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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  A lot of car for the price - 2010 Hyundai Sonata
  By Chris - January 7 - 11:33 am

  I drive fifty mile to work one way. This car is fuel efficient, comfortable and reliable. Suspension sounds loose, but performs nice. There is a lot of car for the price.

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  Outstanding Sedan - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Dean - January 6 - 8:20 am

  I have purchased 15 new Japanese cars since 1978 - Mazdas, Nissans and Mitsubishi. This is my first Korean car. I must say that I am very impressed with the Sonata compared with the many Japanese cars I have bought in the past. Fit and finish are excellent, mileage is amazing (24.5 in the city, 34.5 on the interstate at 80MPH with the air conditioning). Many more standard features than most other brands and far less expensive. Most comfortable sedan I have ever owned. The warranty is far better than any Japanese manufacturers. After 3800 miles, Ive had no problems whatsoever. Although Ive only owned the car for 3 months, I highly recommend the Sonata.

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  Half year follow-up since purchase 1/31 - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By Recommend - January 6 - 6:13 am

  I wrote my original review 2/09/08. 34yr old buyer. After 5 mos. of ownership Im still very happy w/ my purchase. I have the dark cherry red with color matched door handles, blk leather interior. Sharp looks,rides beautifully. It is roomy; 4 adults and a car seat with room to spare. Huge trunk. Great mileage. Good power. My only regret is not getting the V6 (NOTE:the 4 cyl is NO SLOUCH!) I got my loaded 2008 Ltd off the showroom floor for $18.5K plus tax/title. I do like the new 2009 interior more + the improved HP and 1 mpg better for the 2009. Were I not so picky, there would be scarcely a chance to criticize or compare my 2008. No buyers remorse on day 1.Still happy after 5 months.

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  so far, so good - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Iowason07 - January 4 - 4:30 am

  Really nice ride, quiet, quick, comfy. Seems to me a better value than all the others. Many standard features, with many of them safety features the insurance institute really likes. I hope its as good as its warranty.

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  Sonata - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By SteveO - December 31 - 11:50 pm

  One of the best vehicles we have owned, great ride, handling and performance, Very quiet.

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  Gotta have it, Gotta love it (An honest review) - 2015 Hyundai Sonata
  By Talib - December 30 - 12:24 pm

  Like many others here, I rented all the cars before buying them, believe me its worth it. I rented a Camry, Altima and finally a Sonata, I was in a huge dilemma about buying a Nissan Altima or a Hyundai Sonata until the Nissan dealership in Lake Norman started playing tricks on me, and after 2 months of research and rental experiences, I finally decided to for a Venetian Red 2015 Sonata SE. I wanted a base model with allow wheels and blue tooth without having to pay for them, and guess what, the LED lights and the spoiler just came in ad an added bonus for Sonata, this is the beauty of Hyundais along with its amazing 100,000 miles warranty that you do not have to pay extra for a ridiculous package in order to get basic stuff such as alloy wheel etc, like in the cases of Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Alright, let me be honest and tell you a few things that I dislike about this car: - Gas Mileage (Hyundai claims it gives you 25 mpg in the city, which is not true, I get not more than 22 mpg in the city for sure) - Traction Control (The traction cannot handle the acceleration and the wheels would start spinning, even on the dry roads, not sure what to blame) - USB port - The built in USB port does not support android, at least not in my case, therefore I have to rely on bluetooth or AUX) - Dull Alloy Wheels - The dullness of alloy wheels for the SE trim does not compliment the car over all, but eh, I cant complain much as it is a BASE model Now, the things I absolutely love about this car: - Great Turn Radius - Beautiful LED lights (even with base model) - Highway mileage (32 mpg even driving at 75 miles an hour, you might get better than 37 mpg if you drive at 55 miles an hour) - Spacious trunk - Great leg room for rear seats - Just enough power to accelerate quickly and merge on to the highways/freeways - Amazing Brakes - Sports, ECO and Normal Mode (For those who do not know, once switched to SPORTS mode, the cars steering becomes stiff as well as the engine along with the help of transmission helps you accelerate the car at way faster, you actually feel like driving a sports car. Normal mode for regular driving I guess) - Eye Catching Front - I love the way it looks in the front, not a big fan of how they have changed in the back - Warranty - 36,000 for Radio, Media and speakers. 60,000, bumper to bumper and 100,000 for Engine and Transmission. I do not think any other automobile manufacturer can beat that. Punch Line: An absolutely wonderful package for those who would like to fall in love with their new ride.

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  Nice Surprise -- I am Impressed - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Nashville - December 24 - 5:33 pm

  I drove and looked at the Altima and Camry before deciding on the Sonata (I have owned Hondas for years and wanted something different). Seemed to me that the other brands are resting on their name and are letting quality and value slip. Hyundai really seems to be trying and has put some very nice features into their base model that you have to pay a lot more for in the other brands. I only have about 400 miles so far but I am impressed with the car. Quality seems great. If the car can make it to 200K with no major repairs I will say they have arrived. Cant beat a price that is $4K to $6K less than the others and a 5yr/60K bumper to bumper with 100K powertrain warranty. Im impressed!

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  Just what I have learned to expect from Hyundai - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By deking - December 23 - 11:41 pm

  This is the 4th Hyundai I have owned and again they did not disappoint me. I have never owned a Hyundai that gave me any problems so this was no surprise. The new sonata outdoes them all. The car feels and drives like I spent at least double what I did when I traded in my 2008 Sonata. This is just an amazing car, quiet as an empty church , stable and sure on country roads and highways. As with all of my other Hyundais, not a hint of a squeak or a rattle anywhere. No wonder they are selling so many cars.

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  Nicest used car Ive purchased.. - 2012 Hyundai Sonata
  By ciera223 - December 19 - 1:00 pm

  Ive only had my 2012 sonata for a few wks now, I purchased it used with 5k miles on it. For being used it isnt too bad, brakes are already bad, had to replace cabin air filter and the mpg they advertise is a lie, but its still better than my suv.The alternative starter in the middle console also dont work, so Im taking it in next week for that. I also agree on Hyundai customer service, its horrible, they dont care about their customers and they constantly lie. So with that said take your factory warranty and go elsewhere to get service done to it. Yes they will tell you you cant, but you can. I get mine serviced at A ford dealership where they listen and actually fix your car!

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  Best car for the money - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Phil Magro - December 17 - 7:06 am

  I recently bought my Limited 2011 Sonata after looking at every car in the mid size category. For the money this is the best car in its class; its quite, smooth, looks great and rivals cars costing much more, and when you consider the warranty, everyone should buy one of these. I walked in ready to lease a car, but after driving and researching the Sonata, I purchased the car. My daughter has a Lexus ES/350, I call the Sonata a poor mans Lexus!