Hyundai Sonata 2020–2025

8th generation (DN8) · DN8 · 816 complaints, 135 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 14,698 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The engine accounts for 14.7% of complaints (120 reports, 19 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 14,698 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 47,000 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 11.4% of complaints (93 reports, 19 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 15,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 21,000 miles.

The fuel system accounts for 4.3% of complaints (35 reports, 28 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 76,262 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,200 and 92,000 miles.

Body structure accounts for 3.9% of complaints (32 reports, 11 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 1,500 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 520 and 47,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2020 model year drew the most — 263 complaints — while 2025 drew the fewest at 20. The median year sits at 141.

The first year of the generation, 2020, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 9 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the fuel system (2), the transmission and driveline (2), the exterior lighting (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 816 complaints filed against this generation, 51 reported a crash; 3 reported a fire; 42 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 6.2% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 47% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.

On inspection, the engine and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 14,698, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (9)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Hyundai Sonata 1995–1998
• Hyundai Sonata 1999–2005
• Hyundai Sonata 2006–2010
• Hyundai Sonata 2011–2014
• Hyundai Sonata 2015–2019