Hyundai Sonata Reliability: Best and Worst Years

The Hyundai Sonata is a midsize sedan sold in the U.S. since 1989 and built for much of its recent history at Hyundai's plant in Montgomery, Alabama. It is front-wheel drive and has been offered with four-cylinder, V6, turbocharged and hybrid powertrains. A plug-in hybrid version was also sold for several years. This page lines up every Hyundai Sonata model year from 2010 to 2024 on one scale, so you can see which years drew unusual numbers of owner reports and which stayed quiet.

Why these years stand out

2011: most complaints. The 2011 Hyundai Sonata scored 1538 complaints per 100,000 sold, 2.6 times the model average. Of its 3,476 complaints, 1,236 involve the engine or transmission, and the parts named most often are steering (1,183), engine (1,008) and electrical system (427). NHTSA lists 17 recalls for this model year and 10 defect investigations.

2010, 2019 and 2022: fewest complaints. The 2010 drew 345 complaints, or 175 per 100,000 sold; The 2019 drew 172 complaints, or 197 per 100,000 sold; The 2022 drew 114 complaints, or 219 per 100,000 sold. These years have been on the road at least three years, which gives owners time to report problems, so a low count means something.

What Hyundai Sonata owners report most

Engine complaints lead for the Hyundai Sonata, at 40% of all complaints for 2010-2024. Engine and transmission reports together make up 48%. One complaint can name more than one system, so the bars can add up to more than the total.

When problems are reported: mileage

7,184 Hyundai Sonata complaints list the odometer reading at the time of the problem. 34% were reported before 50,000 miles and 28% after 100,000. A large share comes after 100,000 miles, where wear items and age-related failures become more common.

Hyundai Sonata compared with other midsize cars

In 1 of 15 model years the Hyundai Sonata drew fewer complaints per 100,000 sold than the average midsize car we track for the same year. For 2024, the Hyundai Sonata scored 91 against a class average of 56. The class average only uses models with clean, published sales figures.

Hyundai Sonata generations

• 2005
  Fourth generation (EF)

  2.4L four; 2.7L V6 · 5-speed manual; 4-speed automatic

  This was the final year of the fourth-generation car.

• 2006-2010
  Fifth generation (NF)

  2.4L four; 3.3L V6 · 5-speed manual; 4-speed or 5-speed automatic

  This redesign was the first Sonata built in Alabama, and a 2009 update revised the interior.

• 2011-2014
  Sixth generation (YF)

  2.4L four; 2.0L turbo four; 2.4L four hybrid · 6-speed manual (early years); 6-speed automatic

  The V6 was dropped in favor of a turbocharged four-cylinder, and a hybrid model was added.

• 2015-2019
  Seventh generation (LF)

  2.4L four; 1.6L turbo four (Eco); 2.0L turbo four; 2.0L four hybrid and plug-in hybrid · 6-speed automatic; 7-speed dual-clutch (Eco); 8-speed automatic (2.0L turbo, later years)

  Hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions arrived for 2016, and a 2018 refresh restyled the car.

• 2020-2024
  Eighth generation (DN8)

  2.5L four; 1.6L turbo four; four-cylinder hybrid; 2.5L turbo four (N Line) · 8-speed automatic; 8-speed dual-clutch (N Line)

  The sport-oriented N Line joined for 2021, and a refresh for 2024 added optional all-wheel drive with the 2.5L engine.

The sixth-generation Sonata Hybrid continued into the 2015 model year alongside the new seventh-generation car. No V6 engine has been offered in the Sonata since the 2010 model year.

Hyundai Sonata fuel economy

The 2026 Hyundai Sonata is rated at 27 to 51 MPG combined by the EPA, depending on the version. Every year and engine will be on its own MPG page.

Crash test stars

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave the Hyundai Sonata these overall ratings (out of 5) for the model years it tested: 2011: 4-5, 2012: 5, 2013: 5, 2014: 5, 2015: 5, 2016: 5, 2017: 5, 2018: 5, 2019: 5, 2020: 5, 2021: 5, 2022: 5, 2023: 5, 2024: 5. Ratings can differ between body styles and drive types of the same year.

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