- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 4
- on record
- MPG
- 31
- combined
Open recalls on record
4 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2020 Hyundai Sonata
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Owner complaints
- 169
- Complaints citing a crash
- 4
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
4 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 20V213000high
Electrical issue
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
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.
Consequence
Unintended vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 20V122000high
Incorrect or missing label
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
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."
Consequence
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 22V196000high
Latches/locks/linkages · trunk lid · latch
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
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."
Consequence
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 25V796000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
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.
Consequence
A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 9.7%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2020 Hyundai Sonata 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 6 comparable 2020 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 9.7% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
27
City
37
Hwy
31
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,000
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 293 g/mi
How this compares
At 31 MPG combined, the 2020 Hyundai Sonata ranks 1st of 8 large cars EPA rated for 2020 — 7 MPG better than the 24 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little above the middle of its class. Fuel cost is close enough to its rivals that other running costs will probably matter more.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,000, $650 less than the $2,650 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $10,000, a $3,250 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 293 grams per mile — about 4.4 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
169 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 169
- Total
- 4
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 4
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE44
- FUEL SYSTEM44
- OTHER27
- ELECTRICAL19
- STRUCTURE9
Notable Issues
169 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 4 reports involve injuries. 4 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata, newest first.
- Recall
A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Recall
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
- Recall
Unintended vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
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.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sedan
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
27
City
37
Hwy
31
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,000
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A melted fuel tank can leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Recall
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
- Recall
Unintended vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.