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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  Good car, bad tires - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By snowman888 - March 11 - 1:26 am

  Nice car in general. Not sure why they decided to make such low profile tires standard equipement on the SE and Turbo. Totally impractical for most people. Perhaps in Korea they devote resources maintaining their roads. Here in New England, the smallest of potholes will cause a flat, of which I experienced two in the first week. I have since "upgraded" to the base 16" wheels. Significant improvement in ride and durability. Also agree that the steering sometimes feels that it wants to pull to the left. Not always, and mostly in the left lane when the road slopes away from the center. Prefer the feel of traditional hydraulic power steering. Otherwise nice car and good value.

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  Happy so far - 2010 Hyundai Sonata
  By Lou - March 10 - 11:56 pm

  1800 miles in 6 weeks. 4 things I would like to see:softer ride,less road noise especially on uneven roads,softer(more cushiony) leather seats & folding side view mirrors. Controls easy to work. Navigation system easier than Toyota. Priced right. It looks like a winner.

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  Sonata issue with IPOD player - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Pat - March 10 - 6:00 pm

  Overall the car seems to be an excellent value. My only concern and something Hyundai doesnt seem to be able to resolve is the IPOD port. I have connected 3 different IPODs in and none worked. The only music that played was some MP3 songs no Itunes. I went to my local dealer who couldnt resole the issue I contacted Hyundai directly and the response I got was to go to another dealer to have them look at it, even though that dealer is over 50 miles away. So still no answer to why the IPOD port doesnt work.

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  Deam-Car - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Patrick - March 10 - 4:36 pm

  Excellent quality. Ingeniously built: Smooth, Quiet performance. Feels incredibly solid like a Lexus or BMW. Everything is included so theres no desire for options. Fully-loaded the LX was a steal - and i paid below the MSRP. Hyundai must have done their market research. Because this is the perfect car.

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  Still love my Sonata - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By paul145 - March 10 - 1:34 am

  My Sonata Limited V6 has more than 30K and I love it - I have had literally zero problems with it. I commute 30 miles each way through rainy and sometimes icy Pacific Northwest mountain passes and it is a champ. Great acceleration when I need it, excellent mpg (30 mpg highway), handles very well and it can comfortably seat four large adults. My wife and I took it on a 1,000-mile trip down Highway 1 in Washington and Oregon and it was a fun drive.

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  More for your money - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Smooth_Ny - March 9 - 10:53 pm

  Im in love with my new 2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited Platinum Edition. The value I got for this car is amazing. I paid 23.3 including taxes and fees. I was in the market for a Toyota Camry, but I saved about 5000 going with the Hyundai. Toyota wouldnt offer much on my trade in, Hyundai did. And I got a V6 in addition to leather heated seats, and a great warranty for the same price as the Camry SE with the sunroof spoiler package(that was my first choice).

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  Excellent Value - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Jason - March 9 - 3:10 pm

  The car is an excellent value for the $. Very roomy, quiet, pleasant ride. Stands up well to other cars in category I test drove (Accord, Camry, etc.). The safety features are a major plus (ABS, ESP, airbags everywhere, childseat-ready back, etc). Good commuter car. Not super agile or fast, but more than adequate for typical driving. Plan to keep the car for many years if it holds up, as Hyundai (and their super warranty) seem to believe it will.

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  Impressive, Could be so much better - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By jws - March 9 - 7:30 am

  Drives fun and crisp. Lots of power, excellent brakes w/ 4-wheel disk breaks, ABS, and electronic Stability Control, but the fuel economy is VERY poor (~20 mpg on 40 mile roundtrip to work, mostly highway speeds, yet rated at 24-34; my Trooper got better gas mileage on same trip). Auto-transmission shifts smoothly; fake manual is a gimmick. Car feels solid. Not fond of large, dual branding on rear of car. Tried Fusion, Accord, Camry, and Mazda6 as well. This had as good a ride, more pep, better use of interior space. And the price is amazing for comparable cars. Have had for only 1 month so far, so this is my initial review.

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  Be careful Honda! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By David - March 4 - 9:16 am

  Honda and Toyota were two main imports that prevailed for the past decades. But it is official, the hell freezes over!! This Sonata out performes those Accords and Camries in terms of built quality and performance. Actually it can be compared with a Lexus or Acura league.

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  Sonata blows doors off Honda/Toyota! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Chuck - March 3 - 1:26 pm

  Just traded in my 05 Sonota (which was a great car) for the 06. I LOVE THIS CAR!! Feels like Im driving something much more expensive. Handling is a much better than my 05, but it of course makes for a little rougher of a ride. Thats OK though because I like the sportier feel! Can definitely feel the difference in the 235 ponies, compared with my 05! I really think once it catches on that this car will surpass Honda and Toyota. At least I hope so! Hyundai, keep your price points and you win!!