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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  Great car and great warranty!!! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By dwhitie - January 7 - 9:13 pm

  I have owned my Hyundai Sonata for 4 years. It has been a great car ever since. The only issue I had was the visor broke, but they replaced it under warranty no questions asked. I love the way it drives and its reliability. I would definately recommend it. I currently have 98,000 miles on it and trust it will go many more miles.

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  Best customer service and value for money - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By bmet2013 - November 10 - 9:27 pm

  This is my second Hyundai. I bough an Accent brand new in 2004 and only had one issue. About 34k miles I had to get a second to third gear sync and it was covered under warranty. My Sonata is a blessing. Last year I let my parents use it to go on vacation to Myrtle Beach. Loaded with luggage and 4 people through the hills it managed around 31mpg which was really awesome! The car got up to 35 mpg on my monthly trip to indianapolis from cincinnati. Cincy to Indy and back to cincy it used barely 1/2 tank. Normally I see 23mpg mixed which is ok. Ive gotten as good as 400 Miles per fillup in mixed. Over all this is a great car for the money. Always get complements on my car!

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  4 Year Review - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By ccbloome61 - August 23 - 7:25 pm

  My 2007 Sonata has just turned 4 years old in July of 2011. When it was new I did have a wheel balance problem which was fixed by the dealer at no charge. The battery started leaking acid this summer and I replaced it. Still on the original Michellins and have done no other repairs as of yet. Still looks like new and drives like new. I have 40,000 miles on it now. Really have enjoyed it. Powder White Pearl and I had the windows tinted.

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  The best sedan I have ever owner - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By chinatown - August 9 - 8:21 pm

  I bought this car used, with 23,000 miles on it. We took a 1500 mile trip shortly there after. It averaged 28 mpg. I change the oil every 3000 miles along with other routine maintenance. etc. It now has 130,000 miles on it and recently experienced brake chattering. The pads have been changed several times, but never the rotors. Well as it turns out the rotors were as smooth as a babys a--. Yes, after 130,000 miles, all it needed was pads. Does it show its mileage, but of course. However, if you are considering this model, dont be concerned about advanced miles. This will be the best sedan you will ever buy. Nuff said.

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  A very well built car - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By elster - June 19 - 1:21 pm

  Bought my 2004 Sonata 4cyl base model used in 2006 with 24K miles. My car currently has 138K miles and still going. No major work needed. Biggest repair was the cv/boot from all the speed bumps I went over. This cost about $600. Also needed a new engine mount at about 100K miles. I get 25MPG city and 31MPG on long trips. The other drawback is the paint job. Very peeled, but not worth repairing for a 7 year old car. They make good cars.

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  Calling all recalls - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By disabledvet84 - May 15 - 10:06 pm

  Like most cars, the 2002 Sonata has its recalls and defects, at first this car was rated very high in customer satisfaction and industry standards, for the most part this still holds true despite recall defects... what i find interesting about the bad features of this vehicle is not that its a bad car but that simply stated, The only thing bad about this car is mainly small recall issues in its performace design. what i really like about the company is thats they are quick to investigate any problems with this car to fix any malfunctions free of cost...5 stars here..thats called trust!

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  Oh Hyundai...Youve come a long way - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By asb81689 - March 19 - 11:33 pm

  This is my second Sonata, my first one was a 04. I have a LX with leather, and I must say, what an excellent car.. Im beyond happy I bought his over a Accord. Its been a problem free car and rides like its on clouds. My friends are amazed at the ride quality, how smooth and quite the 3.3 V6 is. Its not the fastest sedan out there, but it gets the job done. I really do like the styling of each Sonata generation, starting from 2002 and up. My Sonata is almost at 70K miles, and feels new. A teenager texting on his phone rear ended me, he had to be going 15-20mph, his air bags deployed, yet mine didnt (Thank god), and the best part is, there wasnt a dent on my bumper! Just a paint chip

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  Power Steering Hose Issue - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By neil2002 - February 27 - 3:32 pm

  Well, Ive been starting to have power steering fluid leaking all over the place. Took a look up under the car and the high pressure power steering hose is spitting out a lot of fluid. Judging from these reviews this is a very common problem with sonatas. Usually seems to happen around 100K (my 2002 has 105K on it). Definitely a design flaw, but dont know if it meets criteria for a class action. Would do this myself to save some $ but cant really save that much as this is a dealer part thats about $300. Ill let the techs install as Im sure theyve done plenty and the labor (although its not a 2 second job) is not the brunt of the cost.

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  5 years and still love my car - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By concordenerd - February 5 - 11:05 am

  I have had my Sonata for 5 years now and still like the car very much. I wish it would have some of the newer features, but no big deal. Gas is a plus as well.

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  Best car so far - 2005 Hyundai Sonata
  By tommynatl - February 1 - 4:24 am

  I am the type of owner who drives and maintains a car till the wheels fall off. That being said I typically buy new so I am assured of its maintenance and driving record. This is my first hyundai and I am so impressed I have quikly switched my alliegence from honda. Whatever they are doing, they are doing it right. It handles like a typical 4 door sedan except for less roll or g forces. It takes off like a rocket even when left in auto ( you can manually shift ) . But more important it has not had one single repair issue since ive owned it. This after 145 k miles. Thats right, 145 thousand miles. Not one breakdown. Not one tow. Not one replacement part. Bear in mind I do basic maintenence.