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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  2011 Sonata GLS Review - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By AirForceOne - September 25 - 10:53 pm

  My wife and I had planned on buying a Honda Accord but our son told us about the new 2011 Sonata (and the good report that Consumer Reports had) so we went to our Hyundai dealer to look at it. My wife immediately fell in love with the Sonata. The lines on the car and the outstanding paint/clear coat were outstanding. The test drive was great. It drove extremely smooth, had plenty of power, and had every feature I ever wanted (Bluetooth with buttons on the steering wheel, satellite radio+AM/FM/CD and USB port). The 6-speed automatic also has a shiftronic feature (you can shift the car manually by tapping the shifter forward or backward). I got 30 MPG (mostly city) on my first tank. Great car!

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  Wonderful Car - Excellent Value - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By llerrub13 - September 25 - 4:46 pm

  This has been a wonderful vehicle. I purchased it new and it has performed superbly. It still looks good and performs well. All of the maintenance has been performed by the dealership. Had to replace headlights and stereo has had a couple of minor glitches. The fuel economy has been a little substandard but now for the good stuff. Ride is comfortable and sporty LX model has all of the bells and whistles including the sunroof leather seats and power antenna are very nice. I would highly recommend Hyundai to anyone (wife has purchased a Santa Fe and daughter has bought an Elantra). I see why Time magazine has named Hyundai as the 2009 "Car Manufacturer of the Year".

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  love / hate relationship - 2012 Hyundai Sonata
  By tonysi - September 23 - 6:59 pm

  My first non honda product in many years. Love the features, performance, mileage and style. What i hate are the problems, waste gate issue after 1000 miles, spider webs in the turbo, waste gate reprogram again and finally at 50k the engine light on again and a fuel pump replacement. While all were under warranty there were no loaner cars offered by my dealer. Its like my Corvette, great car when its running right !

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  2009 pearl white gls - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By steve - September 23 - 7:03 am

  I bought this car for the value,roominess,and style, We have a family of five 3 teen boys 6ft3 280 pnds,6ft2 215,and youngest 510 170. wife 5ft9 140, Me 61 320. We all fit with comfort I really like the new design of the seats they are made for taller people with lots of leg and shoulder room. Easy to drive.

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  “Solid mid-size contender for commuting” - 2012 Hyundai Sonata
  By gregg2707 - September 16 - 1:21 pm

  If you want to buy a good car for daily commuting, you canÂ’t do much better than this Sonata. Reliable, fuel efficient and pretty cheap to operate makes this an easy choice. We bought this car new in 2012 and currently have just over 62000 miles on it. This is the base GLS with only 3 options - most if not all of the important features you need are standard. Id recommend this Sonata to anyone needing a good, reliable, commuter car. Build quality is excellent and has been a very reliable, inexpensive car to operate. Only one warranty repair has been needed in 62000 miles and that was for a faulty cruise control switch which was repaired under warranty.

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  Over-rated - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By Stapleford - September 15 - 6:45 pm

  My 08 has several issues, and all seem common with my fellow owner. Loose molding strips, a failed oxygen sensor, failed tire pressure lights. The warranty is attractive, but read the small print, I was disappointed with a transmission issue. This car looks nice but is sluggish around 30- 40mph. It really should not be compared to a Accord or Camry,, unless of course you can measure intangible issues with the cost savings. It does not have the re-sale value associated with Japanese vehicles.

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  Hunk of Junk - 2000 Hyundai Sonata
  By cabbie - September 12 - 12:59 am

  This car has had the following parts replaced. Sun roof motors(2X), Drivers side window(2X), Antenna Motor, Pwr stearing hose busted, Breaks and rotors every 27,000(3X),Transmission Seals, Every sensor under the hood, the oxy.sensor(3X)They said that doesnt qualify for lemon law. It has to break 4X. The Radio, The Battery died in 03. the exhaust rotted out - they wanted 1500.00 to replace that. The car now has 90,000 Mi. My mechanic told me that I need a new motor. Hyundai will not replace the motor because we are not the Original Owners. DO YOUR SELF A FAVOR BUY A FORD !!!

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  2011 SONATA - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Leanne - September 11 - 5:33 pm

  I have only had this car one week and I absolutely LOVE IT!!!! There is not one negative thing I can say. I did many hours of research and test drove 5 cars before I made this decision. I drove the Ford Fushion, Ford Taurus, Nissan Altima, Chevy Malibu and the 2011 Sonata GLS and SE. The Sonata kicked butt in every way from style interior and exterior to performance to warranty to price!!

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  3 Years owned and No Problems - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Eric - September 11 - 12:48 pm

  I have owned my Sonata for 3 years now and the only thing I have done (besides the usual oil changes and tire rotation) is purchased tires. It has been better then I could have hoped for. Like most people I shopped around and was saying to myself, "Are you sure you want a Hyundai?". Im pleased I took the chance.I paid 17,500March of 07. It as sun roof, XM, AM/FM Radio, CD, alloy wheels, automatic, all the controls on the steering wheel, well its loaded for a GLS model. Any other brand with the same options was $28,000 for the cheapest. I want mention brands but it was the standard companies. Way more BANG for the BUCK.

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  Excellent Car - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By tmp - September 10 - 2:56 pm

  I bought my Sonata GSL 03 with all the bells and whistles new and couldnt be happier. Going on 6 yrs replaced brakes @50,000, just did timing belt @ 83,000. Did oil change every 3,000- 5,000 miles other than that general maintenance.Not thrilled with dealer very poor customer service. I have found overall excellent performance and comfort level. Arm rest worn and power lock just went. Previously owned Mederces, Cadillac, TBird, Mustang, Lincoln,