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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  What a surprise for the price - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Chris - January 18 - 8:50 am

  Personally, I would not have considered purchasing a Hyundai until the current generation Sonata was released in 2006. The rave reviews it received persuaded me to give the car a chance. My, how my opinion has changed... What a wonderful vehicle! It has the silky smoothness of drivetrain of a Camry, yet is much more involving and sporty to drive. For a young family starting out, this is a perfect vehicle. Interior space is fantastic, as is the touch and feel of materials. The 4 cylinder engine provided adequate performance - the V6 was magnificent and ended up being my choice. Throw in the 10 year/ 100,000 mile warranty and its a no-brainer - nothing else can compete in this segment!

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  awesome - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Bldgoddess - January 17 - 10:00 am

  This car had been such a joy to drive. It has fantasic pick up and a gorgeous exterior. I get people asking me all the time... Is that a Jag? The car inside has a very comfortable feel and I feel very safe knowing that there are front as will as side curtain airbags. And you cant beat the 10,000 mile 10 year warrenty. The Roadside assistance is a fabulous feature although my car will (hopefully) never have to use it. It is so reliable and safe that I am proud to be the owner my Hyundai Sonata!

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  great car for the money - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By mamamia - January 17 - 5:36 am

  The 4 cylinder, 2.4 Sonata is a good performer, powerful enough to get me from home to work, driving on city streets or on the highway. The car is stable and quiet driving 80 mph, the brakes are superb, and in general, the many SAFETY features, like the extra air bags and curtains, ABS, Traction Control, and especially ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) make it an EXCELLENT buy. The gas mileage is very good on the highway (well over 30 mpg). Its a SEXY car. I first saw the new Sonata from behind, and fell in love with the design.... Id say the Sonata gives you the SAME CAR as the Accord (we own one) and Camry -- and yet it has MORE SAFETY FEATURES than both -- for $3,000-$4,000 less.

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  Nothing Special - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Doug - January 17 - 3:33 am

  A decent ride thats comfortable but rather hum-drum. You dont get many second looks from other folks on the road regardless of age or gender (relatively first looks for that matter). Its more of a Buick from the Korean peninsula and less of an import with a tight, road-hugging feel. The handling is very subpar compared to the Subarus I have driven for the last 15 years. But for overall comfort with an ample number of conveniences its still a great buy.

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  Great value - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Jason - January 16 - 10:03 pm

  This seems to be a very solid well built car, so far. The acceleration (3.3 v6, 5 spd auto), while not amazing, is good. The manual mode on the auto is a nice feature. Braking is good, no front end dive, and a very good ABS system. You cant lock these brakes up. The handling is good for a car of this size, even at speed. The ride (with the 17" wheels/Michelin tires)is smooth, even over rough surfaces. There are no squeaks or rattles; fit and finish is just as good as any competitor. Value/dollar ratio is amazing...no other make can touch it. You get tons of features for a very attractive price

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  Good looking car but it has some problems - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By mcastro2 - January 14 - 3:03 pm

  I recently got my GLS and logged just under 1,000 miles on it. The car looks good inside and out. Its roomier than my old Mitsubishi Galant. But the steering wheel is very stiff. My Galant was much smoother on the handling. Then engine is late coming off the red lights but I cant knock it too much being a 4 cylinder. My Sonata pulls to the right instead of the left and the pull comes and goes. The Bluetooth is great but the voice recognition stinks. I thought it was my accent but I had my daughter test it and it stunk just as much. In the first thousand miles I have not seen better than 29 MPG. Maybe I need to drive some more before it starts to produce.

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  value for the cast, 5 yr warranty - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By bill - January 13 - 10:13 am

  This is a midsize sedan with a lot of bang for the buck, for a 2009 sedan, safety features were standard, ESC, ABS, Anti skid included, all hwalpful and 6 airbags which were often optional on others that only included 4 at the time. The stereo radio included sirrius free for 1 year, six great speakers, and controls for bass/treble/fader/side, andone more I forget at thistime, but the sound is crisp,esp with sirrius and cds , and wavs. I always feel safe with the safety featurs included. After 6 1/2 yrs ofownership I now have several things to have looked at, the up/down button for the driv window/ the tps light/ and possible brake inspection. The dealer in New Castle DE is great but after moving south 50 miles, the dealer in DOVER DE I would NOT recomend at all ! They often ignore you in service desk area, and act as if you are bothering them !

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  Perfect for a mom who doesnt want a van - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Mice0010 - January 11 - 12:06 am

  I absolutely love this car. It is huge! I can fit both kids in the back in car seats and have someone sit comfortably in between them. The trunk is unreal. The first 500 miles we got about 25 mpg, but after that it was like a light switch and now we are getting closer to 40. It handles well and Ive had 3 people mistake it for a Lexus. We live on 1 income and this car satisfies our need for a low payment and the fact that we like all the options on the car. I highly recommend the black one! When we were at the dealership purchasing the car they didnt have enough for the people who wanted to buy one. Also, the seats in the SE are super easy to keep clean.

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  2015 Sonata 2.4 poor engine/transmission synchronization - 2015 Hyundai Sonata
  By mayflower12 - January 10 - 9:24 pm

  I have owned a 2011 and 2013 2.4 Hyundai Sonata GLS and now I own a 2015 2.4 Hyundai Sport. The engine and transmission of the 2015 does not work well in normal mode. The engine seems to want to shift down when under load at low speeds but the transmission will not allow it with normal gas pedal pressure, causing the engine to shutter. Shifting is much better in sport mode, but the torque is a lot less than the 2013 and 2011. Even with the traction and stability controls turned off, when you take a tight turn from stop or a tight u-turn at a slow speed and then press down hard on the gas, to keep from being run over by fast moving traffic, the vehicle is slow to respond. Back seats to hard.

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  spend a few extra bucks and Go for a 2015.... - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
  By Jay - January 10 - 4:26 am