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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  Nice Combo Of Quality and Economy for U - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Havefun.Drive - August 27 - 8:06 pm

  Vehicle is great. Very great deal for the price. It is very big on the inside- room-wise. Deepwater Blue and Beige leather is a killer combination! LXV6 will knock your socks off. Back seating is comfortable and very spacious. Trunk is large. Engine is laid out excellent, where you can find everything easily. Gas is still a mystery since I just bought it on 01/04/06. Heated seats work very well.

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  Stepping Up - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Gwen D - August 27 - 9:20 am

  I am going from a Kia Sportage to the Sonata. Boy what a step up! I feel like I have died and gone to heaven in this car. I was also scared of buying another Korean auto but so far I have not been disappointed.

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  A lemon underneath a very nice looking exterior - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
  By judgemalloy - August 27 - 12:39 am

  The 2013 Sonata is a very nice looking car. I traded in a 2010 Elantra for the Sonata. The Elantra is a much better car than the Sonata. The Sonata has a very rough ride, especially at highway speeds. I expect this to lead to abnormal tire wear. The GPS/Radio/Bluetooth/AC combination is poorly designed and difficult to use. The combination design gives you control over one function at a time. For example, when the navigator is active and you receive a call, the navigator goes to the background. If you are on the call when you need to make a turn, you will miss it. The voice recognition feature is absolutely horrible. I have gone to using an external GPS and avoid using the built-in

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  grandmas car - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By tom - August 23 - 10:58 pm

  My 85 yr old mother purchased this 2004 sonata gls new. Turned into on coming traffic and was hit head on, the other car was totaled she received only a minor bruise from the air bag. We hoped they would total it so he didnt have to put her back on the road. Ins fixed it, she no longer drives and I have been driving it. Now I am glad they repaired it, its the best car I have ever owned.

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  excellent family sedan - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By BARES - August 23 - 6:30 pm

  The car is of surprising quality. The new 4 cylinder engine is smooth and quiet - more power than needed on most occasions. The styling is exceptional. The car seems as large as our E Class Mercedes at half the cost. Our next buy? Hyundai of course!

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  Dont buy this car - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By Caroline - August 23 - 12:20 pm

  I would not recommend this car to anyone. It caused me nothing but problems and was a black hole to my bank account. Every time something was fixed, something else broke or needed repairs. I will never buy another Korean vehicle again because of the cheap quality of this car. I should have known better.

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  Shockingly TRUE! - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By shocktrooper - August 20 - 10:46 am

  Went to test a 2010 Genesis Coupe and walked away with a 2011 Sonata! Felt like spam in a can in the coupe. Felt like a rich-guy in the 11 Sonata. Im a working class, 47y.o. veteran and this is way more car than I could afford from anyone but Hyundai. Climbing out of a 01 4x4 Ranger, this is like a fighter plane! Fast, efficient, comfy and Gorgeous!Harbor Gray Metallica! Can a gruntask for more? At the end of the commute each day, cant walk away without looking back at it over and over again. This IS love! Heh! BTW, seats are great for my busted back! "Git ya some!" Hyundai! Hoo-AH!

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  Undecided - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By rbolt - August 19 - 6:10 pm

  Great price. Ive been a GM owner for years but couldnt pass up on the look, price and mileage of the new Sonata. However, after three months, the jury is still out. Love the mileage and the look but have already had it in the shop to replace a leaky radiator. There also is multiple rattles in the glove box and dashboard, hood, etc. And one rear speaker buzzes when heavy bass is on. Radio display also fades out when car sits in sun all day. Many good things about this car but not sure after three months and problems already. Stay tuned.

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  Great Car, I will buy it again. - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Peter - August 16 - 7:58 pm

  First, when I was buying a car, I was looking for a car that will fit my family. I wanted to buy a used car, later I decided to buy a new one. It was Sonata. It has great warranty. It is reliable car. It does pretty well with millage plus it is fast enough. I love to ride in the backseat, it is so comfortable, but the long window during a sunny day will burn your neck in the back seat. There should be a radio station changing on the steering wheel. Steering wheel should be telescopic. The shoulder rest should be a bit longer or at least should be expandable like in European models. It could be a bit quieter at the back, the ride is smoother in the front seat than in the back. I think that is all

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  ok car - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By faraway - August 15 - 1:33 pm

  We got this car and its very Nice looking. The inside is very Nice. The only thing is the trany needs to be replaced. We are not happy. We talked to some one who has 2001 Hyundai sonata they told us that they had to replace the trany at 12,000 miles and now 68,000 miles later again same problem. Also the airbag light comes on and that will cost about $1000 to fix. If you need the spark plugs replaced it will be about $400 to do it because they have to take part of the motor apart. The tires are different on this car so they are about $160 a each. We have the v6 2.7litter and the oil filter for that style motor doesnt fit you have to get the 4 cylinder. Good looking car.