The Lemon Index

All cars · Hyundai Sonata

2022 Hyundai Sonata.

The 2022 Hyundai Sonata is worse than average by owner complaints: 87 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 117, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 27 to 52 mpg combined. The best Hyundai Sonata year is 2004.

117Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Worse than average. 1.2× the average car's complaints.

Best year 2004 · Worst year 2011

Hyundai Sonata
Photo shows a Hyundai Sonata. Benespit, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints87first 3 years
Fuel economy27–52 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★★NHTSA overall

How serious. Out of 113 owner complaints, owners reported:

8crashes
2injuries
1fires
6tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

transmission & drivetrain26%
engine25%
electrical23%
fuel or ev drive system22%
automatic emergency braking9%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Hyundai Sonata year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 31K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 1K to 65K miles on the car (17 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

Recalls 3

  • fuel system, gasoline 2025

    A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.

  • transmission & drivetrain 2022

    The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.

  • fuel system, gasoline 2021

    Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Hyundai told dealers about

Hyundai sent dealers 99 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • If you are servicing an 8-speed front-wheel-drive vehicle with the DTC or symptoms listed…
  • Certain 2020-22MY Sonata (DN8a), 2021-22MY Santa Fe (TMa), and 2022MY Tucson (NX4/NX4a)…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

  • ClosedPedestrian alert sounds2023

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningStandard
Lane departure warningStandard
NHTSA front crash test of the 2022 Hyundai Sonata
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Hyundai Sonata 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★
Fuel cost and engines

About $1250–2400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.6L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl.

In owners' words

Engine overheats under acceleration and fans run on high after car is shut off.

2022 Hyundai Sonata owner · NHTSA complaint 11526894
More owner reports

Vehicle threw a check engine light, warning lights, and overheated when accelerating getting onto the highway and accelerating to highway speeds.

NHTSA complaint 11632796

Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire. What

NHTSA complaint 11582369

Quick answers

Is the 2022 Hyundai Sonata reliable?

No, it is worse than average by government complaints. It drew 1.2× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 117; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Hyundai Sonata year by this measure since 2010 is 2010.

What are the most common 2022 Hyundai Sonata problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (26%), engine (25%) and electrical (23%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2022 Hyundai Sonata have?

3 safety recalls (latest: fuel system, gasoline). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2022 Hyundai Sonata get?

27 to 52 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2022 Hyundai Sonata safe?

NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

Does the 2022 Hyundai Sonata have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 26% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2022 Hyundai Sonata cost in fuel a year?

About $1250 to $2400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2022 Hyundai Sonata have?

1.6L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl.

What Hyundai Sonata year is better than the 2022?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2019 and 2014.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data