Showing the 2020 Sonata SEL Plus. We haven't verified this trim's engine; 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.
Fuel economy
31–52 mpgcombined; city 27–50, highway 36–54; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$6,250–$10,480U.S. average; Ohio $5,580–$9,360 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
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2020 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 196 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 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
Fuel/propulsion system
48
2
1
1
Electrical system
46
2
0
0
Engine
40
1
1
1
Unknown or other
32
2
0
2
Power train
24
0
0
0
Structure
17
0
0
0
Seats
16
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
12
2
0
1
Fuel system, gasoline
12
0
0
0
Steering
8
1
0
1
Air bags
7
1
1
2
Vehicle speed control
7
0
0
0
13 more parts
Back over prevention
6
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
6
0
0
0
Service brakes
4
1
0
0
Lane departure
3
0
0
0
Wheels
3
1
0
1
Exterior lighting
2
0
0
0
Chest clip, buckle, harness
1
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
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 4 recall campaigns for the 2020 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 2020-2023 Sonata vehicles. A damaged check valve can allow air to enter the fuel tank, causing it to expand and contact hot exhaust components, melting the tank.
Risk: A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the check valve. The fuel tank assembly will be inspected for damage and replaced if necessary. Additionally, dealers will inspect and update the engine control unit software. All repairs will be performed as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning March 13, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 286. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 19, 2025.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Sonata and Sonata Hybrid, and 2019 Genesis G70 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 inspect the trunk latch and replace the trunk latch base, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 221/010G.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Nexo and Sonata vehicles. The Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) software may fail to prevent vehicle movement upon detection of an RSPA system malfunction.
Risk: Unintended vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the RSPA software, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 191.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Sonata vehicles produced between October 22, 2019 and February 13, 2020. The tire pressure label inside the driver's door and the owner's manual state an incorrect tire size. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: The incorrect tire information may mislead the vehicle owner to install the wrong tire size, potentially affecting vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install new label stickers over the tire pressure label and in the owner's manual, free of charge. The recall began April 22, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 190.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 124 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2020 Sonata, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (36), engine and engine cooling (29), power train (24), equipment (21), steering (11).
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 2020 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: 7–10 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
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
28 / 38 / 32
Sonata Front-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
27 / 37 / 31
Sonata Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
27 / 36 / 31
Sonata Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM-S6)
Regular Gasoline
45 / 51 / 47
Sonata Hybrid Blue Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM-S6)
Regular Gasoline
50 / 54 / 52
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