Last updated: 2026-10-10

RELIABILITY SCORE: 75/100 (GOOD)

2026 Hyundai Sonata Reliability Report

The 2026 Hyundai Sonata has a good reliability standing, but two electrical recalls are on record and no owner complaints have been filed yet.

Full Breakdown Compare Models

Recalls

Complaints

Complaint Rate

0per 10,000 sold

Est. Repair Cost

N/A

Annual Fuel Cost

$1,850–$2,200

Detailed Score Breakdown

Complaint Severity70/100

Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume

Repair Costs60/100

Independent repair cost ratings

Recall Impact88/100

Recall count weighted by severity

Issue Diversity100/100

Breadth of reported problem categories

The Verdict

Consider

Newest year, with no owner complaints yet but two electrical recalls on record and a good standing among the stronger Sonata years.

Should You Buy the 2026 Hyundai Sonata?

Reliability standing is good, and this is among the stronger of the nine scored Sonata model years. Against other 2026 sedans, though, it ranks below average. The 2025 Sonata also rates good and comes out about the same. The empty complaint record reflects how little time this year has been on the road, so it is not proof that nothing goes wrong.

Owners have filed no complaints, so there are no symptoms or mileages to report. Federal recall records list two recalls, both in the electrical system. The data does not say what they cover or whether they affect driving, so read the recall notices instead of guessing. Crash testing is a strength at 5 of 5 stars.

Ask the seller for proof that both electrical recalls were completed. The 2025 model is a fair alternative, with 16 complaints but no recalls on record.

See also the 2025 Hyundai Sonata for an earlier comparison.

Pros

+Acceptable reliability score
+Low recall count
+Below-average complaint rate for Sedan
+5-star NHTSA crash rating

Cons

No recurring complaint themes yet.

Compare 2026 Hyundai Sonata With

2026 Toyota Camry

Reliability: 88/100

Excellent

2026 Nissan Altima

Reliability: 88/100

Excellent

2026 Honda Accord

Reliability: 87/100

Excellent

2026 Kia K5

Reliability: 83/100

Excellent

2026 Tesla Model 3

Reliability: 59/100

Mixed

Common Problem Categories

Safety

LOW RISK

2 manufacturer recalls issued

Recall Overview

recalls on record

The 2026 Hyundai Sonata carries 2 recalls — a low count. Authorized dealers repair any open recall free of charge, regardless of warranty status.

NHTSA.gov →

Complaint Breakdown

per 10,000 sold

Segment avg: 0.3

LowAvgHigh

Very Low

Safety Incidents

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

★★★★★

NHTSA 5/5 Stars

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.

2026 Hyundai Sonata Recall Details

2 recalls have been issued for the 2026 Hyundai Sonata. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.

26V0470002026-01-27

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."

Consequence

An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 27, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 293. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 28, 2026.

VIN History Report

Buying a used 2026 Hyundai Sonata? Check its history first

Every 2026 Hyundai Sonata has a different past. A VIN check reveals hidden accidents, title problems, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls that reliability scores can't show you.

Accidents
Open Recalls
Title History
Odometer Rollback

2026 Hyundai Sonata NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall Safety Rating

Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

BEV / Gas Powertrain

Driver: 4/5Passenger: 5/5

Rollover risk: 9.7%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Advanced Belt Feature (Not Available)Seat Belt Pretensioners (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Seat Belt Load Limiters (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Head Protection (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Torso and/or Pelvis Protection (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Knee (Driver)Additional Air Bags (Not Available)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (Yes)Unattended Child Reminder Direct Sensing System (No)LATCH Locations (2nd row)Driver Monitoring System (No)Automatic High Beams (Standard)

BEV / HEV Powertrain

Driver: 4/5Passenger: 5/5

Rollover risk: 9.7%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Advanced Belt Feature (Not Available)Seat Belt Pretensioners (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Seat Belt Load Limiters (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Head Protection (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Torso and/or Pelvis Protection (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Knee (Not Available)Additional Air Bags (Not Available)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (Yes)Unattended Child Reminder Direct Sensing System (No)LATCH Locations (2nd row)Driver Monitoring System (No)Automatic High Beams (Standard)

View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Hyundai SonataRepair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.

Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.

Hyundai Sonata Resale Value

The Hyundai Sonata is estimated to retain about 56% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.

This benchmark covers the Hyundai Sonata model overall and is not specific to the 2026 model year.

Value Retained: 56%
Depreciation: 44%
Listings Analyzed: 359

Listings observed in May 2021. This is a historical market benchmark, not a current price quote.

Explore Hyundai Sonata depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.com

MPG & Annual Running Costs

Gas

27–32 MPG

Fuel cost: $1,850–$2,200/yr

Fuel only

23–28 city / 32–38 hwy MPG

Hybrid

47–51 MPG

Fuel cost: $1,150–$1,250/yr

Fuel only

44–47 city / 51–56 hwy MPG

Based on EPA fuel-cost estimates. Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2026 EPA label cycle.

Gas trims

Trim	Drive	Trans.	City	Hwy	Comb	Fuel Cost
Sonata FWD w/Stop-Start 2.5L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	28	38	32	$1,850
Sonata FWD 2.5L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	25	36	29	$2,050
Sonata AWD 2.5L 4-cyl	All-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	24	33	27	$2,200
Sonata FWD 2.5L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (AM-S8)	23	32	27	$2,200

Hybrid trims

Trim	Drive	Trans.	City	Hwy	Comb	Fuel Cost
Sonata Hybrid Blue 2.0L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (AM-S6)	47	56	51	$1,150
Sonata Hybrid 2.0L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (AM-S6)	44	51	47	$1,250

Best & Worst Hyundai Sonata Years

Best Hyundai Sonata Years to Buy

Based on reliability index score

Top Pick

Good

Hyundai Sonata Reliability Score Trend

Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.

Hyundai Sonata reliability scores by year
Year	Score	Rating
2018	61/100	Good
2019	71/100	Good
2020	62/100	Good
2021	64/100	Good
2022	65/100	Good
2023	62/100	Good
2024	73/100	Good
2025	76/100	Good
2026	75/100	Good

Hyundai Sonata Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
Year	Score	vs Prior Year	Rating	Recalls	Complaints
2026(selected)	75/100	-1	Good	2	0
2025	76/100	+3	Good	0	16
2024	73/100	+11	Good	1	41
2023	62/100	-3	Good	2	87
2022	65/100	+1	Good	3	95
2021	64/100	+2	Good	4	151
2020	62/100	-9	Good	5	163
2019	71/100	+10	Good	0	144
2018	61/100	—	Good	3	353

2026 Hyundai Sonata Reliability by Powertrain

The 2026 Hyundai Sonata is available with 2powertrain options. Here's how they compare on reliability.

Reliability comparison across powertrain options
Powertrain	Recalls	Crash Rating
BEV / Gas	1	5 out of 5
BEV / HEV	1	5 out of 5
Total	2

NHTSA tracks complaints by vehicle configuration when that detail is available. Model-level reports that do not identify a specific powertrain are included in Total but not assigned to a row. A plus sign indicates a confirmed minimum; — means no complaints could be attributed to that specific powertrain. N/T = Not tested by NHTSA.

* Incidents = crash + fire reports. A single complaint can include multiple incident types.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2026 Hyundai Sonata reliable?

Its reliability standing is good, and it is among the stronger of the nine scored Sonata years. Compared with other 2026 sedans it ranks below average. No owner complaints have been filed, but this year has had little time on the road, so that is not a guarantee.

What are the most common problems with the 2026 Hyundai Sonata?

No common problems have been reported by owners, because no complaints are on file. The only issues on record are two federal recalls in the electrical system. Complaints build up over time, so a pattern may still appear as more of these cars age.

Does the 2026 Hyundai Sonata have electrical problems?

Federal recall records show two recalls in the electrical system. Owners have filed no electrical complaints. The data does not describe what the recalls cover, so check the recall notices and confirm with the seller that both repairs were done.

How many recalls does the 2026 Hyundai Sonata have?

Federal recall records list two recalls for this model year, both in the electrical system. The 2025 Sonata has none on record. Ask for proof that each recall repair was completed on any 2026 car you are considering.

Is the 2025 Hyundai Sonata more reliable than the 2026?

The two years rate about the same, and both have a good standing. The 2025 has 16 owner complaints but no recalls. The 2026 has no complaints and two electrical recalls. The 2026 has simply had less time to collect complaints.

Don’t buy a 2026 Hyundai Sonata without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the 2026 Hyundai Sonata

Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2026 Hyundai Sonata does best on how many systems draw complaints (100/100) and worst on repair costs (60/100). 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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