2017 Hyundai Sonata

Photo: EurovisionNim / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

2017 Hyundai Sonata: common problems and reliability

One of the worst Sonata years.

One of the Hyundai Sonata years to avoid. All Sonata years

876 owner complaints, most about engine. 4 recalls.

Should I buy a 2017 Sonata?

The 2017 Hyundai Sonata has 876 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are engine and steering. Owners most often flag transmission failure: complete transmission replacement reported around 87,000-95,000 miles on some 2017-2018 models.

Safety record for the 2017 model year

876
Owner complaints
4
Recalls
29
Crash reports
15
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2017 Hyundai Sonata vehicles (US, public record).

The Year Score compares this year with other Sonata years only. How we score it

Is 2017 a good year for the Sonata?

Across the 30 Sonata model years we track, complaint volume runs from 29 (1996) to 3,472 (2011). With 876 complaints, the 2017 Sonata sits above the model's median of 223.

These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.

Where owners report problems

engine
446
steering
182
electrical system
94
power train
69
fuel/propulsion system
46

Recalls affecting the 2017 Sonata

air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

Campaign 16V956000

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2017 Hyundai Elantra vehicles manufactured April 15, 2016, to September 13, 2016, and Sonata vehicles manufactured May 27, 2016 to September 16, 2016. In these vehicles, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.

exterior lighting:turn signal

Campaign 21V749000

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sonata, 2016-2017 Sonata Hybrid, and Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

latches/locks/linkages:trunk lid:latch

Campaign 21V619000

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."

engine

Campaign 21V727000

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Tucson and Sonata Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which can result in engine damage.

What owners say across generations

Sentiment is sharply divided by generation and powertrain, creating a high-risk, high-reward ownership profile.

  • IsolatedTransmission failure

    Complete transmission replacement reported around 87,000-95,000 miles on some 2017-2018 models.

Owner insights cover all generations of the Sonata. See the full Sonata owner picture and every model year.

Typical used price

Used Sonata listings typically run $10,598–$20,175.

Other Sonata model years

Compare every Sonata year side by side to see how 2017 ranks against the rest.

Compare the Sonata against its rivals

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