Hyundai Sonata 2020–2025
8th generation (DN8)
NHTSA data through 12 August 2026816 complaints, 135 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 47% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 9 times higher than during the rest of the car's life.
- First 12,000 miles — 47% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 10%
- 449
- 25%
- 1,400
- Median
- 14,698
- 75%
- 50,000
- 90%
- 89,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–20,000 | 79 | 58.5% |
| 20,000–40,000 | 10 | 7.4% |
| 40,000–60,000 | 16 | 11.9% |
| 60,000–80,000 | 8 | 5.9% |
| 80,000–100,000 | 14 | 10.4% |
| 100,000–120,000 | 4 | 3.0% |
| 120,000–140,000 | 2 | 1.5% |
| 140,000–160,000 | 2 | 1.5% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 816 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020–2025 Hyundai Sonata, and 135 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
47% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 9 times higher than during the rest of the car's life. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the engine (14.7% of complaints, typically around 15,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (11.4% of complaints, typically around 15,000 miles), the fuel system (4.3% of complaints, typically around 76,000 miles).
9 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Engine15,000median 14,698 miles, middle half 2,000 to 47,000
- Transmission and driveline15,000median 15,000 miles, middle half 2,000 to 21,000
- Fuel system76,000median 76,262 miles, middle half 50,000 to 92,000
- Body structure1,500median 1,500 miles, middle half 520 to 47,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel and propulsion system | 126 | 15.4% | — | — |
| Engine | 120 | 14.7% | 15,000 | 2,000–47,000 |
| Electrical system | 97 | 11.9% | — | — |
| Transmission and driveline | 93 | 11.4% | 15,000 | 2,000–21,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 86 | 10.5% | — | — |
| Forward collision avoidance | 49 | 6.0% | — | — |
| Fuel system | 35 | 4.3% | 76,000 | 50,000–92,000 |
| Body structure | 32 | 3.9% | 1,500 | 520–47,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 31 | 3.8% | — | — |
| Seats | 20 | 2.5% | — | — |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 14,698 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine accounts for 14.7% of complaints (120 reports, 19 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 14,698 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 47,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 11.4% of complaints (93 reports, 19 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 15,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 21,000 miles.
The fuel system accounts for 4.3% of complaints (35 reports, 28 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 76,262 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,200 and 92,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 3.9% of complaints (32 reports, 11 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 1,500 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 520 and 47,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2020 model year drew the most — 263 complaints — while 2025 drew the fewest at 20. The median year sits at 141.
The first year of the generation, 2020, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 9 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the fuel system (2), the transmission and driveline (2), the exterior lighting (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 816 complaints filed against this generation, 51 reported a crash; 3 reported a fire; 42 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 6.2% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 47% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the engine and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 14,698, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Brakes / Electrical 2020–2021
ABS hydraulic control unit can short internally and ignite while parked; subject to recall with an interim instruction to park outdoors.
Anti-Theft 2020–2021
Trims without an engine immobilizer are trivially hot-wired, producing a large theft loss pattern and insurer refusals. Hyundai issued a software countermeasure rather than a recall.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 263 | 72 |
| 2021 | 179 | 27 |
| 2022 | 142 | 16 |
| 2023 | 140 | 12 |
| 2024 | 72 | 7 |
| 2025 | 20 | 1 |
Recalls (9)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 25V796000 | 2026-03-09 | Fuel System, Gasoline |
| 24V583000 | 2024-09-12 | Exterior Lighting:brake Lights |
| 23V526000 | 2023-09-07 | Power Train:automatic Transmission:fluid/Lubricant:pump |
| 22V746000 | 2023-01-10 | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| 21V00M000 | 2022-06-20 | Visibility:windshield |
| 22V196000 | 2022-05-26 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:trunk Lid:latch |
| 21V524000 | 2021-09-03 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings |
| 20V213000 | 2020-06-03 | Electrical System:software |
| 20V122000 | 2020-04-22 | Equipment:other:labels |
What owners reported
Vehicle abruptly stopped in a traffic signal without giving any indications what so ever. When tried to restart it stalled pretty badly causing excessive vibrations. This had just 1900 miles on it. Vehicle didn't have any mil or any visible information about the issue. It created a huge traffic pile up due to the…
2020 · Engine
The contact leased a 2020 Hyundai Sonata. The contact state that the radar in the vehicle interacted with the radar in Ford vehicles. While parking in a parking spot there was a beeping sound detected. While at a stoplight with a vehicle in front to the side, the radar engaged when a Ford vehicle drove up. The…
2020 · 6 miles · Forward collision avoidance
The vehicle's fuel gauge (type c) does not accurately adjust for changes in the amount of gas in a timely manner. It normally takes 2-3 days for the gauge to move to full tank even though it is full. Same problem from 1/4 to 1/2 tank, etc. For example, i noticed the panel said i had 11 miles to empty on friday. The…
2020 · 449 miles · Electrical system
Tl* the contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the doors opened independently without the unlock button being depressed. The vehicle was taken to wallace Hyundai located at (3801 se federal hwy a, stuart, fl 34997) however, the mechanic was unable to determine the…
2020 · 600 miles · Latches and locks
Built from 135 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page