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:

• 

  Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By collette93 - May 19 - 1:02 pm

  I bought my Sonata with 17,000 miles on it. It now has 204,000 miles and its still going strong. It has never once left me stranded, and Ive only had to do the usual car maintenance: brakes, tires, tune up, etc. I have been meticulous about oil changes every 3,000 miles. The interior is still in great shape, and it continues to be a comfortable ride, still. Truly the best car Ive ever owned. My only complaint is that its not the greatest in terms of gas mileage.

• 

  The best car! - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By danny88 - May 8 - 3:53 pm

  This car has been the best car ever! it has awesome power not to comfortable sometimes but very reliable.As long as you take care of it,it will last you forever!We have over 155k on it and she still fires right up,runs great, and purs like a kitten :)

• 

  I love my Sonata - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By youcantseeme - April 5 - 2:09 pm

  I have 125k+ Miles on my car and its still going strong! I was told it gets 21-24 city miles per gallon, but I get 26-31 mpg as long as Im keeping up with maintenance and what not (air filter changes, oil changes, etc. also have fuel efficient tires) I also drive on cruise control as much as possible which makes a huge difference. the interior is comfortable and roomy, the exterior is pretty standard. No complaints. only repairs Ive needed so far were very minor ones that are to be expected or were just standard maintenance (aka windshield wipers, headlights, new brakes, new tires, etc.) but the car runs like a dream.

• 

  Outstanding value, power and handling - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By aseries - March 23 - 12:20 pm

  Our 2006 Hyundai Sonata LX has 68,000 miles. My wife used it for daily commuting for 5 years with an occasional road trip. We are both retired now and it is mostly used for road trips around Minnesota and one or two long trips to Arizona and other vacation spots. It is by far the best family car I have owned. I have it regularly serviced at our local Hyundai dealer and I have experienced only one minor issue with rear brakes. Otherwise...zero problems. It is a joy to drive on the highway or twisty back roads. I am on my second set of tires and brakes. This week I will replace the original battery. We fully intend to keep this car forever, God willing.

• 

  2006 Hyundai Sonata LX V6 - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By mogulprinceton - January 29 - 6:14 pm

  I dont understand... When I fill my tank up it says 350 miles to empty every time but the MPG estimator say 318.6 CITY /477.9 HIGHWAY. My Sonata has 31,000 miles on it and its 7 years old. After while the car becomes uncomfortable on long rides a hour or so into the drive. Its hard to take off from a red light without the wheels spinning causing a ruckus. The body roll is insane when turning at spends higher that 15mph. The 235 @ 6,000 RPM and the 226 lb-ft Torque @ 3,500 Torque RPM is to much for the front tires.

• 

  So far sooo good. - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By geekfreak32 - January 4 - 2:32 pm

  Running on 76k miles now. All I did was oil change, battery change, tire change, filter change and belt change. Six years of owning this car ever since it was bought new, maintenance was minimal. I had a Mitsubishi 3000gt before, gave me all sorts of engine and transmission problems. Im sticking with Hyundai. Call it luck or whatever it is, my car runs like a champ. Forgot to mention, when I was on the L.I.E(495) coming from Long Island to Queens, a Stony Brook student hit the rear of my car with his Saab. My bumper only had a minor paint chip while his entire front bumper and hood was crushed in. The impact was enough to tilt my head. Unfazed.

• 

  2006 Hyundai Sonata LX V6 FWD Plush Ride not Firm - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By mogulprinceton - September 25 - 5:57 pm

  Lets make something clear the 2006-2010 Hyundai Sonatas are not sports cars, its more of a luxury car. It has a very smooth plush ride but the suspension is the worst. Its not a good car to cut corners fast in at all. A lot of body roll. It seems as if when taking off from a red light to a green light at full throttle the front wheels cant really handle the power the engine is giving off so it makes the wheels burn rubber on the pavement which I hate. The ESC kicks in very quick when on wet or slippy roads. I was driving and turned a left at a 15 degree angle at 20mph and the ESC did its job even though I didnt need it to save me at that time. It should have daytime running lights.

• 

  The 146mph Sonata - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By mrebate - August 6 - 2:20 pm

  No, I havent hit 146 but owners of this model may want to Google the title of my review. A rental was clocked doing that speed. However, I was going about 70 mph last month and unexpectedly came up on a large chunk of a truck tire in the middle of my lane. The Sonata handled like a Nascar vehicle. It reminded me of the first time I drove a Mercedes back in 1970. So far so good with this 6 year old vehicle, but it only has 29,000 miles. Depreciation is a factor with these cars, so you may want to look for a cream puff that is 1 or 2 yrs old if looking for a newer model.

• 

  Its just a reliable car... - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By meathead1986 - June 28 - 8:13 am

  Bought this car back in May after having to get rid of my baby(1996 nissan 240sx). Overall it is a great vehicle but there are reasons for my non 5 star review. First I have a fully loaded platinum edition and there was no nav installed. Thats a huge ding for me (Hyundai seems to have fixed this with new models). Second the paintis EXTREMELY thin so when you get a door ding it takes off every layer of paint. and the whole exterior of the car seems like they went and raided other manufacturers parts bins to throw it together... it has a little of every brand in it if you pay attention. having said that it is a great car and it does what its built to do. And I would reccomend it.

• 

  Best car Ive owned in my 39 years! - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By greywethr - June 16 - 6:37 pm

  I bought one for $10,000 w/29k miles. I wrecked it at 142k miles. At 40mph, I T-boned an SUV, and it still started, but Esurance totaled it. :( The water pump died at around 80k, covered. Between 100k & 142k, I replaced the front wheel bearings in 2011 (I drove offroad a few times), battery, alternator, rear brake calipers. Thats it, nothing else major went wrong. Minor things the past year or two, tape deck died, radio display flickers (I have Sirius, so that doesnt matter), antenna only goes half-way up.