Which Hyundai Sonata years have the most owner complaints, what goes wrong, and how many recalls each year has.

Owners have filed 7,968 complaints with NHTSA about the Hyundai Sonata from 2012 to 2024. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the engine and cooling, the electrical system and the steering. The years with the most complaints are 2013, 2012 and 2015.
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| Year | Vs. other years | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Sonata | Among the worst years | 1,559 | 8 |
| 2013 Sonata | Among the worst years | 1,918 | 9 |
| 2014 Sonata | About average | 750 | 7 |
| 2015 Sonata | Worse than most years | 1,156 | 9 |
| 2016 Sonata | About average | 730 | 6 |
| 2017 Sonata | About average | 769 | 3 |
| 2018 Sonata | One of the better years | 375 | 1 |
| 2019 Sonata | One of the better years | 162 | 0 |
| 2020 Sonata | One of the better years | 183 | 4 |
| 2021 Sonata | One of the better years | 135 | 4 |
| 2022 Sonata | Too new to judge | 96 | 3 |
| 2023 Sonata | Too new to judge | 88 | 2 |
| 2024 Sonata | Too new to judge | 47 | 1 |
Compared with its other years, the Sonata years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA are 2012 and 2013. The most reported problem area across all years is the engine and cooling.
The Sonata years with clearly fewer complaints than a typical year are 2019, 2020 and 2021. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly, since complaints keep coming in as cars age.
Across 2012 to 2024, owners report problems with the engine and cooling, the electrical system and the steering most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.
NHTSA lists 57 recalls across the 2012 to 2024 Sonata, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.
These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.
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