Decent Car With Some Rough Edges
This was the most expensive car I've ever purchased, so perhaps my pleasure at the ride and sound level would be expected by folks habitually buying at this level. My gripes are reasonably few:
- The software makes some operations harder than they need be. It took a solid year before I felt reasonably sure what to expect from the cruise control system and how to make it happen, as an example. Updates can make things worse: my car lost the ability to remember the current speed limit after an update, and updates since have not restored it. The system picks up a speed limit right as I pass a sign (good!) and forgets it within 1/3 - 2/3 mile (bad!).
- The manual is execrable. It is more a compilation of the conditions under which a feature is enabled and which conditions disable it, than a serious explanation of how to deal with your car. The index is useless in finding specific information; wanting to read about the "cruise control" you check and there is no entry - you must remember and look up Hyundai's specific copyrighted term for its own system. Unlike most owners, I have read most of that fat book, many sections multiple times - but it often still leaves me wondering if I understand it properly. Redeeming feature: it's in good English! - But I don't think it's very useful.
- I have whacked my head silly multiple times getting into the car with the visor down. It intrudes into the space my head must go through for me to get inside. Because it is not a tall vehicle, I don't necessarily notice the visor position when I open the door. BANG! My getting-out procedure now includes making sure the visor is up.
- I read a Wall Steet Journal review of the car before I bought it, and the reviewer questioned why a rear-window wiper wasn't included, so I wasn't surprised by the lack. After driving it for two years, I've gotta ask, "What were they thinking?" The car needs a rear wiper.
A final note: I installed a Level 2 smart charger (ChargePoint) in my garage 6 months after purchase. This makes charging simple for my normal use (there are not many public chargers anywhere in my area). This car has a good battery. I am learning how heat and cold affect driving range - it's noticeable and important. I've only dared one road trip where I knew I'd need to recharge on the road, and despite the recent introduction of Tesla chargers as an option, I'm not that comfortable with long-distance driving. We retained a gasoline car we normally use when driving over 150 miles away.