I'm thinking of getting a cheap daily driver/winter car. I was looking at used cars, but then I noticed I could get a Sonata for around $20,000 with Hyundai's warranty. The V6 seemed a bit underpowered on the test drive, though.

Any thoughts on this car?

my boss used to own one. I think he still does. First thing i noticed about it was how freakin' quiet it was. The car started "rolling" backwards before i realized the car had been on and he was backing up! It's also pretty classy inside. Roomy and comfortable. Soft suspension too so the ride isn't at all stiff... don't know what to tell you, because i feel like i'm just repeating what you already knew from the test drive you say you took.

Hope this helps a little

And it's hard to beat a 'beater' car with a 10 year warranty :p

That's exactly my thinking.

Thanks for the input, too, Raji. Yeah, it seemed like an okay car for longer trips.

It was also the car rated with the best reliability in the latest Consumer Reports auto issue.

Yes, and reliability is a big factor for me now that Oldsmobiles have gone the way of the Stanley Steamer.

I was attracted to the car because I thought I read in several places that the V6 did 235 hp. But now I'm seeing it rated at 170, which is certainly what it felt like.

I've been in them before and I must say I was impressed, given the brand name. It's certainly a quite and relatively comfy ride.