Used 2012 Hyundai Sonata Consumer Reviews
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Needs Improvement
ems1, 11/13/2011
2012 Hyundai Sonata GLS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
62 of 66 people found this review helpful
I bought the car because I thought it was a good value for the money. There are a lot of great features even in the base model. Steering problems and poor paint along with the dealers inability to fix the problems make this car unacceptable. If you are thinking of buying one, go over everything like you would if you were buying a used car. Quality control is not where it should be. Be sure do do a long test drive and look for steering problems, especially right or left pull.
My first hyundai
sonata20t, 04/22/2013
updated 09/12/2024
2012 Hyundai Sonata SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
17 of 17 people found this review helpful
The car is excellent for the value. Hyundai put a lot into this car regarding quality. I purchased the car new with all maintenance included. I have owned the car for 1 year so far. No issues. Important: You have to do the maintenance on this car or it will not drive like it is supposed to. Also, the car has a GDI engine. Please read up on the engine. I bought a turbo because the engine runs better with it. I have seen mileage fluctuations but it was related to gas and oil. You have to put premium in once a month. Chevron with Techron is best. It does require injector cleaner once every 2 months to keep up the MPG. Buy the maintenance with the car!!!!!!!! Update: 4/2016 I still have the car. Still love it. Kept the one I have (Orig $27K) because a new one is $35K with less horsepower. Had the A/C compressor replaced under warranty. Other than that, no issues. Still get great MPG and performance. I am at 75K miles. Have to replace the oil at 3K-4K miles as the car burns the oil. No matter what type you put in. I put royal purple from walmart. The car does require more maintenance that other cars, like my wife's honda accord. I have to change the coolant, transmission,brake, and oil fluids more often.. . . twice as often in fact. But it runs. I do not like the fact that you have to pay to update the navigation. Mine is a 2012 2.0T with~300hp. another update to come in a year or so. Update: 5/2018 The car still runs great. Walmart does the oil changes and rotates the tires. I have 112K miles at this point. I switched to a set of 4 New Vercelli Strada Ii - P225/45zr18 and they are great. I had a set on sentry tires but they only lasted a year and a half. Update 11/2018 The car still runs great. Have to change transmission fluid. Dealer only. I recommend running seafoam or similar from walmart through the gas once every 3 months. Cleans the injectors. Car burns no oil. at 120K miles. Update 11/2019 The car still run great. There is a new oil coming out for GDI engines in May 2020. I will switch to that. Getting another set of tires soon as the Strata's are great but still last only a year and a half. The wear is even and all tires have same tread wear. interesting. . . . thinking that I have too much fun driving. Update 11/2/20 Hyundai replaced the engine no charge. The car runs normal. Still fun to drive. I have Mach IV tires now. It does require more maintenance.as a GDI engine does burn oil. Keep your oil changed on the regular as gas mixes with the oil on a GDI. 3000 mile oil changes. Running regular fuel normally with super once a month. Update 08/2021 Car still runs great. Burns no oil. 160K miles. Regular oil changes. Regular transmission changes at 60K intervals. Tires working well. Just drive cross country with no issues. Absolutely fun to drive. It still will go 165 MPH. Everything works. If you get a good one of these with the 2.0 turbo, keep it until the wheels fall off. Update 03/2022 Car runs great. Battery replaced due to age. 180K New Tires soon. Still runs great. Same gas mileage as new. No oil burn but it is a new engine core. Just keeping the oil changed every 3000 miles. Does not matter if synthetic or not as it will break down. Update 08/2023 198,011 miles. Purchased a National Auto Care Warranty for 4 yrs/48000 miles exclusionary from Hyundai. Worth every penny. Alternator went out, covered. Car runs great still. Put Goodyear 235/45/18 and they are great. Keep until the wheels fall off. PS. Don't go to Mike Morgan Hyundai in Shreveport as service is terrible!!!!! Update 09/2024 234,121 miles. Purchased a National Auto Care Warranty for 4 yrs/48000 miles exclusionary from Hyundai. Worth every penny. Suspension went out, covered. Car runs great still. Goodyear 235/45/18 are still going strong. It is more maintenance, but will keep until the wheels fall off. I do advise to keep a Nation Auto Care Warranty on the car. It cost about $3K for 4 years of exclusionary coverage.
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Best Car I've Owned
sas11, 07/21/2011
2012 Hyundai Sonata Limited 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
38 of 40 people found this review helpful
The Sonata Limited is the nicest looking car on the road in my opinion. My friend called it "sexy"! Looks sporty inside and out. Handles like a dream and is fun to drive. But the best part is all the standard equipment you get for a low base price. I priced other cars and you have to pay extra for what's standard on the Sonata Limited. It is the best car I've ever owned!
2012 Sonota 2.0 purchased on 12/31. Very poor MPG
123111buyer, 01/26/2012
2012 Hyundai Sonata SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
16 of 16 people found this review helpful
Have only been averaging about 20 mpg suburb and highway (In the epa mode which was suppose to get 6mpg better) and took car back after 2weeks. Told by service area this is normal and I need to drive about 5k before it improves. Have been in contact with H HQ serveral times and they refutes 5k claim, but also will not explain why mpg is averaging so low. Pushing it off on boilerplate responses (EPA sets mpg, load in car (Only me) tire pressure, blah blah nothing that is what I am doing. In a nut shell it not the car it is me. Also have been having bluelink issues that haven't been resolved. Again can't get a straight answer.
Mileage champ
Jack, 07/18/2015
2012 Hyundai Sonata SE 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
Car has GDI engine, I bought new, now have 56k miles. Outstanding gas mileage. Best highway mileage was with just me in the car, barely any luggage and a fall day, keeping it on flat ground thru the Midwest for 400 miles at between 65 and 70 mph I got 41 mpg, and this was dividing number of gallons by miles driven. Computer is always optimistic - usually 2 mpg higher than what it really is when checking the math. Car gets around 26-27 mpg city, with the family in the car and going 70 on the freeway expect 36-38 mpg. Decent power with the 2.4 engine. I run full synthetic oil all the time and BG fuel and oil cleaners regularly. Standard radio is the only downfall. It is weak. Road noise is also a minor irritation. Comfort of a/c and heater are good. Absolutely no mechical issues to date. Battery lasted 3 year, Hankook tires were replaced after 55k miles, - they could have gone 60k though but we're getting real noisy. Replaced tires with contenitial dws06 tires. They are about the same as the original hankooks which I think we're real good tires. Car goes good in the snow, but as tires wear you loose traction on incline and experience spin. Car handle real well in the wet weather. Lots of room and cargo space for family of 4. Well put together car, but depreciates quickly. Get a used one as there is no difference between the 2011 thru 2014.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value