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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  Great Car, Great Value - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Tom G - August 7 - 11:59 pm

  I bought this car used with just over 2,000 miles. I was immediately impressed with the quality, comfort and performance. The car looks great as well, and for the money, cant be beat. A year later I have 20,000 miles on it and have had no problems. My wife and kids want to drive it more than they do their own vehicles. I never owned a Hyundai before, and am now convinced their vehicles are on par with Honda and Toyota.

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  Love our 2007 Sonata - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By jxaedm - August 6 - 11:23 pm

  Love this car. My wife & I wanted a mid- size car that was quiet & rode smooth. I did some research; we rode in the Camry (06) & Altima (06). Altima is a nice car; has more sporty feel & thus not quite smooth as the Sonata. If difference in ride comfort of Sonata & Camry exists then we didnt notice it. Look at the price difference, throw in the warranty, it isnt even a contest. Everyone who sees/rides in our Sonata is sort of stunned. It is a refined car & yet they havent heard of it. The V4 was peppy, but we opted for V6. We do a lot of highway driving so we wanted the power that a V6 offers. Also, it is more quiet than the V4. Quietness of the V4 pertains to all the models we looked at.

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  Read this review! - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By 3rd Hyundai - August 6 - 8:50 am

  Overall an excellent value, the V6 has tons of acceleration, gas mileage is just ok. The car is loaded with standard features that would typically be options on any other car. the appearance is outstanding, standard 5 spoke mags. The radio is better than I anticipated, after setting the eq levels, the sound system was dramatically improved. I discovered the trip computer accidentally, yet another nice feature... Best of all I did my haggling over the internet, and had the deal done before I arrived at the dealer, I was in and out in 45 minutes (a new record for purchasing a new car).

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  Rate My Ride - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By Louise A. Carasone - August 5 - 4:09 pm

  I have been driving my Sonata for 6 years and have little or no trouble with it. I have been keeping up the maintenance schedule and only taking it to the dealer for my service work. I now have approximately 58,000 miles on my car and the timing chain went and am now faced with rebuilding the engine, at a cost of $1,500.00, Hyundai is going to pick up the rest as a good faith gesture. I would not suggest that you keep this car past 50,000 miles. They say in the warranty 10 years or 100,000 miles. Im not sure this car is designed to last that long. Really Bummed in Connecticut.

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  Best car out there in its class - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By coolhokie - August 5 - 3:20 am

  I had a 96 Honda Accord and was totalled in an accident. Ive been eyeing on Hyundai Sonata ever since this new designed Sonata came out. After considering its style, lots of standard features, best warranty, price. I decided to buy this Sonata. And I am loving it more than ever after owning it. Car has so many safety features like front, side, knee airbags, Traction control, Electronic stablity control, ABS, etc. Engine is real strong yet quiet but very fuel efficient. Ride is very comfortable and nice too.

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  Nice car, questionable quality - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By David - August 4 - 2:03 pm

  Love the style, features, etc. Unfortunately, after owning for one week, the air bag light stayed on. After two weeks, I had transmission problems (hit a slight bump in the road and the car downshifted to 4th gear and it was stuck in 4th gear from that point on). Took it to the dealership and they said it needed a new transmission, car was in the shop for over a week as they had to get the transmission from Korea. In short, I had to have the car taken to the dealer for service for two items for a car that was less than 3 weeks old. Complained to Hyundai consumer affairs which was a waste of time. I can only hope that the reliability will be better going forward.

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  4 cyl surprise - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Homer - August 3 - 9:10 pm

  I am flabbergasted at the smoothness and agility of the Sonata 4 cyl. It surpasses anything I ever expected. I have been driving a 3.8 V-6 with every conceivable option. This Sonata beats the pants off my old car even though I liked it a lot. Mileage is in the low 30s, pick up is surprisingly quick and quiet. The ride is great, albeit not quite as good as my XG350. It handles very well with a good feel on the road and in traffic. It has enough options to be comfortable and complete.

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  sonata - 2012 Hyundai Sonata
  By bossman54 - August 3 - 8:52 pm

  good purchase

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  Great value - 2017 Hyundai Sonata
  By Steve Manicor - August 2 - 2:29 pm

  For the price I paid, this car is a great value. It has loads of interior space and great safety features. The interior design is ok, nothing spectacular but again for the price more than adequate. The exterior design is very nice, especially with the sport package. I would recommend this car to anyone who is looking for a great value. The longer I own the car the more satisfied I am with the purchase.

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  Wonderful Car - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Dave - July 31 - 3:46 pm

  I had to get a company vehicle and actually traded in a Mercedes SLK 230. The model to get is the GL 4 cylinder automatic. If you get all of the incentives available and buy over the internet, you may find yourself paying around $16000 plus tax. For that money, you will get a car that blows the comparably equipped competition (Camry, Accord)- out of the water. Seriously, the BASE Sonata has the same features as the mid level Accord and Camry. It is the perfect company car, and surprisingly, I like driving it. Great gas mileage, wonderful stereo. Hyundai has proven that it can build cars on par with the Japanese for several thousand less. What else is there to say?