Reliable Auto DB

2018 Hyundai Sonata reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2018 Hyundai Sonata has 373 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 32 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Sonata years here — over the median of the other years, which is 22. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Latch.

2012 Hyundai Sonata
Photo by MercurySable99, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

373

Per year

32

Recalls

1

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (211 of 373), then Electrical system (60) and Powertrain (40). Those filings include 18 that report a crash, 13 that report a fire, 9 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Sonata has 764 complaints, 35 per year, and the 2019 has 161 complaints, 9 per year. The 2018 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Hyundai Sonata. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, trunk lid, latch 2021-08-06 · NHTSA campaign 21V619000
Summary 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."
Remedy Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.

Complaints by component (373 total)

Engine
211
Electrical system
60
Powertrain
40
Fuel and propulsion system
31
Exterior lighting
22
Speed control
19
Structure
16
Engine and engine cooling
14
Service brakes
14
Steering
9
Latches, locks, and linkages
8
Seat belts
8
Forward collision avoidance
7
Suspension
5
Visibility and wipers
5
Air bags
4
Tires
4
Hydraulic brakes
3
Lane departure
3
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
Fuel system, gasoline
2
Seats
2
Back-over prevention
1
Fire-related
1
Visibility
1
Show 17 more Show less
Crash-flagged

18

Fire-flagged

13

Injury reports

9

Death reports

1

Complaints filed per year

12017172018612019182020222021372022552023442024822025362026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Hyundai dealership confirms I am in need of a new engine due to large oil consumption which is a known issue on 2018 Hyundai Sonata engines. Hyundai will not approve repairs because I am the second owner and vehicle is…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-21
  • "One engine valve has lost pressure and is not repairable"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-11
  • "Vehicle has been making a clunking noise (front passenger area). Brought to independent service center where they determined that the strut tower is failing. Current mileage 66000. Appt set for Checkered Flag Hyundai to…"
    Suspension · filed 2026-09-08
  • "My car stalls while driving and then I try to restart it but nothing happens. After reading online about the fuel pump issues and extended warranty related to the fuel pump I took the car in for repair. My car has…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-04
  • "Since I had Service Campaign 9C2 completed, the car hesitates to start, does a mini-lurch upon cold start and runs rough. Two weeks ago, it was put in park, lurched backwards, then died. The starter and battery have…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-25

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Hyundai Sonata 4 DR FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 4 DR FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2018 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid 4 DR FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Sonata 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 25 35 28 MPG $2300
Sonata 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (7-speed) Front-wheel drive 28 37 31 MPG $2100
Sonata 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Front-wheel drive 23 32 26 MPG $2500
Sonata hybrid 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 39 44 41 MPG $1600
Sonata hybrid SE 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 40 46 42 MPG $1550
Sonata Plug-in hybrid 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 37 42 39 MPG / 600 mi range $1650
Sonata SE 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 25 36 29 MPG $2250

Specs and fitment

7th generation (LF), 2012–2019
Body styles Sedan
Oil 5W-20 or 0W-20 (2.4L and 2.0L turbo per manual) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 205/65R16 to 245/45R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Owner complaints for early years in this span (especially 2013) concentrate on the engine. Safety recall 17V-226 covers certain 2013-2014 Sonata and Santa Fe Sport vehicles: machining errors during engine manufacturing may cause premature bearing wear that can seize the engine; dealers inspect and replace the short block as needed. Safety recall 22V-312 (replacing 20V-121) covers certain 2013-2014 Sonatas whose low-pressure fuel hose between the low-pressure and direct-injection pumps may crack from engine-bay heat and leak fuel; dealers replace that hose. Safety recall 18V-934 covers certain 2011-2014 Sonatas previously remedied under 15V-568 or 17V-226 whose high-pressure fuel pipe may have been damaged or mis-torqued during engine replacement and can leak; dealers inspect and replace the pipe as needed. Safety recall 16V-956 covers a small build of 2017 Sonatas (and Elantras) whose driver frontal air-bag inflator end seal may be missing; dealers replace the driver frontal air-bag module.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Hyundai Sonata Next year 2019 Hyundai Sonata See every Hyundai Sonata model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Hyundai Sonata reliable?

The 2018 Hyundai Sonata has 373 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 32 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Sonata years here — over the median of the other years, which is 22. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Latch.

What are common problems with a 2018 Hyundai Sonata?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (211 of 373), then Electrical system (60) and Powertrain (40). Those filings include 18 that report a crash, 13 that report a fire, 9 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Is the 2018 Hyundai Sonata more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Sonata has 764 complaints, 35 per year, and the 2019 has 161 complaints, 9 per year. The 2018 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Hyundai Sonata been recalled?

The 2018 Hyundai Sonata has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Hyundai Sonata?

Owners have filed 373 complaints about the 2018 Hyundai Sonata with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Hyundai Sonata get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Hyundai Sonata is 33.7 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Sonata take?

Viscosity and capacity depend on engine and model year; use the generation specs here and confirm in the owner’s manual.

Which Sonata years had the engine bearing safety recall?

Safety recall 17V-226 covers certain 2013-2014 Sonatas (and Santa Fe Sport) for premature engine bearing wear; dealers inspect and replace the short block as needed.