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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  OUTSTANDING VALUE!!! - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By GP MANDIS - November 12 - 2:00 am

  ROCK SOLID AFTER 30K IN ONE YEAR! THE BASE 4 CYL IS AMPLE POWER. I TRAVEL 710 INTERSTATE MILES EVERY WEEKEND, AND ONLY DRIVE 30 MILES M-F IN TOWN. I LIKED IT SO MUCH, THAT WE ARE NOW 2 HYUNDAI FAMILY (SANTA FE FOR THE WIFE)! WHAT A VALUE - 13150 OUT THE DOOR!

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  Bumpy but good - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By bumpy but,good.. - November 10 - 8:06 am

  Very good car, but very bumpy on hard and rough roads. Had to replace stabilizer bar after 3 days old relating to a bumpy feel on the road. Have been told that there is a problem with the strut mounts from an outside vendor and the dealership dont see the problem, but they have felt it. Im awaiting to have company rep to see the car to let me know what they can do about this problem. Other then that a cool car.

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  EPA inaccurate - 2015 Hyundai Sonata
  By Scott G. Winter Park, FL - November 9 - 12:50 pm

  My car is suppose to get 23/32 MPG but no matter how I drive, Eco, Normal or Sport, baby driving...coasting to red lights in city and doing 75 hwy, I consistently come in 4 MPG less both city & hwy. I have tested the computer read by the old fashioned way of spending down the fuel and then filling back up, tracking the mileage. I have done Octane additives at the suggestion of the Hyundai service advisor. I took in to get the cars computer system checked. They just want to blow it off as did the Hyundai America customer service. When I read reviews on the Turbo 2.0 Sport limited, I see every so often drivers mentioning their mileage at what I am suppose to get yet am not. I figure at $2.50 per gallon this will cost me about $300 a year! Not happy and not done complaining. Now, for the rest of the car, it is awesome for the money. I have used numerous times all the tech stuff on this Ultimate package that comes on the Sport Turbo limited. Very impressive. I hear complaints on the pick up but I am telling you that if you throw into tiptronic, you will fly! The smart car technology on cruise is awesome, cross traffic control is incredible, back up cam with sonar, excellent, BSD and BSD oncoming warning is spot on, forward crash avoidance works like advertised!

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  Smokin HOT - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By MZKL - November 9 - 10:06 am

  I have driven Chevy, Dodge & Mazda and am so Happy I made this purchase. I got rid of a car with Gas mileage of 26/32 and This car blew my mind with the look and value. I love the GPS and Bluetooth which other cars have but jack up the price over 25k.

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  All the Car Ill Ever Need or Want - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By drtone - November 9 - 2:53 am

  Weve had our Sonata GLS V6 for about six months, and I have yet to find anything I dont like about it. The worst thing I can say is that the knobs and buttons are slightly different from those in my Hyundai Sante Fe, so that it can be momentarily confusing. The ride is postive, with great road feel, but also comfortable. The car handles beautifully at any speed. The car is fast enough, and its performance is best when it is need the most, at passing speeds. The automatic transmission shifts so smoothly it is almost spooky. I confess to not having driven the competition, but it is hard for me to imagine that, for the money, any of the Japanese sedans is better.

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  Competitive Build, Great Value - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By JR - November 8 - 2:56 pm

  After test driving all the obvious competitors, I purchased my Sonata. The value and warranty are impossible to beat. Ive had to deal with a few minor quirks that the dealership cant/wont fix (strange dash panel fit around the radio, rattles coming from the windshield and the rear headliner). The exterior design is nice (looks like the offspring of a late-model Accord and an Audi A4) and the interior is decent. The manual mode on my auto transmission is a bit odd - it always feels like it lags behind my input when shifting. Overall, a great car with an exceptional warranty.

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  Wait just a minute - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Craig - November 7 - 7:33 am

  My suggestion to anyone considering buying this car, test drive it at night on a road not well lit. the line of vision from the headlights is terrible. I find myself constantly using my high beams to see. Also you have to be at a complete stop to reset the trip odometer, so if you are using mapquest and want to reset point to point you have to stop the car? what genius devised this? Defroster doesnt work, i am taking to the dealer on Monday, the service manager seemed miffed. Glove box rattle is a design flaw had to fix myself with a small piece of Velcro. Its a decent car, my fear is the car is in such demand that more quality issues will arise from production output pressures.

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  1999 Sonata - Excellent Value - 1999 Hyundai Sonata
  By Canon - November 7 - 2:00 am

  Overall, an excellent vehicle considering the initial investment. No problems at all to report. Fun to drive and handling is above average for a 4-door sedan. Performance was enhanced by the addition of a K&N air filter (highly recommended) with 0-60 times cut by 1 second. This engine wants more air! Interior comfort only compromised by the inclusion of the cup (?) holders. Dont use them! The quietest ride this side of an SEL 500. Watch the speedo on the highway - at 140KM/h youll be wondering why its so quiet. Biggest complaint - it dints easily. Soft outer skin.

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  My 2nd Hyundai - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Young - November 6 - 4:40 am

  After my 7 yr old Elantra got rearended and totalled, I simply went back to Hyundai and bought a Sonata. I wanted to buy another Elantra originally but decided to upgrade. Im very sad to lose my beloved Elantra who saved me from 3 accidents in total but also Im happy to be a proud owner of another Hyundai. I strongly trust their safety and reliability. For 7 yrs I had absolutely zero problem with the Elantra. I paid $17,700 for my Sonata with premium pkg after loyalty discount and cash rebate. Pleasant exprience at the dealership. Sonata isnt as quiet as Camry. But still very quiet & great handling esp. at corners. Very roomy and great pickup w/ 4 cyl. Very responsive break. Great car!

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  Nice wheel for the money - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By JimSouthJersey - November 5 - 2:00 am

  Nice wheel ! Larger / Faster Motor would be nice