Is the Hyundai Sonata more reliable than the Buick Regal?

No. The Regal leads by a clear edge. It has 39 owner complaints and 8 recalls, against 1050 complaints and 20 recalls for the Sonata. The Sonata also spans more model years, so its totals are larger. Still, its injector and power loss reports are more serious and more repeated.

Which has more recalls, the Sonata or the Regal?

The Sonata has more. Federal recall records show 20 recalls across nine Sonata model years and 8 across three Regal model years. The Sonata's total covers a longer period, so part of the gap comes from time on the road rather than quality alone.

What are the most common Sonata problems?

Engine and electrical trouble lead. Owners report fuel injectors that fail and come back, an engine that jerks or shuts off at highway speed, and overheating warnings. Hybrid owners also report dead 12-volt batteries. Power train complaints include sudden loss of drive power, with the most crash-linked reports.

Is the Buick Regal's brake problem serious?

It can be. Five owners reported a hard brake pedal or fading braking, and two of those reports involve crashes, one with an injury. Some owners said a recall part was unavailable. Test the pedal feel on a drive and ask the seller about any open brake recall work.

Which Regal and Sonata years should I avoid?

Avoid the 2019 Regal, the weakest year, and check the 2018 closely, since it appears among both strong and weak years. For the Sonata, skip 2018 and 2023. The 2020 Regal is the best-supported pick.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Buick Regal vs Hyundai Sonata: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Buick Regal

Good

Hyundai Sonata

Good

Reliability favors the Buick Regal over the Hyundai Sonata. The Regal has far fewer owner complaints and recalls. The Sonata's repeat fuel injector failures and sudden loss of drive power weigh against it, though both cars still rate good.

How Do the Buick Regal and Hyundai Sonata Generations Compare?

Shoppers looking at a 2018 Sonata are buying the seventh generation (LF), which ran in the US from 2015 to 2020 and was facelifted in 2017. That year is one of the weakest. The eighth generation (DN8) ran from 2020 to 2023, with a facelift in 2023, also a weak year. For the Regal, the sixth generation began in 2018 and was facelifted in 2020, the final production year. That leaves three model years, 2018 to 2020, all from late in that car's run. A 2020 Regal is the last version Buick built.

Verdict

The Buick Regal is more reliable than the Hyundai Sonata, scoring 74/100 vs 68/100.

Reliability favors the Regal by a clear margin. Its owners filed 39 complaints across three model years, and federal recall records show 8 recalls. The Sonata drew 1050 complaints and 20 recalls over nine model years, led by fuel injector trouble and engine power loss at highway speed. One caution: the Regal's complaint rate per car sold is higher, and three model years is a small sample. Both rate good, but the Regal carries fewer serious, repeating mechanical failures.

Key Differences

1Buick Regal has 12 fewer total recalls
2Hyundai Sonata has 10.8 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Buick Regal scores 6 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

2Buick Regal

—

1Hyundai Sonata

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Buick Regal vs Hyundai Sonata: Which Is More Reliable?

Buick Regal vs Hyundai Sonata at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Buick Regal	Hyundai Sonata
Reliability Score	74/100	68/100
Years Tracked	3	9
Total Recalls	8	20
Complaints per 10k Sold	14.5	3.7
Year Wins	3	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Buick Regal and Hyundai Sonata?

Engine and fuel system trouble dominates Sonata complaints. Injectors fail, sometimes within the first 4,100 miles, and come back after replacement. Cars jerk, stall on the highway or lose drive power. Hybrids add dead 12-volt batteries. Regal complaints are fewer and different: stop-start restarts that lag at red lights, a false "Shift to Park" message that drains the battery, and a brake pedal that turns hard. The Regal's two crash-linked brake complaints have no counterpart among the Sonata's main areas. The Sonata's crash-linked reports sit in the power train, engine, electrical and lighting areas.

Buick Regal vs Hyundai Sonata common problem areas comparison
Component	Buick Regal	Hyundai Sonata
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.6Low	0.6Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	1.9Low	—None
POWER TRAIN	1.5Low	0.4Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.5Low	0.4Very Low
ENGINE	—None	0.8Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.7Very Low	0.1Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.7Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.2Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	0.1Very Low
STEERING	—None	0.1Very Low
SEATS	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Buick Regal vs Hyundai Sonata Reliability Compare by Year?

Buick Regal vs Hyundai Sonata year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Buick Regal	Hyundai Sonata	Edge
2020	75/1002R / 2C	62/1005R / 163C	Buick Regal
2019	73/1003R / 18C	71/1000R / 144C	Buick Regal
2018	74/1003R / 19C	61/1003R / 353C	Buick Regal

Best years to cross-shop: The 2020 Buick Regal scored 75/100 and the 2019 Hyundai Sonata scored 71/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Buick Regal vs the Hyundai Sonata?

Pick the Regal if you want the lower-risk used sedan and plan to keep it for years. Target 2020, which was the strongest year and the final production year. Check 2018 closely, since it shows up as both a strong and a weak year. Avoid 2019, which was the weakest. Before buying, test the brake pedal feel and watch for a "Shift to Park" message that will not clear. Pick the Sonata if you want more model years to choose from and can verify the car's history. Skip 2018 and 2023, the weakest years. The newest years, 2025 and 2026, rate well, but they have had little time to collect complaints, so do not treat them as proven. Ask whether the injectors were ever replaced, and check for recall work such as 22V746000 on the transmission oil pump. If you are shopping hybrids, have the 12-volt battery tested.

Buick Regal vs Hyundai Sonata: Common Questions

Is the Hyundai Sonata more reliable than the Buick Regal?: No. The Regal leads by a clear edge. It has 39 owner complaints and 8 recalls, against 1050 complaints and 20 recalls for the Sonata. The Sonata also spans more model years, so its totals are larger. Still, its injector and power loss reports are more serious and more repeated.
Which has more recalls, the Sonata or the Regal?: The Sonata has more. Federal recall records show 20 recalls across nine Sonata model years and 8 across three Regal model years. The Sonata's total covers a longer period, so part of the gap comes from time on the road rather than quality alone.
What are the most common Sonata problems?: Engine and electrical trouble lead. Owners report fuel injectors that fail and come back, an engine that jerks or shuts off at highway speed, and overheating warnings. Hybrid owners also report dead 12-volt batteries. Power train complaints include sudden loss of drive power, with the most crash-linked reports.
Is the Buick Regal's brake problem serious?: It can be. Five owners reported a hard brake pedal or fading braking, and two of those reports involve crashes, one with an injury. Some owners said a recall part was unavailable. Test the pedal feel on a drive and ask the seller about any open brake recall work.
Which Regal and Sonata years should I avoid?: Avoid the 2019 Regal, the weakest year, and check the 2018 closely, since it appears among both strong and weak years. For the Sonata, skip 2018 and 2023. The 2020 Regal is the best-supported pick.

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More Hyundai Sonata comparisons

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How we score the Buick Regal and Hyundai Sonata

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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