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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  Sonata Beats The Competition - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By psr - February 15 - 5:00 am

  Bought the Sinat LX V6 and find that it defintely beats the Accord and Camry on all fronts. It offers a comfortable ride, plenty of room in front and back and plenty of horsepower. Accelerates very well and rides smoothly. ABS brakes are tops and Stability Traction Control helps on bad roads. Trunk is enormous and the 100K mile warranty is tops in this category. The leather seats are comfortable and good visibility from all windows. The CD player works flawlessly and the heated seats are wonderful. Best of all, people have stopped to ask me about the Sonata because its styling and apppearance. That never happend with my Accord.

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  Love the gas mileage, hate the quality - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Leon - February 11 - 9:11 pm

  It has about 57000 miles on it and its had 3 struts replace and 3 of the mounting brackets for the struts. The cruise controls are in a bind and are going to be replaced. Paint on both bumpers is cracked. Dealer repainted the hood but I got it back with the cluster assembly cracked in 4 places. Motor is very noisy when cold. Gas mileage is 27-28.

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  What a lovely car!!. Great MPG - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By citizencane - February 11 - 2:40 am

  I have never considered buying a Hyundai before. However, 2011 Sonata really changed my attitude toward this car company. Everything is perfect for a midise family sedan. Especially, mps is very impressive. I could get almost 30 MPG during ordinary drive(50/50). Very satisfying

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  Not as great as expected - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Karen - February 9 - 2:33 am

  Car looks like quality but after driving it a few months can see that I may have overpaid for what I got, Rides stiff (could be the SE model), tires had flat spots, some surprises and some disappointments--lots of storage spaces, vinyl inside doors, dash, seats scratch too easy, good head & leg room, Worst feature is the way all 4 doors unlock when car put into park (I got nervous at a gas station on a recent trip, I was getting my credit card out of my purse before exiting my car and realized some questionable guys nearby were "checking me out" and I wasnt safe with my back doors unlocked--gotta always remember to immediately re-lock the car when parking so no one jumps into backseat or side.

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  Great Value - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By Dale Poncy - February 8 - 10:00 am

  This is my 4th Hyundai. I have owned an Elantra GLS, Elantra GT, Santa Fe, and now this Sonata LX. All are 2001 or newer. These are great cars for the money.

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  perfect sales rep. vehicle - 2010 Hyundai Sonata
  By hantover - February 7 - 4:46 am

  Bought my Sonata new 2 1/2 years ago. Currently have 94,000 miles on her. High miles due to my profession as a sales rep. covering 5 states. Only one problem was a check engine light at around 40K - dealer said it was some problem with the fuel cap. No problems since. Routinely get 32 mpg highway. I have owned 32 cars since 1977. This one and Honda Accords have been the best for ride, comfort, gas mileage, and reliability. Left the sales rep. job 8 months ago, so I wont be driving the usual 50K per year. I intend to keep this one for another 10 years.

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  Not a happy customer - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By sherleej - February 6 - 9:03 am

  Well, it has been in the shop A BUNCH. They cant find the problem w/ the air bag light showing no one in the seat although they replaced the seat w/ a recall. They now say well we changed it we wont do nothing. Car has had one problem after another & now is out of warranty a lot of stuff is starting to go wrong. I am thinking of selling my car & will not consider a Hyundai to purchase. I feel the company has not tried to fix my car & that it is not reliable.

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  Best value I could Find - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By tuckerjm - February 6 - 6:26 am

  Been shopping for a car for 4 years. Intensive research. May not be the best car car, but it is a great car anyway. Definitely the best value for the money in its class hands down. Feature rich vehicle that you dont pay extra for.

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  Confused New Buyer... - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By magnoliaviva - February 4 - 9:50 pm

  My GLS XM doesnt have the MP3 input jack, or the leather-covered steering wheel and leather-trimmed shift knob, which is odd, because these are standard features! The sticker said it came equipped with fog lights, which the dealer confirmed, but there are no fog lights...which I found out driving home the first night I owned the car in a thick, blinding fog! It seems that there was a shift in the trim lineup the very week I purchased the car. This is something Ill have to resolve on Monday, when the dealership reopens. Meanwhile, this car is so peaceful to drive; its like riding on a velvet cloud - but with great road feel and steering-wheel feedback, as well as decent handling.

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  Looking forward to owning this for years - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By djali79 - February 4 - 12:12 pm

  I previously owned a 2001 Elantra GLS, which I drove from 31k to 191k on the odometer. I bought this Sonata with 25k on the odo. Hopefully it can get me beyond 191k. I love the bigger engine, even though there is a little sacrifice with fuel economy. The car is put together very well and is a great car for highway driving. Granted, the suspension doesnt shield noise as well as the Accord, but given the price difference, its hard to justify buying the Japanese brands. For the money, this car is difficult to beat.