Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here.
Owners have filed 1,142 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Hyundai Sonata, and it carries 9 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 392 | 34% |
| Unknown or other | 78 | 7% |
| Steering | 43 | 4% |
| Power train | 39 | 3% |
| Power train | 37 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 30 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 28 | 2% |
| Structure | 28 | 2% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 25 | 2% |
| Service brakes | 24 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The engine failed due to the known recall defect, dealer confirmed loss of compression in cylinders 2 & 4. I am a federal employee stationed overseas on official duty orders, and Hyundai Motor America is delaying safety
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Engine locked up, crank bearing failure, found out there is known failures with this problem and Hyundai had a class action suit against them in the past and issued lifetime warranty for this engine due to this problem.
NHTSA complaint: Engine
I bought this car new in 2015, when I was at 97000 miles they had to replace the motor and turbo, I am now at 155844 and they are telling me that basically all 4 cylinders have low compression, cylinder 3 is the worst. T
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Issue- fuel pump/supply line causing fuel to leak and fuel smell around the outside of the car. This can cause a major fire, explosion, death for myself and others around me. Problem has been confirmed by auto repair s
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
My Hyundai Sonata engine stalled out while driving on the highway. I had it towed to a dealership with the hope they would fix the issue because it was supposed to be covered under warranty from a recall. The dealership
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle lost power, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Vehicle: 2015 Hyundai Sonata VIN: [XXX] Mileage: ~85,000 Description of the Problem: While driving, the vehicle suddenly began producing thick smoke from under the hood without warning. I safely maneuvered to the shoulde
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Since the 9C2 update on June 24, 2026, my vehicle has not driven the same. I'm experiencing clunky or harsh gear changes at low speeds, especially during stop-and-go driving. When I slow down and then accelerate again, t
NHTSA complaint: Engine
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles manufactured December 8, 2014, to August 18, 2015, and Hyundai Sonata vehicles manufactured May 28, 2014, to March 18, 2016, equipped with the panoramic sunroof option. Due to a bonding issue with the s
Risk: If the sunroof detaches from the vehicle it could become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will repair the wind deflector anchor plate, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. H
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Sonata and Genesis vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the warning light to indicate that the parking brake is applied may intermittently not illuminate in the dash due to corrosion in the switch.
Risk: If the parking brake indicator is not illuminated when the parking brake is applied, the driver may operate the vehicle with the parking brake partially engaged, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the parking brake switch, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyu
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 29, 2014 to February 11, 2016, 2017 Elantra vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016 to February 22, 2016, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle manufactured October 15, 2015. In these vehicles, th
Risk: An air bag that does not inflate increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 5,2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 28, 2014, to August 21, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with an Antilock Braking System (ABS) warning light intended to warn the driver if there is an ABS malfunction. In the event of
Risk: If the driver is alerted there is a brake system malfunction, but not specifically with the ABS system, the driver may operate the vehicle unaware that the vehicle's brakes may lock up during hard bra
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control unit software, free of charge. The recall is expected began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1
| Reliability raw | 41 | below average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 61 | average |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 69 | good |
| Performance | 49 | below average |
| Efficiency | 50 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 1,142 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 392 of them (34%). There are 9 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 41/100 (below average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 61/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2015 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip, because the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here. Its overall ownership score is 63/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.