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 family car for the price - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By dan - May 22 - 6:56 am

  Purchased my Sonata GLS V 6 in May 2006. I have driven it to Sarasota Fla twice so far [985 miles one way }. I averaged 30 mpg on the hwy fully loaded with 3 adults & 2 younger children. city milage is about 21 mpg . V6 has more power than needed , but great on the hwy. First time Sonata owner , I have on complaint , disc breakes squeak alot when damp .

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  best kept secret in the automotive indus - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By w. sumner - May 19 - 8:50 am

  Blindfold youself. Take a ride in the sonata. youd swear it was something thousands of dollars more!

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  Sonata - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Heather Lloyd - May 14 - 1:46 pm

  My Sonata is sporty, and fun to drive. Its a roomy as a Camry or Accord. My family has always owned Camrys, and I had owned 2 new Accords. I have no regrets about my Sonata. It was was my best purchase yet. I have the quality of an Accord or Camry, and got it at a lower price and with a better warrenty. You cant go wrong!

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  06 Sonata, just a great overall vehicle - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By blnewt - May 11 - 5:23 am

  After comparing similar sedans (Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, VW & Ford) I was very surprized I would even consider a Hyundai. After reading the steller reviews on Edmunds and other sites & publications, I had to try one out for myself. I could not believe what a refined vehicle this was. Ive driven plenty of quality vehicles from BMW, Audi and the above makes, and this Sonata is as solid as most anything Ive driven. The doors were very heavy and the ride extremely quiet (similar to my fathers Audi A6). With the best warranty, largest interior and great looks, it was a very easy decision making the Sonata GLS-V6 our next car. Id look into one while theyre still a bargain~better hurry!!!

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  My Other Car is a Lexus - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Marty - May 10 - 1:20 am

  Ive had a Lexus RX SUV for about 4 years now. Even though a new RX is priced almost $20k higher than the 2011 Sonata Limited that I now own as well, I find myself making apples-to-apples comparisons between the two on a daily basis. Strange as it may seem, the comparisons come out even more often than not. The fit and finish of the Sonata is comparable to the Lexus in nearly every way, with the possible exception being that the leather seating on the Lexus is a little more supple. Im sort of a tech junkie, and the Sonatas nav system with its upgraded speakers and backup camera really hooked me. The systems integration really makes driving a lot more safe in todays times.

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  hard to beat - 2005 Hyundai Sonata
  By alasher - May 8 - 11:16 pm

  WE LOOKED AT MANY CARS IN THE 20,000 PRICE RANGE AND YES SOME WERE BETTER.BUT AT 18,100 OUT THE DOOR WITH .09% FOR 60 IS HARD TO PASS UP FOR A LOADED MIDSIZE AUTO! WE HAVE 2100 MILES LOVING THE RIDE ON OUR LEATHER SEATS WITH GOOD SOUND COMEING OUT OF THE BOX. WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT? A 10 YEAR WARRANTY YOU SAY, WE GOT THAT TOO.

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  Big Bang for the Buck - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By goldwing - May 8 - 10:26 am

  I now have just over 20,000 miles on my Sonata and to date 0 problems. For a car in this class I have to say that Hyundai hit a home run. Plenty of power and considering the engine size and horsepower, fuel economy is very good (22+ city, 32+ hwy). This is a fun car to drive, very comfortable on long trips, great handling and I can put up with the little noise of the suspension at this price. If you can find a better car at this price than please let me know. I looked at Toyota and Hondas before purchasing this car and I found the Hyundai Sonata to be an exceptional value.

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  Happy so far - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Mike - May 2 - 9:46 am

  Ive only had my Sonata for a few weeks but so far I love it. It definitely handles really well, and is less bumpy than I thought it would be. Im 62" so I need a fairly large car and the Sonata has more than enough rom for me. The back seat has plenty of room even with my seat almost all the way back. I upgraded to the premium package. I like the power seat, and its pretty comfortable. Volume control on steering wheel is nice. The only thing I dont like so far is that its a 4 speed automatic. Its kind of slow getting going, like after a stop light. It lacks that immediate kiddy up. It has plenty of power on the highway, but going from idle to about 25 MPH is a little slow.

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  What is missing - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By zorst - April 30 - 3:43 pm

  Okay, I love the looks, the power, the economy. The car rides smooth and quiet. I love the bluetooth radio I make my calls through the bluetooth it works fantastic "call friend, mobile, yes" thats all there is to it. I sound better through my car than my phone. My 32gb thumbdrive works, holds and plays music on the radio, who needs CDs anymore. I have learned to like the footbrake. And I like what is missing, no transmission dipstick, and no timing belt. This should add up to less maintenance. Oh did I mention 87 octane? My friends love the look of the car I opted for the plain wheels, I think at first glance the hubcaps look better than many wheels from other manufactures.

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  Sonata - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Diane Dreher - April 29 - 7:56 pm

  I love the get up and go performance of this car. It drives smooth and safe around curves etc.. I truly enjoyed all the Denver Blizzards this year, because me and my car got everywhere we needed to go!