Showing the 2017 Sonata Sport. EPA's version Sonata Sport Limited shows it with a 2.4 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2017 Sonata
The 2017 Hyundai Sonata has 878 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, most for the engine (447). It rates 24 to 42 mpg combined on gasoline, with a 5-year fuel cost of $7,730 to $13,530 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 5 overall stars. Its 5 recall campaigns, which may apply to a given car, cover the electrical system, lights, engine, and others.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
24–42 mpgcombined; city 21–39, highway 30–45; every version of this model year; plug-in hybrid versions on gasoline, 99 MPGe on electricity
Five years of fuel
$7,730–$13,530U.S. average; Ohio $6,910–$12,090 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026. Plug-in hybrid versions: $8,500, EPA's own estimate for plug-in hybrids: its national gasoline and electricity prices and the share of miles it expects on electricity; not priced for any state
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2017 Sonata. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 878 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Sonata. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
447
7
10
0
Steering
182
5
1
1
Unknown or other
120
5
4
0
Electrical system
94
4
0
2
Power train
70
3
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
46
1
2
0
Structure
38
1
2
1
Service brakes
25
5
0
0
Vehicle speed control
25
6
2
2
Air bags
23
9
0
10
Exterior lighting
23
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
22
0
1
0
14 more parts
Latches/locks/linkages
19
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
10
1
0
0
Seat belts
9
1
0
2
Suspension
4
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
3
1
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
3
0
0
0
Tires
3
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
Wheels
3
0
0
0
Lane departure
2
0
0
0
Hybrid propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
0
Traction control system
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2017 Sonata over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Electrical system: software; Exterior lighting: turn signal
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.
Risk: A turn signal that activates in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 210.
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.
Risk: A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a new Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owners were notified of the defect on November 16, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed January 15, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 209.
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."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
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.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a Voltage Protection Device (VPD), designed to protect the high voltage battery module, that may activate inadvertently.
Risk: If the VPD activates while the vehicle is being operated in Electric Vehicle (EV) mode, there may be a loss of power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will remove the VPD switch and install a new Battery Management System (BMS) that contains an Overvoltage Protection Device (OPD). The recall is expected to begin May 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 175.
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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 156.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 274 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2017 Sonata, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (88), engine and engine cooling (66), equipment (58), engine (42), power train (27).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Engineering analysis EA25005 DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture · covers 3 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2017 Sonata.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: large cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Sonata Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM7)
Regular Gasoline
28 / 36 / 31
Sonata Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
25 / 36 / 29
Sonata Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
22 / 31 / 26
Sonata Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline
38 / 43 / 40
Sonata Hybrid SE Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline
39 / 45 / 42
Sonata Limited Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
21 / 30 / 24
Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline or Electricity 27 miles on electricity, 590 miles in all
38 / 40 / 39 on gasoline 99 MPGe on electricity
Sonata Sport Limited Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
25 / 35 / 28
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data