New to Sonata, questions about trim/options
 

My husband bought me a 2011 Sonata (managed to find it used at a great price) and I love it. I am not especially knowledgable about cars, so forgive me for being dumb. What I do know is that I love the car, and I am more curious about it.

The little badge on the back says that it's a limited, but I'm not sure. I've been to the HyundaiUSA website, and have google searched everything I can think of to figure out why our car has certain features that don't appear on the list of features for limiteds, and doesn't have other features that are on the list.


Our Sonata (which I love) has:

2.4 liter engine, not turbo charged---I even checked under the hood, no markings there

2 tailpipes, which from what I've read come on the SEs and turbocharged versions

17, not 18 inch wheels,

paddle shifters on wheel, one site suggested that the paddle shifters only appear on SE/Turbo models

navigation system, but no rear camera

sunroof but no heated seats

seats are cloth

Anyway, I don't know what to make of this thing, could it just be an early model 2011?

Either way I love the car, I just wish I knew more about it. Please forgive me for being dumb.

Thanks,
Bandster

Welcome to the forum!

I am going to take a guess at what your situation may be. I think that what you have is an SE on which the previous owner changed the wheels from 18" to 17". Judging by the number of sets of 18" SE wheels for sale, there are quite a few people who may have done this. I know there have been a fair number of SE owners who found the ride with the stock 18" wheels and tires somewhat harsh the more they lived with the car.

As far as the Limited badge goes it was probably just stuck on there by the owner after purchase. The real test would be to check the VIN against Hyundai's VIN decoder. The appropriate digit in the VIN will indicate which trim level you have.

2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited Auto
This is what I've found:
(www.decodethis.com)

GeneralEquipmentColors
VIN 5NPEC4AC3BH135881
Vehicle History Valid Yes
Year 2011 Engine Type 2.4L L4 DOHC 16V
Make Hyundai Driveline front-wheel drive
Model Sonata Ground Clearance in.
Trim Level Limited Auto Front Brake Type Disc
Manufactured In UNITED STATES Rear Brake Type Disc



The story we got was that the previous owner bought it as a xmas gift for his wife, and she didn't like it. (Wanted a Fusion---go figure that one out) and they traded it in to a Ford dealership up the road and took a bath on it.

They had it for not even a month. (I want to meet the lady and thank her for being dumb) so I don't see why they'd put fancy tires and stuff on something they weren't going to keep.

I love the car...its just a total mystery to me.

Using the VIN codes provided by the http://www.hmaservice.com site, the VIN codes out in order as:

5NP = Passenger vehicle
E = Sonata Model
C = Middle grade (GLS, JSL, TAX)
4 = 4 door sedan
A = Restraint system
C = Gasoline engine 2.4L Theta II GDI
3 = check digit
B = 2011 model year
H = Production plant (Alabama)

The remaining 6 digits represent the production number in the series, which in this case is #135,881.

Looks like the car may have oriignally been an GLS, which is consistent with the cloth interior. If so, then the dealer must have have tacked every option they could come up with. I don't know how a SE model would code for trim grade. The real head scratcher come if you ask the HMA service site to call up the car shop specs by entering the VIN. It answers back as a Sonata YF HEV, or Sonata Hybrid, which can't be right. One thing for sure, it does not appear to be an original Limited trim model car.