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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  Love my 2006 Sonata!! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By PhrogLady - July 22 - 6:03 am

  The 2006 Sonata is a totally different car than the 2005! New body style, large interior, to include back seat seating for three! The 4-cyl has plenty of HP for the normal daily commuter and my gas mileage is running 22-24 mpg city stop and go use thus far.

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  Unbelievable value - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Jeff - July 19 - 3:23 pm

  This is my second hyundai. My first was a 2001 Elantra. All I can say is that this company has made massive improvements in comfort in the last 10 years. Ive put about 2K on the car so far and love it. Getting 31 MPG while doing mixed driving. For the size of the car, the way it rides, and all the features, I wouldve expected to pay way more. Theyve gone above and beyond. They even keyed a garage door opener into the rear view mirror. After testing ford fusion, Malibu, and accord, this one was far and above the best combination of ride and comfort.

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  Great Buy - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Hyundai4me - July 18 - 2:30 am

  I considered all the other makes before making this my final choice. I bought a base 4cyl with base options except bluetooth. Everything is standard!!! Unless you got to have leather and sunroof etc etc..you can not beat the deal!! Even if you bought the top of the line limited your still ahead of the other makes. Car has plenty of power. Great gas mileage. Rides smooth and quiet. Build is superb. Only 2 minor glitches is headlights cast a weird line due to the projector headlights and motor has gotten louder since new but not something i would rush to the dealer for. Do your math and for 18K...good luck finding better priced in the same field!

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  Very good and practical - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Eman - July 17 - 8:40 pm

  Im 48. After many years of sports cars and pick-ups, including my last Chevy S-10,which literally fell apart at 70,000 miles, I bought a new Sonata. I am a family man, with daughters 11 and 8. My wife drives a van. So, I decided to be practical -- buy a family sedan with good ratings and few frills. It came down to a Sonata or Honda Accord. I liked the Sonata better after test drives (the base Accord had a weird dash with giant radio call numbers) -- and it was $3,600 less. So far I like it, though there may be a thump underneath. I liked the S-10 new too for a while, but quickly problems arose and I was profoundly disappointed overall. No more union- made cars for me.

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  Lovin it for 3 months now - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Dan Abbott - July 17 - 2:33 am

  I remember seeing the 2006 for the first time in a post office parking lot and thinking about buying the car. Three months later I am exceptionally pleased at having done just that. My next car will likely be another Hyundai based on this last purchase. Easily the nicest car I have ever owned.

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  Great car - 2011 Sonata Limiited - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Great car - 2011 - July 16 - 5:30 am

  Driven car to and from FL - 2000 miles so far. Great road manners, easy to drive, comfortable and good visability. 39 and 35.6 MPG at highway speed. Odometer incorrect with the Hankook tires, need to adjust MPG up 2.4%.

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  Engine failed 72K, no help from Hyundai - 2012 Hyundai Sonata
  By wv_mazda - July 11 - 5:47 pm

  The lower end of my 2.4 L Sonata failed at 72500 miles under normal driving conditiuons. It has had an oil change every 5000 miles. Because I am not the original owner, the warranty did not apply. The dealer was very nice and sold me a used engine at full price. Hyundai USA declined to help me in any way. No care should have this type of engine failure at this mileage unless completely neglected.

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  Better than I expected - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By iwannacar - July 7 - 12:53 pm

  I did the usual and spent a lot of time looking at the Accord and Camry. I wasnt convinced about Nissans reliability and I didnt like the Altima/Maxima styling. I was surprised when i test drove the Sonata. Its quite competent and very stable. While not a sports car, it handles itself well. The steering can be bit numb if you get the 16 inch tires.

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  Love the new Sonata - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By dajak - July 3 - 11:06 pm

  The new Sonata comes only in a 4 cylinder which, at first, was off- putting. I drove and purchased the Limited, and was more than satisfied with the acceleration and handling. However, what really sold the car is the innovative new Lexus-like body style. I own a 2006 Sonata, which my son inherited, and had considered a 2009 or 2010, but was not in love with the looks -- plain Jane. The 2011 changed all of that. One sharp, well- equipped car for the $24,200 purchase price.

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  My Third Sonata too! - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By jlwibanks - July 2 - 2:41 am

  I just bought a 2011 Sonata slightly used with 9k miles on it and got a great deal from a Dallas, TX dealership. I traded in my Chrysler 300c Hemi - I was sick of driving it from gas station to gas station. What a revalation the Sonata is! It is so much easier to drive and cornering is way better than the 300c which just felt like a tank. Yes the Hemi had more power, but the Sonata is lighter and really does need it. I was very curious about real-world gas mileage so the first day I bought it, I took it round trip from Dallas to Plano and back on mixed city/highway driving. I averaged 35.7 mpg on the freeway cruising at 75 mph - I am sure if I went slower, it would probably be closer to 40.