Overview & Reviews

The Hyundai Sonata is a comfortable and likable midsize sedan that proves Hyundai can build cars that are not just easy on the pocketbook, but easy to live with as well. Like most vehicles in the midsize sedan class, the Sonata offers front-wheel drive, numerous safety features and a choice of trim levels that include sporty and plush variants. Setting the Sonata apart, however, is Hyundai's lower pricing and outstanding warranty coverage.

For the most part, the Sonata has kept getting better. The current model, in particular, is the most competitive to date. In addition to the strong value proposition, this Hyundai adds a few things previously not seen in this conservative nameplate -- namely, daring styling and sporty driving dynamics. Newer pre-owned Sonatas are also a solid choice, but models prior to 2006 remain a risky used-car proposition.

Current Hyundai Sonata
Although it's classified as a full-size family sedan by the EPA, the Hyundai Sonata still competes in the midsize segment. It's available in GLS, SE and Limited trim levels. Even the base car comes well equipped, while the SE features sporty suspension tuning and the Limited pampers its passengers with more luxurious features.

The standard engine on every Sonata trim level is a 2.4-liter direct-injected inline four-cylinder rated at 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque, while the dual-exhaust SE with the same engine makes 192 hp and 181 lb-ft. A 2.0-liter turbocharged engine generating 274 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque is available on SE and Limited models. All Sonatas come with a six-speed automatic as standard.

Whether serving family car or commuter car duty, the Hyundai Sonata is a nice place to be thanks to its spacious cabin, comfortable seating, solid build quality and quiet highway ride. In reviews we've found that the Sonata provides spirited acceleration as well as responsive handling, with a slightly firm but still comfortable ride. Fuel mileage is also impressive, with 30 mpg being a realistic number for conservative drivers in mixed conditions. Our only notable gripes concern the relative lack of rear seat headroom for adults and a somewhat rough ride for the SE model. Overall the Sonata is rather impressive and deserves serious consideration from those shopping for a family sedan.

Used Hyundai Sonata Models
The current Hyundai Sonata represents the fifth generation in the car's lineage, and was introduced in the 2011 model year. That following year, the Sonata picked up the Blue Link telematics service and a higher-resolution navigation system display. A manual transmission was available for the Sonata GLS for these first two years, but was discontinued after that.

These Sonatas produced prior to 2014 differ in a number of minor ways. Styling was ever so slightly different, while they lack standard driver-selectable steering effort and the availability of certain features like xenon headlights and a blind-spot monitoring system. Also, the 2.4-liter engine made 198 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque (200 hp and 186 lb-ft for the SE) versus the current car's somewhat lower ratings.

The previous, fourth-generation Hyundai Sonata was produced from 2006-'10 and is really the only other version worth considering as a used Sonata. Initially, three trim levels were offered: GL, GLS and LX. The sophomore year saw a shuffling of the trim levels to the current format. Most notably, the sporty SE version debuted, wearing 17-inch alloy wheels and foglights.

Originally, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder produced 162 hp and was standard on the GL and GLS trims. A five-speed manual was standard (GL only for 2006) and a four-speed automatic was optional with this engine. Optional on the GLS and standard on the LX, SE and Limited was a 235-hp version of the 3.3-liter V6, matched to a five-speed automatic transmission. For 2008, the four-cylinder became standard on all trim levels and the V6 became optional. That year also saw a few more standard features added to the SE and Limited trims.

The biggest changes occurred in 2009 when engine outputs were increased (175 hp for the inline-4 and 249 hp for the V6) and the interior was spiffed up with a new dash and higher-quality materials. There were also two notable additions to the features lists -- a standard auxiliary audio jack and an optional touchscreen navigation system.

Prior to that, the cabin had respectable build and materials quality along with a precise feel to the controls. But it wasn't nearly as top-notch and had odd placement of the audio and climate controls -- the former was placed too high and the latter too low. Beyond that, the spacious cabin remained unchanged, and although the exterior had a few nips here and tucks there, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between Sonatas of this generation.

At the time, we found that the fourth-generation Hyundai Sonata prioritized ride comfort over precise handling. It smothered bumps well and delivered a luscious highway ride, but with its significant body roll and vague steering, it wasn't particularly fun to drive.

Power from the efficient four-cylinder engine was competitive, and although the V6 wasn't quite as potent as those in rival sedans, it still got the job done while returning good fuel economy. Inside, soft, high-quality plastics were plentiful, and the overall design was eye-pleasing.

Pre-2006 Sonatas remain a risky used-car proposition even though depreciation means they can be found at a bargain-basement price. Only in recent years have we seen the kind of build quality and structural integrity that might portend long-term durability.

Nevertheless, the previous (third) generation Hyundai Sonata was originally introduced for 1999 with a vastly improved appearance, far better engines and significant improvements made in noise and ride quality versus its lamentable predecessors. The base car featured a 138-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder and the GLS had a 159-hp 2.5-liter V6. These numbers may be different from what you'll find elsewhere, since Hyundai misstated its horsepower ratings prior to 2002, giving the Sonata 11 more horses than it actually had. As such, you'd be best to stick with Sonatas from 2002 or later, which were characterized by even nicer styling, a better interior and a legitimately more potent V6.

The second-generation Sonata was introduced for 1995 and offered improved fit and finish compared to its predecessor, but that's not saying much. It now had dual airbags, but no more power under the hood. For instance, the V6 only produced 5 more horses than the four-cylinder. For 1997, the Sonata was restyled dramatically, but not necessarily for the better. All in all, we'd avoid this car.

The same goes for the original Hyundai Sonata, first launched in 1989 to give Hyundai a player in the midsize family sedan game. Aggressively priced but sloppily built and saddled with weak, unrefined powertrains, the boxy first-generation Sonata did little to change the public's perception of Hyundai cars as cheap in more ways than price.

User Reviews:

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  Its a not so good used car - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By bm662 - October 22 - 2:00 am

  Bought used had tune up and timing belt replaced. Still not much better? Had suspension checked 4 times replaced struts for safety. Still has thumping sounds no one can find reason! But told car is safe? The amount of money I paid for plus repairs I could have bought a new one live and learn. Dealer was supposed to be reliable. Not so in this case this vehicle should be called the Hyundai clunker.

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  Warranty Goes - BEWARE - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By RJ Seevers - August 21 - 12:32 am

  Purchased new the same year as our Honda Civic. Have put 74k miles in 5- years on Sonata, double that mileage on the Civic. Sonata feels & drive like the older care. Warranty is over on both. Civic runs like top. But, Sonata always has Engine Warning lights on. Handles & seat belts are breaking, also fixed prior under warranty. Costs building like crazy on Sonata. ESC has issues, dangerous loss of power occurs often. Was repaired both in and out of warranty. Both of us wish we would have gone with a Honda Accord instead. Sonata is cheaper. I got what I paid for.

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  Expensive to maintain - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By Nichols - August 19 - 12:08 pm

  Caliber stuck at 9,000 miles whole new break job on rear, then front pads fell apart at 15,000 not covered. front interior handles cut passenger had replaced prior to recall. flush trans fluid expensive due to special fluid. alternator went out at 60 thousand, very expensive to replace, labor cost will kill you. Timing belt goes out around 60 thousand. Be prepared for tune up. Have your check book ready if you by a used 2003, youll need it for repair cost. Paint flakes off exterior door handles.

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  Sunroof on 2008 Sonata - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By Mark - April 9 - 8:26 am

  Purchased my 2008 Sonata GLS new in March, 2008. Since Day 1 there has been a rattle in the slider of the sunroof. Dealership 1 had car for one week in July,2008 to fix problem.... still rattled. Took it back, was ignored! Took vehicle to Dealership 2 and they got permission to re-do the sunroof this past January. They found clips were missing in sunroof. Problem still exists! Am now awaiting the same Dist. Mgr. who saw car in June of 2008. After taking car to three dealers like Hyundai asked, I am fed up with all the time spent taking car to dealers. Poor communications between dealerships and Hyundai. Will not recommend Hyundai ever to anyone!

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  Dont Beleive Hyundai in what you hear - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Pilgrim - February 16 - 7:48 am

  Bought car for Warranty, price, & mileage. 4 cylinder, complained about 17 mpg from date of purchase. Always got brush off about repair issues. Had 2 recalls. At 10200 miles rear brakes completely wore out. This may be why I got bad mileage.

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  Over rated-low trade-in/resale value - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By wxyz - February 10 - 2:50 pm

  Soft Suspension. Check all 4 corners manually for bounce and excessive rebound. Michelin tires wore out at 28K miles. Excessive suspension noise on bumps or holes. Excessive lean on cornering or curves and excessive front end dip on stopping. Very low trade-in allowance. Dealer says warranty does not cover tires, struts or shocks.

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  I do not like my car anymore - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Cathy - December 31 - 2:29 pm

  Although I havent had any major mechanical problems with the car, Ive just recently had to have the roof repainted at my own expense because the paint was flaking off. The paint warranty had expired at 36000 miles, but a car with only 48000 miles should NOT need to be re-painted. This is obviously a factory defect. Also, the car is VERY uncomfortable to drive. The seats dont provide good support, and even the steering wheel is uncomfortable. My rear brakes have squealed almost since day one, but just in reverse, so I havent had them checked. But after reading the other reviews I see rear brakes are a common problem. I want to unload the car as soon as possible if I can get enough for it.

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  Crap on wheels - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Ash - December 1 - 12:25 am

  This car has been to the shop once a week since I bought it. There is a squeak in the front wheel and they cant find the source. The visor broke, the power window broke, the manual shift broke, very poor quality. I will not own another Hyundai. I plan on trading this off as soon as the warranty is up.

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  safety hazard - 2000 Hyundai Sonata
  By roger khan - October 13 - 11:24 am

  I bought used, while driving I would smell gas, so I popped the hood on inspection I saw that the fuel line that run to the fuel rail was leaking gas, I went to the junk yard to get one but the car I inspected had the same problem. I then had to pay $110 for a new line which is a foot long, the pully separated, paint fades on the hood, trunk and roof and front Windows are broken also inside the trunk were the spare tire goes is all roten out. Just like all the people who has had problem with this car I Wonder how do these cars past inspection. I called hyundia and informed of the problem "I am just glad the car did not blow up on me"so to all those who is thinking buying a Hyundai dont.

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  Thought it was a good buy... think again. - 2012 Hyundai Sonata
  By jostintson3 - October 13 - 3:57 am

  I thought I was getting a great deal on my 2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T Limited that I purchased in late November. During the past few months the car has had numerous problems, complete lemon. Has issues accelerating, leaks when it rains, gauges randomly shut off while I am driving, and it pulls to the left so horribly by arm begins to hurt after my 20 minute drive to work. Ive brought it to Hyundai regarding the issues, and they fixed none of them. Blamed me for them all. Horrible customer service. I will never buy a Hyundai product again.