and 35 on the motorway.

The car is in its element on the motorway, being quiet at 70 mph, and the seats being large and comfortable. I recently completed a 7 hour journey, with no major discomfort felt.

The boot is large and held clothes, toys etc for the 2 kids and adults with no trouble.

The interior is its weak point, being cheap looking for the European market. However, it is still large, spacious, with all round electric windows, aircon and a drink cup holders for all 4 occupants. Good storage as well for bits and pieces whilst inside. I find that people like being driven around in it, as it is so 'nice' inside.

The auto gearbox is good, seems to find the right gears most of the time, and you can use the manual override when going up or down very steep hills.

Car tax has gone up to £245, as the government wants to encourage drivers to use smaller cars.

Group 10 insurance - standard for this type of car.

Obviously, it is a Hyundai, so people will not rate it. But you can quietly count all the money you have saved whilst driving around in a very comfortable, quiet and capable car. Then other peoples opinions on what badge you have seem somewhat irrelevant.

Highly recommended as a budget secondhand buy.

Faults:

In three years and 45000 miles of motoring, nothing has gone wrong, and I mean nothing! My last car was a company car, a 2005 Mazda 6 2.0 diesel. A great car, but not comfortable at all, the wife hated it.

I bought the Sonata just to sit on the drive and occasionally tow my caravan for family holidays. The car only cost £2000 and came fully loaded with everything you can think of, and it all still works.

General Comments:

I am an MS sufferer, which is why I had to give up my manual company car in which I was driving 1000 miles per week in British traffic. So my Sonata became my only car. I had it converted to LPG, hence reducing fuel prices by half.

As it's automatic, I have no problems driving it for hours on end. Last year myself and my wife towed our caravan over 2200 miles into mid France and back. The car never faltered even with 1300kg of van hooked onto the back. The weather was in the 90s and sunny (fantastic, don't get that in Blighty), but we were never bothered as the climate control kept us nice and cool all the way until we crossed the channel back to the UK and turned the heating on.

It looks funny, nobody knows what it is, but everybody who has ever ridden in it thinks it's great. You can't hear the engine unless you boot it. Surprised - yes, happy - ecstatic.