Used 2006 Hyundai Sonata Consumer Reviews
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Two engines since coming off the showroom floor in
All I can say is that this car had an electrical system right off the showroom floor. It has also had two engines. The first failed at less than 100,000 and the last one failed at 34,700. Support from the dealer was ok but Hyundai Motors showed nothing but contempt for us and treated us like dirt. Will never ever purchase any other Hyundai product again period. Please do yourself a favor and ask lots of questions and also talk to as many owners and research any car you purchase from these people before hand. The warranty sounds good but its a scam. They Hyundai Motors staff are cotemptable disrespectful trolls.
- Safety
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Good value for the money
For a $16,266.62 OTD price, no-one could come even near this car. Just got 7500 miles on it. Excellent ride. Great MPG for the size of the car. Average 27MPG, worst 23MPG-city (driven by my wife :) ), BEST - 30MPG-freeway (average 65MPH). Just came home from a vacation. On 75MPH (average) had 28MPG. Big trunk, was able to fit all skies except mine + the luggage for family of 4. Mine skies ended up in between the seats. Roomy interior. Flimsy parking brake handle. Soft plastic on the back, bent under pressure. Kick-down very slow, there is some delay. NON fold-a-side rear view mirrors. Driver seat not so supportive. Doesn't have an opening on the rear seats for placing skies in the trunk.
So far sooo good.
Running on 76k miles now. All I did was oil change, battery change, tire change, filter change and belt change. Six years of owning this car ever since it was bought new, maintenance was minimal. I had a Mitsubishi 3000gt before, gave me all sorts of engine and transmission problems. I'm sticking with Hyundai. Call it luck or whatever it is, my car runs like a champ. Forgot to mention, when I was on the L.I.E(495) coming from Long Island to Queens, a Stony Brook student hit the rear of my car with his Saab. My bumper only had a minor paint chip while his entire front bumper and hood was crushed in. The impact was enough to tilt my head. Unfazed.
2006 Sonata GLS 6 cyl automatic
Turned 76K miles and pleased overall. Excellent value for the quality. Floor shift indicator lamp went out after warranty expired. Have not bothered to have repaired. Vehicle came with free oil change for life every 3500 miles. However, when you add the extra charges associated there was little savings. Does not perform well in snow.
Very reliable, annoying however...
Put 100,000 miles on it. Haven't had ANY mechanical problems, even after not changing the oil for up to 8-9000 miles at a time. Performed regular maintenance (brake pads, oil, filters, etc) and has never broke down once. The center console is terrible!!!! Too much to list here about it, but for instance.. The cup holders... well is really just one big cup holder, and if you have only one drink in there, it will definitely slide and spill into the gear selector. It is now hard to shift gears from the amount of times this has happened. Grey interior is now brown from dirt, even though I keep it clean. Headlights are impossible to replace by yourself without daylight and lots of patience.
Mix bag
I bought this car almost three years ago.First owner was an old guy, so I think he didn't drive it too harsh. during past three years I had to change the whole Starter package, whole AC compressor and accessories, front struts, windshield wipers water pump ( its broken again) and replaced the battery twice. CD player may work only occasionally and can not read half of the tracks for no good reason. I changed the front shock absorbers, and it just got a little better for a while,, its just driving me crazy that how noisy and uncomfortable the car is over small bumps. I took care of the car really good and still its not reliable. when I bought the car it had 93000 miles on it and now its ~ 117000. thats stupid,,, I won't ever but any Hyundai products and will not recommend it to anybody.
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
My 1996 Escort is Better
This 2006 Shoddyota, aka Sonata, was acquired in 2007 with 14,000 miles. PROBLEMS before 30,000 miles: $1,200 engine repair to replace shoddy timing chain tensioners. Poor quality engine component should have been recall but Hyundai shafted owners by cutting compensation to dealers for doing the repair under warranty, which was essentially negating their much touted warranty. Defective sun visors. More orange peel than my Escort. Escort also has spring loaded side view mirrors unlike Shoddyota. Cruise control stopped working. Glove box door had to be shimmed to prevent rattle. Wiper blades had to be downsized to prevent hopping. Poor city mileage. Hyundai can't even design a cup holder !!
Almost perfect, but...
I really like the car - two beefs: it doesn't get the fuel mileage Hyundai advertises and there's a winter problem with the steel wheels. I get about 28 mpg (Canadian - bigger gallons) and Hyundai says I should get 45. It replaces an 02 Accord (4 cyl. 5 spd.) that got 34 mpg. The steel wheels pack with snow (when the car is sitting and the snow drifts in. The snow can't escape and the wheels get horribly out of balance. I carry a special skinny stick with me to unblock the wheels, but it's a design issue that Hyundai needs to address.
2006 Hyundai Sonata LX V6
I dont understand... When I fill my tank up it says 350 miles to empty every time but the MPG estimator say 318.6 CITY /477.9 HIGHWAY. My Sonata has 31,000 miles on it and its 7 years old. After while the car becomes uncomfortable on long rides a hour or so into the drive. It's hard to take off from a red light without the wheels spinning causing a ruckus. The body roll is insane when turning at spends higher that 15mph. The 235 @ 6,000 RPM and the 226 lb-ft Torque @ 3,500 Torque RPM is to much for the front tires.
Don't trust Hyundai Warranty
Despite all the claims by Hyundai on having a great warranty..the Hyundai commitment to service is not trust worthy.. The general guideline to the dealership is avoid accepting the faults in the car..till the warranty runs out..Once its run out they start pointing out faults that you have always been asking them to repair... simply the Hyundai approach is to avoid acceptance of any fault in the cars..temporary fix the problem when customer insists or adamant. Buy it if you just want to keep it for 60, 000 miles..after that it is your risk..no matter how well you kept your car..it will haunt you! whatever was fixed once will break again!
This car is the stuff of nightmares.
I bought this car about 2 years ago from a guy whose grandparents who passed away and didn't want the car. I bought it with 63k miles on it. I'm now at 77k miles and EVERYTHING is breaking. Everything in this car rattles, so there are always noises. No matter how much money I put into this car to fix it, something else breaks. I've had to get new struts, motor mounts, hoses, headlights, door handles, a new motor for the wiper fluid, control arms, bushings, the rotors are about to go. I'm STILL having problems. I've taken great care of this car, but I can't seem to stop the breakage. I would not recommend this car to anyone.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Comfort
- Value
First car I got to drive: loved it!
This car is dependable. Our sonata is 10 years old and has seen its days, but still runs with a bit of noise and other issues. Nothing too major but there's so many issues that we are now buying a new vehicle. I will say this is hard to park because I took my driving test in it and always came close to the cones. If you know the car though parking is fine! I got to know my dads car. lol
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Love our Sonata!
We bought it in 2007 w/ 20K miles-it now has 100,000 miles and looks & runs great. Only had a couple of maintenance recalls & broken sun-visor covered under warranty. After warranty expired, one sensor went out, it was covered by our extended warranty. We have only replaced tires, oil, battery & brakes-NO OTHER MAINTENANCE! My husband commutes 75 miles daily & averages 26mpg on highway, 21 in town. It has great acceleration needed for freeway. We got a great car with many upscale features for a reasonable price. Liked this so much, we purchased a 2008 Hyundai Azera for the family car. We are passing this down to our daughter; it has great safety ratings & we trust it for her and her baby.
No belt Chain for timing
We owned it since new 190000 still going of course you have to maintain where parts but if your looking for a used car I would recommend this year since it was built in USA plant I have the LX and I'm handy when it comes to doing my own repairs .
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Run away
Beware of the electrical problems you will encounter.The am reception is horrendous.Noisy suspension.Shop other vehicles that are far more dependable.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Do not buy this car
If you want a far a part car, buy this car, and spend as much to fix it, as you will pay for it, junk car, p a RTS are expensive, and there a fall a part car, good luck.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Buikd quality Misses
There are certain build quality issues with Hyundai and I believe that this was good first serious attempt to challenge Toyota and Honda. But the cup holders are horrible and should have never ever made it to production. What was hyundai thinking? One can only assume that Koreans think that every drink Americans have are supersized big gulfs? (they did address this with the 2010 updates). The Sunvisor breaking arm issue should have been a recall and not a TSB. The Sunvisor arm breaks and then comes down while you are driving, so I guess it's okay that the visor comes down and blocks your view causing an accident. And the final pet peeve are the break lig
No sign of wear at 80,000 miles
I am almost at 80,000 miles on my Sonata and I still haven't had one problem. Just had the car detailed and it looks great - almost no signs of wear. This is right around the point where my Mercedes started having crazy electrical problems but I think my Hyundai will go until I want to replace it with something more fun. The real debate is whether to sell it before it hits 100k miles or drive it into the ground - which could be years.
At Least it Was Under Warranty
When I drove my car home the fist time, I had to turn around and take it back because the brakes were bad. Did not test drive on the Interstate - won't make that mistake again. Since then, I have had the car towed twice for different problems. One was the sensor for the gas pedal, and today for the check engine light and skipping. Only 5K miles left on my Warranty and I will have a Toyota or a Nissan before I hit that mark. I definitely got a Lemon. Each time, the Service Manager knew exactly what the problem was, because he had seen it SO many times on this make and Model.
Sonata Happy in Las Vegas
I purchased my 2006 Hyundai new from the dealership in June 2006 and can say that the vehicle has been a steady and dependable vehicle. The V6 provides plenty of power when needed and the interior/trim look well and continue to work without fail. The valve cover gasket was replaced by the dealer under warranty at 55,000 miles - the only major repair to the vehicle. Otherwise, the car requires routine maintenance to keep it humming. Like many, I purchased the Sonata because I did not have enough coin to spring for a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. As I look back on it, purchasing the Sonata was a sound decision and I'll continue to drive it until the wheels fall off and I buy a new Sonata!
Great to start with
We bought our Hyundai when it was a year old. We were well pleased with it until it hit about 35,000 miles. We had 4 throttle body sensors replaced under warranty. This was a tow to the dealership on each occasion. Luckily the tow was also covered under warranty. However we had the 5 sensor replaced at 80,000 miles and this was on us. Hyundai part only and the repair was $555.00. At 75,000 miles the sun visors would not stay in the up position. Even though this seems to be a common problem, Hyundai does not cover them under warranty. The cost to replace was $307. I drive my cars for years and close to 300,000 miles. Never had this much problem with my supposedly poorly built US cars.
The 146mph Sonata
No, I haven't hit 146 but owners of this model may want to Google the title of my review. A rental was clocked doing that speed. However, I was going about 70 mph last month and unexpectedly came up on a large chunk of a truck tire in the middle of my lane. The Sonata handled like a Nascar vehicle. It reminded me of the first time I drove a Mercedes back in 1970. So far so good with this 6 year old vehicle, but it only has 29,000 miles. Depreciation is a factor with these cars, so you may want to look for a cream puff that is 1 or 2 yrs old if looking for a newer model.
Very Pleased
I purchased this car used with 25k miles. I have 71k miles on it now after 1.5 years of ownership. Very pleased with my purchase. Low cost of ownership - only performed routine maintenance. This is my commuter vehicle and spends most of it's time on the highway. Still enjoy looking at the exterior to this day. Looking at dollars and cents, it was a smart purchase for me and my young family. Plenty of space for things, especially when you consider all of the things you need to haul for young children.
LEAKS, LEAKS AND MORE LEAKS
At first I loved it then I had to deal with the dealership. I have had all locks replaced. Timing chain tensioner bent that took a 9 days. But the dealership offered me a ride 1/2 way back to work, what a joke. Then after the dealership turned in the wrong amount of work hours to the extended warranty company they wanted me to pay there mistake. Now I have leaks from the upper oil pan, transmission none of the leaks are covered by warranty. I was told after the fact that I had to buy the bumper to bumper 100K warranty offered by Hyundai. It has turned into a huge let down. I have never had better that 24mpg. I tried to trade in my car the offer was 5K I owe 10K the repairs are 2500.
Very Happy
Ok so after looking at different cars I found this 06 Hyundai Sonata and right away just had to get it. it has 85,000+ miles and my friends don't believe me. the engine has enough power to throw you back in your seat under sharp acceleration using the Sport Shift option. some people think that its actually a brand new car. I love Subarus but even used they are way out of my budget. the stock audio system and sharp exterior styling has heads turning as I pull up to my college parking lot especially from girls. lol I never had that happen in my old 06 Chevy Equinox. I am definitely a loyal Subaru and Hyundai lover/owner.
Best I've owned
With 5 years and 50,000 mi on my Sonata LX, I couldn't be happier. Only repair has been a sensor, under warranty. Good performance, good handling for a family-type sedan, comfortable. No problem with mileage - 19 around town, 27 highway.
Great Car
I have had this car a little bit more than a year (28000 miles), and have only good things to say about it. Fun to drive, very reliable (only visits to the dealership are for scheduled services), very comfortable. Finding the right position on the drivers' seat took me a while, but since then, absolutely no back pain or leg cramps. Sound system is very good. Gas mileage about 30 mpg highway @65 mph. Average runs about 24-25 mpg. Powerful engine. Quiet, smooth drive. In summary, you can't beat this deal. Plenty of car for the money.
Very Impressed
This vehicle is a perfect all around car. I think now Hyundai is on the right course to be one of the best car makers in the world.
You've got to drive it to believe it.
I bought this car after driving it just once. It's built with quality, comfort and affordability in mind. You can't find a better car for the money, you can count on it. It drives smooth, quite and the V6 has plenty of power. No problems since I drove out of the dealership. I got to tell you, Hyundai has come a long way.
Excellent daily driver
They say not to buy a brand new model style on the first year. I did just that with my Sonata LX. I have over 35k on it now and I"ve been very happy with the car. Handles great thru twisty mountain roads, as well as the freeway. Feels solid and safe at high speeds, too. I would definitely recommend this car,it's dependable and actually fun to drive!
Driving it my way to the bank
Its a great car. I have owned it for over a year. If you can get passed the name plate your well on your way to a great ownership experience. If you have too much money go ahead and buy something else. But in all reality- this car has almost everything else beat in its class at a significantly lower price point. Engine is great. Interior fits my 6ft 2in 210lb frame very well. It's really quiet at freeway speeds. It's easy to get in and out of. The sound system w/ subwoofer is actually really quite good.
25,000 Mile Update
With 25,000 miles on the odo and two years of smashing potholes on the streets of Mobile, Alabama we are still impressed and satisfied with our Sonata. Only two (2) minor maintenance issues--a defective seat belt sensor and a bad tilt switch on the driver's seat, both corrected by the dealership in about 20 minutes. In June of 2008 we traveled to the Midwest getting 30.3 mpg along the coast and 28.8 mpg in the hills of east Texas. In town mileage is about 19 mpg with the V-6 but you can improve on this about 2 mpg if you manually shift and keep RPMs in the 2,000+ range. Totally satisfied. Waiting for the Sonata Hybrid !!!
2006 4 Cyl GLS
We bought this car 3 years ago for our daughter. It was a one owner, well cared for car with 90K miles. It now has 105K miles and has been good to us. I had the usual 90K mile service done when we first got the car (change fluids, belts, hoses) and all has been well. While the engine may be slightly less refined than my wife's camry, the build quality and fit and finish is better. I am a car guy a really like this car. The mass air flow recently failed but this is relatively minor and the car sits outside at college day after day and this may have had something to do with it. Mileage is good and would buy the car again.
The best choice for the money!!!!
I had read about the Sonata before buying it and this car has surpassed ALL my expectations. You cannot get better value for the money right now, period. I test drove a Lexus, the Sonata is 3 times cheaper but it is NOT 3 times less the car. I have had it for almost a week and a couple of people could not believe this was a Sonata, a guy even said it looks better than his aunt's Lexus. The warranty is a killer who cares if anything breaks, it even includes free courtesy car!!! You can ride in serious style without being flashy. Handling is impeccable with the 17" wheels, massive tires, excellent braking distance, awesome metallic paint, very powerful and smooth V6. Outstanding!!!
I LOVE this car!
I bought this car used in December and have fallen in love with it! Why don't American car companies build cars like this? The gas mileage could be a little better. I am averaging 18 in the city and around 26-27 on the highway its much better than my Buick. The 3.3 v6 is very powerful more than you'll ever need. Its also very comfortable and roomy. It drives like a dream at any speed. The only problem I have had is the power seat recliner broke. I certainly would buy another Hyundai car.
It's a Dud
Engine replaced at 34,000 miles, transmission replaced at 51,000 miles. Hyundai corporate unconcerned about keeping me as a customer. At least they were replaced under warranty. Totally unreliable and no fun to own anymore while I wait for the next failure.
Max review
I am saving 70 dollars a weak on gas which ads up and with the extra cash it pays itself.Its a great ride .
Problems with 2006 Sonata
One year into ownership, I had trouble with the locks & the dome light burned out. The door locks would unlock & lock on their own. I have 18,400 miles on it now and the back driver's side back brake is bad. The dealership said Hyundai will not warranty the brake. The car is not yet 3 yrs old. I am the original owner. I bought the car new in Sept. 2006. I will be writing the MN Attorney General about this problem.
Is Camry & Accord worth an extra $4-8K??
I took the "Hyundai Challenge" and became a believer. I first drove an Accord and a Camry and after driving the Sonata there was no way to justify spending an extra $4 to 8K for a car in this class. The Sonata is a great car, smooth ride, solid feel, and looks great. I went with the LX with the moonroof and 6 CD player package. Comes with leather, heated seats, V6, shiftable automatic, and loads of safety features. Taking advantage of the rebate I got the car for $21K. Did all the negotiating for the car thru email and was extremely pleased with the experience and the dealership. I am hoping Hyundai will now live up to Honda and Toyota's quality and durability - time will tell!
My first Hyundai won't be the last!
I was on the fence about Hyundai until I read about the Sonata and how it was built in America. So I bought the first V6 Sonata LX fully loaded to arrive in San Diego and paid invoice! Had to settle for Black as that was what came in. To this day I have ZERO regrets! The car is amazing and looks fantastic. It has really held up great with just a few oil changes and 30K service. I've replaced the tires and front brakes and that's it. I highly recommend this car to anyone. The only downside is gas mileage..typical driving will get you about 19 mpg if you really drive it light around 23mpg... I see it averaging close to 30 mpg on a long highway trips.
Good Car
Great Car. Good fuel economy. Great power for a 4 cyl. Everything is great except for the driver's seat. I wish that the front part of it could be adjusted to a desired hight.
Im so glad i did not get the Camry
Im so glad i got this car instead of the basic camry which was about the same price and it had a 4 cylinder, hyundai offers 2 more cylinders for the same price so i decided with the hyundai because of the comprehensive standard safety equipment like Electronic Stability Control with traction control, active head restraints, Plus the other goodies like the 17 inch alloy wheels and power sunroof i did not need a second opinion .
Exceeding expectations
The Sonata has been quite an eye opener for my wife and I. We purchased this car after testing Toyota and Honda. We took a chance because of the lower price point and have been extremly impressed. The car is very quiet(except for trunk echo on very bumpy roads)and handles very well. The V6 stated off with OK MPG around 24.5 on the highway, but now with 12000 mile our last highway road trip of 650 miles earned us 29 MPG! For the power the V6 offers, that is pretty impressive. The car looks great and has nice interior features for the money. The warranty is incredible and certainly influenced our decision.
Just top Prodigy
very proud and happy to with what hyundai have done with its brand lately, my sonata was the base gl version i wanted an suv or either a toyota or honda sedan after testting several camry's and accords from diffrent dealers i almost bought the camry, i was so close to buy a camry that all i needed was to bring back a proof of insurance, but next door was a hyundai dealer so i gave my self options and now i drive a sonata gl, i love the pick up from the 4 banger engine, you dont feel too slow on the streets, very comfortable for even my 3 kids riding in the back seat, roomy interior and trunk, very good on ga$, the only time i take it to dealer is to change the oil not flaws yet,best warrant
A lot of car for not a lot of money.
If you told me two years ago that I would buy a Hyundai I would have laughed out loud. I bought a Hyundai Sonata LX loaded and I love it. It drives great, it looks great and the stereo sounds great. The car really handles has great pick up and incredible brakes. The design is beautiful and the interior controls are well thought out and easy to use. My overall experience with this vehicle is very positive.
2006 Hyundai Sonata
We have only had her about a week now and so far I can say without a doubt that this is one of the nicest cars that I have ever owned. I have had everything from Lincolns to Jags. For sheer comfort it is the best. Very quiet and handles like a dream. Corners flat, good engine responce and great breaks. Super quiet, can listen to the radio at highway speed without having to turn the radio up. Even plays MP3's which means one CD is good for about 10 hours. Can't say yet what the fuel milage will be but it is rated at 26 city and 33 highway. I don't know how reliable it is yet eather but with a 10 year 100000 mile warentee and 5 yrs road side assistance. can't be to bad & it's made in the USA!
Short Term Impression
I have owned the car for 2 weeks and have driven it 460 miles. I've had an opportunity to do some highway driving (approx. 200 miles)in addition to local and I have been very impressed with the experience. The car is roomy, handles well, and my gas mileage during this break in period has been excellent. I have only 2 recommendations, offer a passenger power seat and folding side view mirrors. These actually don't detract from the good experience. I have had Acura Tl's for the last several years and I am impressed by the performance of the Sonata. I am still puzzled by the "low" price, Don't know how they do it, all in all a winner.
Hyundai Sonota is the Perfect Vehicle
I have owned my Sonota for 2 months now and it is the best car that i have ever driven. I am 6 foot 2 inches tall and this car has more leg room, head room and shoulder room then the Accord or any other competitors and it drives so much better as well. The price was great, there is no better deal out there when it comes to buying new.
The poor mans rich car
This car is awesome for the price you pay its even unbelievable. I a big guy and i mean almost 300lbs and i fit like a dream and im 6 feet tall. Awesome fits like a glove thank god i didnt get the suv.
Best Car in Class
This car is amazing and for the price is the best bargain available. The V4 is more than enough power. If your looking for a Mid-Sized Sedan give this one a look and you will see it drives just as good if not better than the Accord or Camry.