Buying a 2007 Hyundai Entourage soon and need your expert advice

My wife and I plan to purchase an Entourage SE with Option Package 2 at the end of this year. Given the experience & wisdom of this group regarding all things Hyundai, I thought I'd ask for your insight to getting the best deal from Hyundai as well as your impressions, thoughts, & concerns regarding the 2007 Entourage SE Model. Just keep your remarks aimed at adults and dogs as we don't have kids to worry about pleasing. The dogs don't care as long as they get to go along on the ride, so this minivan is for our pleasure and driving adventures across the USA.

We wanted to avoid the steep price tag of the Limited Edition since we don't care about the DVD Entertainment System, the moon roof or the Infinity Sound System that jacks up the price. The SE with the Option Package 2 does have the cool stuff we wanted like the heated seats. My wife had a lower back injury and she demanded we get this option despite the fact we live in sub-tropical New Orleans.

We test drove the Limited and the SE models. I love the power and torque and I thought it held up well against the Odyssey. We test drove the Odyssey EX-L as we were going to get one until I found some good reviews on the Entourage. So feel free to educate me on the pros and cons of the Entourage vs the Odyssey EX-L model. I also liked the fit and finish with the interior of the Entourage. I am 38 and this is not the Hyundai I grew up with (remember the Excel?)!!! I have also read that the Entourage is just a gussied up Kia Sedonia with a higher sticker price. Hyundai has the gaudy JD Power and Assoc ranking and Kia is way down that list. So should I stick with Hyundai over such a high ranking by JD Power as well as a better look?

OK, enough of my rambling here. Thanks for all your help and if you already own an Entourage, please share your thoughts and how it is doing for you and your family. Also, what kind of real world gas mileage are you getting? I know the EPA can be off my a wide margin and I don't was gas guzzler shock from the Entourage.

Robert just outside of N'awlins, LA

Reply to
NOLA Robert
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I just traded in my Santa Fe for an Entourage SE on Friday. I can't speak much about the Fuel Ecomomy yet since we haven't yet emtied the tank but the reading above the mirror has been reading around 17mpg so far around town for short trips under 5 miles or so. This is our 5th Hyundai purchase so I am very confident in the product.

We almost bought the Oddessey EX. We literally were going to sign the papers when the deal changed slightly and made us reconsider. The only noticible difference between the two was the price. If you want to be very nitpicky you will find that the Entourage is a little noisier on the highway. It is really hardly noticible except that I had read it on another review and was looking for it as you probably will now too :)

The only reason we actually looked outside of Hyundai was because there are so few Entourages on the lots here and nobody had the color and options combo we wanted. Our dealer did a search and found that there were only 75 set up the way she wanted it and traded one of thier stock for our van with a dealer in Kentucky about 200 miles away.

Our's is a straight SE with no options as all of the other stuff wasn't that important to us but the auto sliding doors were a must have.

Reply to
art.obrien

The Entourage really is little more than a rebadged Sedona. In fact, the Entourage is manufactured at by Kia. You'll need to do some homework, though, to figure out whether you can get what you want in the Kia-- available options and packages will be different.

Reply to
hyundaitech

Forgot to mention that the only way to get roadside assitance with the Honda was to buy an extended 'honda care' waranty. I still can't believe that the don't offer roadside assistance with the standard bumper to bumper.

We looked at the Kia Sedona a few weeks ago back to back with the Entourage and found it noisier under hard acceleration. I can only figure that there is some extra insulation somewhere since the power train is virtually the same. The Kia also has only a 5 year rust waranty compared with Hyundai's 7 year rust through waranty.

They are indeed very close siblings but I didn't want to deal with changing dealers since I have been please with this one for so long.

Reply to
art.obrien

Glad to hear you are looking at the Entourage.

Our favorite poster, Mr. Hyundaitech, pointed out that the Entourage is little more than a rebadged Kia Sedona, and is, in fact, manufactured by Kia, not Hyundai.

In early August, Consumer Reports (NOT everyone's favorite magazine, I understand), is doing a full report on the Sedona. It will come out on newsstands as the September issue.

But they have already posted a "first look" on their website,

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It is free for everyone.

On it, they like the practicality, interior space, value (thousands less than a similarly equipped Odyssey or Toyota), comfort, features, and power. And no doubt, the best warranty in the industry, including the roadside assistance, is also a huge plus.

On the downside, CR claims it does not handle as well, something a lot of actual owners I hear are disputing. It also does not get as good gas mileage as the other two, and from what I am getting on the chat groups, no one is disputing that.

But as someone who has owned two of the previous generation Sedonas, and can't wait until it is time to trade again so I can get either an Entourage or another Sedona, I think you will be happy to go this way.

Hope you feel the same way.

Tom Wenndt

Reply to
Rev. Tom Wenndt

I appreciate the insight on the Entourage from y'all. My wife has really fallen in love with the Entourage over the Odyssey. You see the Odyssey everywhere in the New Orleans area but I have only seen one Entourage. I know that will change since the Entourage is new but I like being different than the "herd." I never thought I'd get to the point in my life where I would be excited about a minivan but I guess 39 must be the right age to make that shift. While I'll still lust after the new Shelby Cobra GT 500 I know we will be very happy with the Entourage.

The Kia and Hyundai minivans, are those both made at the Alabama facility? It seems that reviews like the NVH level of the Hyundai better which jibes with your observation in the post.

So we plan to buy at the end of the year and hopefully Hyundai will have a nice selection with an year-end clearance sale going on to make the deal sweater. After much consideration, I think my wife has moved from the SE to wanting the fully-optioned LIMITED. I don't mind as long as she is happy with the purchase as we plan to keep this baby at least 10 years.

So keep the sound advice and comments coming folks, it is greatly appreciated!

Robert

SNIP

Reply to
NOLA Robert

When you get the chance, keep us updated on how your Entourage experience is going. Since we are waiting until late December to buy, your experience will be valuable to let us know how the initial few months of Entourage ownership goes. I admit my main point of interest is going to be real-world gas mileage since the EPA is about as reliable a guide as a 7-day weather forecast.

Thanks,

Robert

Reply to
NOLA Robert

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