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:

• 

  Love, love, love it! - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By pam - November 29 - 9:39 pm

  Bought with 23,000 miles on it and in two years, have not had one single thing done to it except change the oil. Has started every single time - even in 20-below zero weather. Like the style -too bad they changed it for 2006 - now you cant tell the Sonata from any other car out there!

• 

  Love it! - 2010 Hyundai Sonata
  By mtck95 - November 29 - 2:00 am

  I traded in a 2008 Mazda Tribute for the 2010 Hyundai Sonata. I wanted something with better gas mileage and a better interior design- I found it! I love my Sonata and do not feel like I lost much interior space going from the small SUV to a sedan. I ended up with a cheaper payment, better gas mileage, and a vehicle that I believe will be more reliable long-term. It handles well and is fun to drive! Im very happy with my purchase.

• 

  Still evaluating but not bad - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By bigdog66 - November 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought a SE with the Nav and Sun roof Package. The XM radio, Bluetooth, interior and exterior stying are Great. I dont like the traffic locater on the XM nav but the Nav screen and turn by turn is great. The venetian red gets a lot of Compliments and the MPG on Highway is great. City is about average but the car Has plenty of Room. 200 hp is ok but the Steering is Hard to get used too. Electronic assist needs improvement. The steering wheel Height is not good for taller or bigger guys. all in all not bad but still evaluating, 1500 miles so far.

• 

  Not Much Wrong with this Car - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By bmac50 - November 28 - 2:20 am

  Less then 1400 miles, one of the first things I did was change the air filter to K&N, seeing 23 MPG in town, on the road I dont know yet but some mixed with mostly town 26. More than enough pick up to get out of the way and starting in 1st. Very roomy, good seats and driving position, wish the seat bottom was a little longer but on any car I do. Easy to read gauges, very strong brakes and great audio system. Of course the best warranty in the business doesnt hurt. Easy to get the steering wheel where you like with both tilt and telescopic. Wasnt really that hot about leather or the moon roof but Im finding I was quite wrong.

• 

  WOW WHAT A CAR - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Barney - November 26 - 9:23 am

  research prior to purchase indicated this is a good car. Took a trip through the rocky mtns. just after purchase, great performance,lots of room,comfort, safety features, and the 5 year warranty. I love this car. Have had lots of positive comments from passers-by, friends etc. Great value for the price.

• 

  The best choice for the money!!!! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Extremely Satisfied - November 26 - 1:00 am

  I had read about the Sonata before buying it and this car has surpassed ALL my expectations. You cannot get better value for the money right now, period. I test drove a Lexus, the Sonata is 3 times cheaper but it is NOT 3 times less the car. I have had it for almost a week and a couple of people could not believe this was a Sonata, a guy even said it looks better than his aunts Lexus. The warranty is a killer who cares if anything breaks, it even includes free courtesy car!!! You can ride in serious style without being flashy. Handling is impeccable with the 17" wheels, massive tires, excellent braking distance, awesome metallic paint, very powerful and smooth V6. Outstanding!!!

• 

  New owner impressions - to be updated later - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
  By wrigh003 - November 25 - 1:21 pm

  Just bought my ’13 Sonata SE on 12/31/12, and so far I’m in love. The gas mileage calculator is ticking up steadily as I get past the initial leadfoot (it’s plenty fast, even without the turbo…) test drive miles, so I’m curious to see where it levels out. I hear that it takes up to several thousand miles worth of driving before the mileage really gets where it’s supposed to be, I will likely update this in a few months with that knowledge, as well as doing manual calculations when I go to the gas pump. I commute back and forth a total of 80 miles a day, 99% in highway traffic; even with the SE suspension and the low profile 18” tires, the ride is pleasantly firm rather than harsh- even over expansion joints and through construction zones along the interstate. It’s likely that a GLS or Limited would ride softer, with the slightly different suspension and taller-sidewall tires, so if cloudlike ride quality is a concern, consider that. For my money, I prefer the SE. Radio display could maybe be a little better. I’m still not 101% used to how it’s all laid out, though, so my opinion here may change. Blue backlighting is nice, auto-adjusting to ambient light conditions as the automatic headlights go on and off I could take or leave, I think. I will be digging into the manual to see if that is a setting I can adjust. That said, my phone paired to the stereo in about 10 seconds and calls through the mic/speakers in the car are easy to hear and easy to be heard, which is a good thing. Stereo on my particular SE sounds good and although it doesn’t seem to really crank (I think I have the 104 watt base stereo), that’s OK, the car is quiet enough at highway speed that it doesn’t have to. Need to read the directions and get all my stuff figured out and set up there, find some XM stations I like, etc. I’ll wait a while before I tear into the radio like I tend to do in most of my vehicles- but again, it’s 100% serviceable as is, and with plenty of connectivity (Bluetooth, aux input jack, etc) besides. My particular vehicle also has the BluLink connection – to be honest, beyond “Hyundai-brand OnStar,” I don’t even really know what this is or how I’d use it- another thing to look in the manual for. Nice touch if you’re looking for it and/or had something like it on a previous vehicle. The driver’s seat is comfortable and easy to adjust, and the cloth material on the center section of the seat has kept me in place well, no sliding around like a full leather seat can sometimes cause. Heated seats are a nice thing – never would have picked that as an option living in AL like I do, but my wife loves them and during our brief winter I’m sure I’ll love them too. Used them this morning. Also worth noting is that Hyundai is smart- lots of people with Sonatas are going to have a kid or two (three in my case) in back, at least occasionally. The back side of the driver and passenger seats (at least in the SE) appear to be leather/leatherette – that way you can wipe off the marks from dirty shoes, etc., if any happen to get put there. Cloth might have been cheaper to install, but that one little touch will cause the car to look nicer, longer. Same story on the armrest areas on the doors and the armrest on the console – all appear to be covered in material that will wear well, which is a good sign in my book. While I’m on the interior, I’ll note here that I’m 6’2” and generally automatically move any seat, in any car, all the way to the back. My new Sonata is the first car I can ever remember not needing to do that in. Front legroom is excellent, and even more to the point, so is REAR legroom, even when I have the seat where I’ll need it. If things go according to plan, by the time I get rid of this car, those little boys won’t be little any more, so this was important to me. As a lifelong manual transmission prefer-er, my left foot keeps looking for something to do, but I am enjoying the paddle shifters just as well as manually rowing the gears- and I’ll admit that it’ll be nice to be able to let the car do the shifting whenever I happen to get stuck in the occasional traffic jam. One of my reasons for preferring a manual transmission is the simplicity argument- it’s one less thing to break years down the road. Here’s hoping I never have to use it, but the long powertrain warranty Hyundai offers was one of the reasons I was able to get my own head around buying an automatic- the paddle shift ability is just a bonus for me. The trunk is utterly cavernous. I don’t golf and don’t really know anyone who does, so I won’t use the usual “holds _ golf bags!” metric, but those three boys I mentioned earlier like to eat. Groceries for our family are sometimes a two-cart affair coming out of the store. The old Montero Sport we had before had plenty of space for anything we wanted to put in it, but I’d be amazed if this car had any less- comparing the space below the back of the rear seats in the Mitsu vs. the trunk in the Sonata, just from looking at it, I’d say the Sonata probably actually has more space. I won’t be throwing any sheets of plywood in here (I have an old pickup for that…), but I don’t think I’ll ever wish for a bigger trunk for anything one could reasonably expect to transport by car. These are my initial impressions on a car I’ve had only a couple days, but I shopped casually for a long time (18 months?) while squeezing the last utility out of our old SUV, and I drove the Sonata back to back with an Accord and a Camry. The Hyundai was every inch the car as both of those, and better in most cases. Hyundai is for real. If you’re like me and remember with amused horror the Excel and other terrible mid-90s Hyundai’s, do yourself and your wallet a favor and drive a new one. I think you’ll come away pleasantly surprised. Leveraging last-day-of-year and having Edmunds.com TMV looked up on my phone, I was able to confidently negotiate a great price for a great car that should serve my family for years.

• 

  Love my car - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By petvetmom1 - November 25 - 1:00 am

  I researched quite thoroughly before buying my Sonata 2002 used in July 06. Reliability and Safety scores made the difference for me. Since Ive bought it I couldnt be happier. The car is beautiful have gotten comments from friends and strangers about its looks--"looks like a Jag". Besides that I love the car it looks great, ride is smooth and powerful, very quiet. The interior is comfortable, spacious and beautifully appointed, the stereo system sounds great. This is probably the nicest car Ive owned even though it is 5 years old, and Ive owned an a new Accord, a Celica and a Mazda 626. First used car I buy and best buy I ever made.

• 

  Is Driving Believing? - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By Munda - November 24 - 10:00 am

  While Ive only owned my Sonata (Black LX)for a month, Id put it up against my wifes 2000 Honda Accord any day. The handling is responsive and sporty for a midsize sedan, the ride is smooth and quiet and the acceleration is more than I expected from only 218 horsepower. I have a fairly long commute and this engine provides better than expected power, coupled with good gas mileage for 6 cylinders.

• 

  A Fine Family Sedan - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By HappySonata - November 24 - 10:00 am

  We were looking for a new car for winter driving b/c we also own a 2001 BMW. Test drive Hondas, Toyotas, Mazda. For a comparably equipped Japanese car wed have to pay more. Never thought about a Huyndai. Almost bought a Protoge until seeing the Sonata in the dealers lot. One test drive and we were sold. The car has been flawless. I am extremely glad I got this car.