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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  Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By gixxer - August 1 - 12:06 pm

  This car is a fun to drive and very comfortable. It is a quite, soft ride with decent gas performance, although i wish it were better for a 4 cylinder (23-31) Im averaging mid 20s since Nov 07. This exterior of this car is stylish with black and silver the best looking, imo. Interior is nice, but basic and thus economical. Dont forget all that free safety engineered into this car. I like the size of the car and the space. Tons of leg room and truck space. Comfy seats. Stellar 4 disc brakes, smooth ride on great tires, and nice handling. I dont like certain plastic interior parts, seat belts are awkwardly placed, cup holder doesnt hold cups well, key fob gets poor signal.

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  The Best I have ever owned ! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Vince - August 1 - 8:36 am

  When driving through Alabama in Sept .05 and staying at a motel a stranger saw my 03 Sonata and asked me if i liked the car.My reply was a yes, he said if you like this one wait until you see the new 06 Sonata, well wait i did, on june 28th i bought a gls V- 6 .Let me say that the 10 month was worth it.The new Sonata is everything I expected and more, a world class head turner with great power looks and handeling and a price ever i can afford.

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  Best true value for your hard earned buck - 2017 Hyundai Sonata
  By EP1 - August 1 - 6:07 am

  A very good handling car, the car is very quiet while one the road, The car has a very comfortable ride both in the city and on the highway, the dashboard design and placement of controls are excellent, the soft blue back lighting is soft on the eyes, the sport seats are very comfortable and adjustable, having the power heated seats are a nice added plus. I have the sport tech package, I came very close to purchasing the Honda Accord with the sport package but the deciding factor was; Honda does not offer Sirius radio, or even offer telematics like blue link in the sport package, and the 10 year 100,000 warranty was what sold me for Sonata

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  Nice Ride - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Rod Hill - July 31 - 10:00 am

  We looked at other mid size vehicles and found that the Hyundai Sonata was the best for the buck. So far it has been a joy to own.

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  LOVE MY 04 SONATA LX!!! - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By SpecialK - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Purchased an 04 Sonata LX 8 days ago & I LOVE IT! Some ppl say it could use a little more horsepower and while that would be nice, it has nice power and pick up. Its extremely comfy & stylish. The functions are easy to find and use. You cannot beat this car for the features, style, comfort, safety and simple overall satisfaction at the price. Every1 loves my Sonata, makes me feel great. Great warranty, cant beat it. I had a great dealership experience as well. If you can complain about this car you should search in the $30-$40,000 range and you still might not beat this deal by much.

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  A Lot of Car for the Money - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By L. Hyland - July 29 - 11:40 pm

  I find it hard to imagine getting any more car for the money. We purchased a 2006 Sonata in July with all the "bells and whistles" for $20K out the door (plus tax and title). The car is a spirited performer with tight handling characteristics at all speeds. Fuel economy is what I would expect from a 235 HP V6--around 20 mpg in town and 29 -30 mpg on the road. Fit and finish are excellent. Leather interior is a must. The car lacks a Moon Roof which is fine with me. Interior noise level rivals anything on the market. Weve taken several long trips and put around 5,000 miles on the rig with no complaints.

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  Very Satisfied - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Gregg - July 28 - 6:40 pm

  Had a 2009 Ford Escape for 11 months and couldnt stand it, sold it and got the SE with nav sunroof and upgraded sound. It is a great car, This is a car I am gonna drive through college and am very happy to do so. The ride can be rough, but i love the 18" wheels so i can accept that. The nav is amazing and I use it all the time surprisingly. The engine pulls very willingly, Im 18 and drive this car hard all the time and it may not beat a G37 but it is no slouch, esp for a 4 cyl. The exterior is amazing and so is the interior on the SE and I couldnt be more happy with my new car.

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  Value not luxury - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By nanmark - July 27 - 10:28 pm

  Little disappointed after switching from Lexus. Navigation sounds like computer girl. Sounds very dated. Plus XM cant get there act together to activate traffic and weather. Still waiting. Home link hasnt been able to hook up on the garage door. My wifes Infiniti had no problem. Dealer thinks I might have a bad mirror Cant raise or lower the passenger seat and the phone doesnt have program abilities Overall it is a nice value, but not ready for people expecting more in quality and service. Id give mine back if they would take it

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  Absolutely Great Car!! - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Jen2 - July 25 - 10:00 am

  This is our second Sonota (our fourth Hyundai) and I can not say enough great things about this car. It is fun to drive, has a lot of pep, the style of the exterior is modern and up- to-date, the interior is roomy (with lots of head room so you dont feel like your in a box), there is plenty of trunk space and it is very reliable! As you can tell, I love this car!!! I would, and have, recommend the Sonota to my friends and family. The price is great and the warranty is phenomial. Take one on a test drive and you will see for yourself!

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  great car,great value, but kind of defenseless front fiberglass... - 2015 Hyundai Sonata
  By coloradoguy3 - July 22 - 6:26 am

  Really like the value and good MPG, electric heated seats!. Handles well on snow! Seats are comfortable for 6ft and over. Lots of pluses, lots of extras for great price!