Right now the top two contenders for our next car are the Hyundai Genesis Coupe and the Kia Optima EX. There are a couple of cars left to try before we make a final decision, a Honda Accord Coupe and a Hyundai Sonata SE.
While I loved the Genesis Coupe, the downside of this car is that it might be too sporty in nature. We already will have a sports car in the stable and we were looking more for a touring car. And frankly, Donna was looking forward to being driven to work in relative comfort and not always having to brace herself against the g-forces generated while I try and late brake, nip the apex of every turn and accelerate briskly towards my next cornering opportunity. This is where the Accord might come in. The coupe, like the Prelude before it, is nothing much more than an Accord sedan all tarted up. A sheep in wolf’s clothing if you will.
The Sonata SE will be my last chance to dance with the supermodel of sedans, but I am hoping it will have a more connected to the road feel ALA the Optima. Part of the SE package are 18″ wheels with lower profile tires and what the manufacturer calls “Sport-tuned suspension and steering” which sounds a lot like what the Optima mentions in its brochure for the standard suspension setup.
Both the Optima and Sonata have a major fault and that is size. Donna had a heck of a time trying to get the right seating position in them. I’m thinking maybe some of it was the pressure of having both myself and a salesman stand out side looking at her fiddling with the seat controls in the dealers lot. I’m betting if it was just me in a quiet spot she could get it easier. Plus some of it will be driving the car and learning where the external edges of the it are.
Who knows, maybe the Accord Coupe will be the winner. We used to be a Honda family and even owned a couple of Accord “coupes” back in the day. Our 1978 car was a 2-door hatchback that was about the same length, with a 7″ shorter wheelbase and 500 pounds lighter than today’s Honda Fit! It was Honda’s “big” car. If the Accord Coupe is not the answer, we may just end up with a Genesis Coupe. We saw one pass by us at a corner today and even our anti-red bias didn’t prevent us from liking the car in Tsukuba Red.
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My neighbor bought a Hyundai Sonata Turbo back in the fall and absolutely loves it, especially when long-distance traveling (but, he has already had a ticket pushing that turbo!!). It’s a beauty, black with the camel-beige interior. It’s hard deciding what will fulfill all the requirements when car searching (and staying within a budget!!). The extras sure add up quickly. Good luck with your search!
I liken the choice between Sonata & Optima to the choice between Chrissy Snow & Janet Wood. Or to be more contemporary, Charlie Harper would date the Sonata and the Optima is Alan’s ex Judith. Either way, if you’ll pardon another pop culture reference, I was always a Betty man, Archie can have Veronica.