{"id":"2021_hyundai_sonata","make":"Hyundai","make_slug":"hyundai","model":"Sonata","model_slug":"sonata","year":2021,"url":"/hyundai/sonata/2021/","pts":["hev","gas"],"configs":[{"id":42789,"model":"Sonata Hybrid Blue","pt":"hev","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (AM-S6)","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"SIDI; Hybrid","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":true,"city":50,"hwy":54,"comb":52,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"270V Li-Ion","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Large Cars","co2":172,"fe_score":9,"ghg_score":9,"fuel_cost":1200,"save_spend":5250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"HYX","modified":"Mon Apr 26 00:00:00 EDT 2021"},{"id":42788,"model":"Sonata Hybrid","pt":"hev","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (AM-S6)","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"SIDI; Hybrid","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":true,"city":45,"hwy":51,"comb":47,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"270V Li-Ion","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Large Cars","co2":189,"fe_score":9,"ghg_score":9,"fuel_cost":1350,"save_spend":4500,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"HYX","modified":"Mon Apr 26 00:00:00 EDT 2021"},{"id":42797,"model":"Sonata","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (S8)","cyl":4,"displ":2.5,"eng":"SIDI & PFI; Stop-Start","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":true,"city":28,"hwy":38,"comb":32,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Large Cars","co2":282,"fe_score":7,"ghg_score":7,"fuel_cost":1950,"save_spend":1500,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"HYX","modified":"Thu Sep 24 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":42796,"model":"Sonata","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (S8)","cyl":4,"displ":2.5,"eng":"SIDI & PFI","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":27,"hwy":37,"comb":31,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Large Cars","co2":293,"fe_score":7,"ghg_score":7,"fuel_cost":2000,"save_spend":1250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"HYX","modified":"Thu Sep 24 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":42790,"model":"Sonata","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (S8)","cyl":4,"displ":1.6,"eng":"SIDI","turbo":true,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":27,"hwy":37,"comb":30,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Large Cars","co2":293,"fe_score":6,"ghg_score":6,"fuel_cost":2100,"save_spend":750,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"HYX","modified":"Thu Sep 24 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":43456,"model":"Sonata","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (AM-S8)","cyl":4,"displ":2.5,"eng":"SIDI & PFI","turbo":true,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":23,"hwy":33,"comb":27,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Large Cars","co2":335,"fe_score":6,"ghg_score":6,"fuel_cost":2300,"save_spend":-250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"HYX","modified":"Mon Apr 26 00:00:00 EDT 2021"}],"vclass":"Large Cars","segment":"Large car","recalls":[{"campaign":"25V796000","component":"FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE","mfr":"Hyundai Motor America","reported":"2025-11-17","owner_notified":"2026-03-09","units":85043,"summary":"Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Sonata vehicles. A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.","consequence":"A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.","remedy":"Dealers will inspect and replace the check valve. The fuel tank assembly will be inspected for damage and replaced if necessary. Additionally, dealers will inspect and update the engine control unit software. All repairs will be performed as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning March 13, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 286. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 19, 2025.","notes":"","park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"286","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"critical"},{"campaign":"22V746000","component":"POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION","mfr":"Hyundai Motor America","reported":"2022-10-06","owner_notified":"2023-01-10","units":56148,"summary":"Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, Veloster N, 2022 Santa Cruz, Elantra N, and Kona N vehicles.  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.","consequence":"Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.","remedy":"Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary.  Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software.  All repairs will be performed free of charge.  Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2023.  Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.  Hyundai's number for this recall is 236.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.","park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"236","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"high"},{"campaign":"21V00M000","component":"VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD","mfr":"Hyundai Motor America","reported":"2021-12-28","owner_notified":"2022-06-20","units":26413,"summary":"Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles.  During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.","consequence":"A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.","remedy":"Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge.  Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022.  Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.  Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.","park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"216","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"high"},{"campaign":"21V524000","component":"FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS","mfr":"Hyundai Motor America","reported":"2021-07-09","owner_notified":"2021-09-03","units":15752,"summary":"Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe and Sonata vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines.  Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.","consequence":"A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.","remedy":"Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge.  Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021.  Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.  Hyundai's number for this recall is 207.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.","park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"207","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"critical"}],"recall_count":4,"critical_count":2,"park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"score":54,"grade":"F","complaints":{"count":183,"crash":8,"fire":0,"injured":14,"deaths":0,"comps":[["Engine",55],["Electrical System",43],["Unspecified",39],["Power Train",23],["Fuel/Propulsion System",23],["Fuel System, Gasoline",12]],"by_year":{"2021":10,"2022":18,"2023":38,"2024":37,"2025":39,"2026":41},"excerpts":[["2024-01-16","Engine","Hyundai 2021 Sonata Hybrid. Blown head gasket. Reported 1,000 miles after warranty expired. Car was in the shop for Hybrid battery issues. Repair completed. 2 weeks later smoke coming from the exhaust. Hyundai says blown head gasket - will not honor warranty as I was just a few thousand miles over warranty. Seems to be\u2026"],["2023-12-30","Engine","Antifreeze is coming out of the exhaust. Heater is only blowing cold air. Repair shop said it is a common problem with the Hyundai hybrids. Was told I had to take it back to the dealership. The y repair shop said this is very common and is wondering why a recall has not been issued by the NTHSB. Dealership has been unr\u2026"],["2023-12-19","Electrical System","The vehicle has been turning completely off after use for over a year now. At first it would happen every now and then at the beginning and all you'd have to do was restart the car manually. Now every time the car is turned off it needs to be restarted manually now. The car will also shut itself off while you are drivi\u2026"]]},"investigations":[{"action":"DP22005","component":"ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM","opened":"2023-01-27","closed":"2023-08-07","campaign":"22V063000","subject":"Pedestrian alert sounds","summary":"NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt"},{"action":"DP22003","component":"ENGINE","opened":"2022-09-12","closed":"2023-12-12","campaign":"","subject":"Loss of Motive Power","summary":"The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are "}],"ncap":[{"desc":"4 DR FWD","overall":5,"frontal":4,"side":5,"rollover":5,"rollover_risk":0.097,"seats":5,"fcw":"Standard","ldw":"Standard","aeb":"Standard","esc":"","backup_cam":"","variant":null},{"desc":"4 DR FWD","overall":5,"frontal":4,"side":5,"rollover":5,"rollover_risk":0.097,"seats":5,"fcw":"Standard","ldw":"Standard","aeb":"Optional","esc":"","backup_cam":"","variant":"hev"},{"desc":"4 DR FWD","overall":null,"frontal":null,"side":5,"rollover":5,"rollover_risk":0.097,"seats":5,"fcw":"Standard","ldw":"Standard","aeb":"Optional","esc":"","backup_cam":"","variant":null}],"popularity":34,"headline":{"range":null,"mpg":52,"ncap":5,"complaints":183},"presskit_trims":[],"generated_at":"2026-09-11 05:01 UTC","sources":["EPA fueleconomy.gov","NHTSA recalls","NHTSA complaints","NHTSA NCAP","NHTSA investigations"]}