Showing the 2018 Sonata SE. EPA's version Sonata SE 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 2018 Sonata
The 2018 Hyundai Sonata has 383 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, most for the engine with 217. Combined fuel economy is 26 to 42 mpg on gasoline, and the 5-year fuel cost is $7,730 to $12,490 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it an overall rating of 5 stars. There are 2 recall campaigns, covering door latches and locks and the hybrid system, which may apply to this car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
26–42 mpgcombined; city 23–40, highway 32–46; every version of this model year; plug-in hybrid versions on gasoline, 99 MPGe on electricity
Five years of fuel
$7,730–$12,490U.S. average; Ohio $6,910–$11,160 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 2018 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 383 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 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
217
3
8
2
Electrical system
62
3
4
2
Unknown or other
59
1
2
0
Power train
41
2
1
1
Fuel/propulsion system
32
0
1
0
Exterior lighting
24
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
19
6
0
3
Structure
17
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
14
0
0
0
Service brakes
14
4
1
13
Forward collision avoidance
9
1
0
1
Steering
9
0
0
0
14 more parts
Latches/locks/linkages
8
0
0
0
Seat belts
8
2
0
2
Air bags
5
2
0
1
Suspension
5
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
5
0
0
0
Tires
4
0
0
0
Lane departure
3
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
3
2
0
3
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
0
1
0
Fuel system, gasoline
2
0
0
0
Seats
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Firerelated
1
0
1
1
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 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 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.
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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 240 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2018 Sonata, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (76), engine and engine cooling (64), equipment (52), engine (43), power train (30).
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
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 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 2018 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 / 37 / 31
Sonata Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
25 / 35 / 28
Sonata Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
23 / 32 / 26
Sonata Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline
39 / 44 / 41
Sonata Hybrid SE Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline
40 / 46 / 42
Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM6)
Regular Gasoline or Electricity 28 miles on electricity, 600 miles in all
37 / 42 / 39 on gasoline 99 MPGe on electricity
Sonata SE Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
25 / 36 / 29
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