Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 720 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Sonata, and it carries 6 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 | 316 | 44% |
| Unknown or other | 37 | 5% |
| Steering | 24 | 3% |
| Exterior lighting | 20 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 20 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 20 | 3% |
| Structure | 18 | 3% |
| Power train | 16 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 15 | 2% |
| Unknown or other | 12 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The car died while going 70 on a highway with no warning signs. The car completely shut off and will not turn over or move at all.
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Component & Inspection: Vehicle engine suffered connecting rod bearing failure and entered restricted P1326 "Limp Home Mode" (max 2,000 RPM). The vehicle is grounded and available for inspection at Bud Clary Hyundai in [
NHTSA complaint: Engine
My Sonata 2016 suddenly lit up the Check Engine icon, which was blinking. It is available for inspection request, as it's in the shop right now. Added 2 qts of oil just to be safe. Was hoping the light would go away i
NHTSA complaint: Engine
My 2016 Hyundai Sonata (VIN: [XXX]) has a serious safety issue involving excessive engine oil consumption. The vehicle loses oil rapidly between changes and requires frequent top‑offs to avoid engine damage. This creates
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Cylinder 3 misfire code and rough idle/driving car tries to stall out, engine is consuming a quart of oil every 500 miles and has 30psi compression in cylinder 3. Car only has 129k miles
NHTSA complaint: Engine
My 2016 Hyundai Sonata 2.4L suffered an in-transit engine failure and entered emergency limp mode with an active P1326 rod bearing defect code, which is a recognized fire and safety hazard under NHTSA mandates. Service C
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle suddenly shut off with the message "HEV System Failure" displayed. The driver safely pulled over to the side
NHTSA complaint: Engine
After the emissions 9c2 recall car hesitant when changing an Hyundai has knowledgement of the problem but don’t have a fix
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2016 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 2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured March 28, 2016 through April 12, 2016. The affected vehicles have a driver-side frontal air bag that may not adequately protect the driver's neck from injury in the event of a crash. As such, these ve
Risk: A frontal air bag that does not adequately protect the driver's neck may increase their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-
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
| Reliability raw | 53 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 63 | average |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 69 | good |
| Performance | 52 | average |
| Efficiency | 47 | below 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 720 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 316 of them (44%). There are 6 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 53/100 (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 63/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 66/100. 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.