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, Here are the things I would fix - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By GregNice23 - November 28 - 9:13 pm

  Great Car. I wrote my review already about this car, here are my suggestions towards a better car. They need to fix the front seats, they are very very uncomfortable. Needs break away mirrors. Take that damn seatbelt warning off, it drives me crazy. The ride is choppy, its not as smooth as a accord or camry. If they fix this the car would outsell toyota and honda hands down. Also, change the rear lights, it looks to much like the 05 accord, it needs its own identity.

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  dont buy it - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By green - November 28 - 8:43 pm

  Just bought this car for less than 2 months, and wanted to get rid of it everyday. There are several problems: (a) a lot of rattles on the front side of the car. This is ridiculous for a car with only 1500 miles, and says something about its build quality. (b) the infamous rear suspension problem seems not fixed even for this 2008 model. When I drive it at a imperfect road at 30-40 mph, I simply cannot bear it. I have to choose a longer route to work because of this problem. (c) when the oil tank is full, it makes noises, and the dealership told me that the cure is not to get a full tank. Will I buy a hyundai again? you bet not.

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  Industry"s best kept secret - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By VJ Kazaka - November 27 - 12:16 am

  This is the best equipped, best built, best designed, AND best priced car on the market. Body integrity is outstanding. Design completeness is apparent thru out. I looked at all the available cars in the competitive arena and kept coming back to the Sonata.

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  A lot of car for the money!! - 2015 Hyundai Sonata
  By Derrick W. - November 25 - 1:17 pm

  If you ae in the market for a quality mid-sized sedan, then this car should be at the top of the list. I just purchased my Sonata yesterday, & I was pleasantly impressed. The car, when I got in it, had a very good quality feel. It didnt seem to be cheap, & the tech package was impressive. But what blew me away is the way the car drove & handled. After the test drive I hardly believed it was a 4 cyl car; @ 185 hrs pwr you have enough to get the job done - if you need more then of course youll foot the bill for that, but I dont find it necessary unless you plan to go street racing. The mix of fuel economy, elegant design, & appointments make this car really competitive against choices like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Kia Optima, Nissan Maxima, etc., but checks in way below the belt pricewise of them all. To me the this is the most bang for your buck.

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  Didnt buy a Lexus - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Test Driver - November 24 - 2:10 pm

  Having driven the Sonata for less than a month and married with 3 kids, this car seems to deliver. Most of the cars I owned were Toyota but with the worse economy since the depression, Hyundai is right for our budget. I would suggest to visually check every nook and cranny before signing. this car is roomy and interior design is up to par, the dash board placement of gauges and knobs are intuitive. Great gas mileage. No buyers remorse yet, update you all next year.

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  Hankook Tires - 2010 Hyundai Sonata
  By Bob - November 23 - 10:00 am

  Great car, fun to drive. The main problem are the Hankook tires as they wore out in less than 1 year. Only 18,000 miles on car and now I need to spend $600.00 for new tires. hankook tires would NOT even pro-rata tires. Avoid these tires, absolute JUNK!

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  Awesome car - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By MER - November 23 - 10:00 am

  My mother bought a limited phantom black metallic with the nav and I fell in love with it so I bought a pearl white SE with the nav. I love the sporty model (SE) but still love the limited with the backup camera, leather seats and Infinity sound system so I just bought a venetian red limited as well. The insurance is reasonable and the car is just cool in every way. Could not be happier with my SE and limited.

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  A pleasant suprise!! - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Michael - November 23 - 2:07 am

  I purchased my 2009 Hyundai Sonata in 2010. I was a bit hesitant about the purchase but I scored a really good deal and it had a great warrantee. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I have made. Im currently in the market for a new vehicle because my sonata was involved in a car accident. But Ive put over 70k miles on the car without hardly any mechanical issues. I had an issue with the power steering pump around 40k but that was it. Besides breaks rotors and fluid changes, I have not had any other mechanical issues with the car. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone in the market for a good used car. It was just as dependable in 100 degree weather or 20 below with a foot of snow on the ground. I hope I am as lucky moving forward to find such a reliable and dependable vehicle.

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  The Only Way To Fly - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Fred Hirsch - November 21 - 7:06 pm

  Second Sonata, first was 03 that I put 332,360 miles on... most reliable car I ever had so the 07 was a no brainer. Did lots of research over a 6 month period, it all came back to the Sonata Limited. Styling (clean and classy), loads of standard equipment with plenty of safety features and the expectation of the same or better reliablity then my 03 make it the best buy in the marketplace. Car is powerful, smooth and fast. Controls are well placed and have a solid feel. Many thoughtful touches include plenty of storage inside and lit window switches and steering mounted controls. Handles like a true sports sedan. Front seats have great shoulder and back support. Rock on Hyundai!!!.

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  You will get to know the service department people - 2015 Hyundai Sonata
  By Gorpot - November 21 - 5:03 pm

  I had a 2009 Sonata, and a 2012 Sonata, with no problems. I never had them back for any warranty work. This is not the case with the 2015 Sonata. I have had the car for just 1 year, and have been back for warranty work 8 times now. It is the Last Hyundai I will ever own. Had it back 3 times to fix the rear window defogger switch. Twice for the right front brake caliper recall. How can it be that Hyundai does not have the part in stock for a recall item. Service manager told me they can not order the caliper until they are sure I needed one. If that is truly Hyundais policy on a recall item, then I dont want any more Hyundais. I had the car back three times to get the front passenger seat belt fixed, and it is broken again. As far as the gas mileage, I get about the same as I did with the 2012 Sonata, even though the 2015 is suppose to be 2 MPG better. Acceleration is not as good as the 2012 had. The ride and comfort level is good, a little better then the 2012 had. Last time I will buy a first year redesigned model.