Avg. Price Paid:$9,297 - $11,396
Original MSRP: $17,670 - $24,170
MPG: 21 City / 31 Hwy
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Hyundai Sonata Recalls & Reliability

These scores and this review are from when the car was new.

Scorecard

Overall: 2008 Hyundai Sonata U.S. News Best Cars 8.4
Critics' Rating: 8.8
Performance: 7.5
Interior: 7.8
Safety: 9.7
Reliability:
How we calculate scores
Research analyzed for this review

Pros & Cons

  • Extremely spacious interior for its class
  • Many typically optional comfort and convenience features come standard at an affordable price
  • Class-leading list of standard safety features
  • Top-notch powertrain and new vehicle warranties
  • Four-cylinder is seen as sluggish by some
  • Poor road feel, especially compared with the leading vehicles in its class
  • Bland, uninspired exterior styling
  • Has yet to achieve the "solid" feel of top European and Asian competitors

Research Other Years

Review Last Updated: 7/31/08

Recalls

There have been 3 safety recalls issued from NHTSA.

EXTERIOR LIGHTINGRecall Date: 03/28/2009
  • Consequence: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
  • NHTSA Campaign ID: 09E012000
  • Potential Number of Units Affected: 16270
  • Summary: SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
  • Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
  • Notes: THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES PRODUCED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER. IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF YOUR AFTERMARKET LAMP ASSEMBLY IS AFFECTED BY THIS NONCOMPLIANCE, PLEASE REVIEW THE LIST OF MODEL NUMBERS PROVIDED TO US BY SABERSPORT. THE LIST CAN BE FOUND UNDER "DOCUMENT SEARCH" LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .
AIR BAGSRecall Date: 04/01/2008
  • Consequence: MISCLASSIFICATION OF A SMALL STATURE ADULT AS A CHILD IN THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MAY CAUSE THE RIGHT FRONT AIR BAG TO NOT INFLATE IN AN ACCIDENT THAT MERITS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND MAY RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.
  • NHTSA Campaign ID: 08V161000
  • Potential Number of Units Affected: 393714
  • Summary: HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 393,714 MY 2006-2008 SONATA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM WHICH FEATURES AN OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. THE PURPOSE OF THE OCS IS TO DISABLE THE RIGHT PASSENGER SEAT FRONT AIR BAG WHEN IT DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM OR SMALL CHILD IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. THE RIGHT FRONT AIR BAG IS DISABLED TO PREVENT INJURIES TO A CHILD THAT MAY RESULT FROM A RIGHT FRONT AIR BAG INFLATION DURING A CRASH.
  • Remedy: DEALERS WILL VERIFY THAT THE OCS DOES NOT PROPERLY RECOGNIZE A PROPERLY SEATED ADULT OCCUPANT. AFTER VERIFICATION, DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT CUSHION ASSEMBLY AND SHIP IT TO AN EVALUATION AND REPAIR FACILITY. THIS FACILITY WILL EVALUATE AND REPAIR OR REPROGRAM THE SEAT CUSHION AND OCS AS NECESSARY. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT MAY 26, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
  • Notes: HYUNDAI RECALL NO. 083. CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTSRecall Date: 02/13/2008
  • Consequence: IMPROPER AIMING OF THE HEADLAMP MAY RESULT IN POOR VISIBILITY POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
  • NHTSA Campaign ID: 08E021000
  • Potential Number of Units Affected: 4085
  • Summary: HYUNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING 4,085 REPLACEMENT HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD FOR USE ON 2006-2008 SONATA AND AZERA VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ALIGNED PROPERLY AND FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
  • Remedy: HYUNDAI-KIA DEALERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR SUPPLY TO HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA. NONE OF THE HEADLAMPS WERE SOLD AS RETAIL. AS A RESULT, AN OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER WILL NOT BE ISSUED.
  • Notes: HYUNDAI-KIA RECALL CAMPAIGN 080. CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Reliability

Our reliability score is based on the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) rating or, if unavailable, the J.D. Power Predicted Reliability rating.

Dependability Ratings1 2008
Overall Dependability
Powertrain Dependability
Feature & Accessory Dependability
Body & Interior Dependability

1These scores come from consumer ratings of their vehicles after three years of ownership.

  • Key:
  • Among The Best
  • Better Than Most
  • About Average
  • The Rest

J.D. Power and Associates Power Circle Ratings do not include all information used to determine J.D. Power and Associates awards. See JDPower.com for more information on Power Circle Ratings. Your experience may vary.

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Warranty

Hyundai provides a five-year or 60,000-mile new vehicle warranty for all Sonatas, as well as a 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

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