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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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,
www.consumerreports.org. 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

 

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

 

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