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2012 Hyundai SONATA Hybrid consumer reviews

$25,850 starting MSRP
side view of 2012 SONATA Hybrid Hyundai
(73 reviews)
83% of drivers recommend this car
Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.6
  • Interior 4.6
  • Performance 4.0
  • Value 4.3
  • Exterior 4.6
  • Reliability 4.2
Explore the 2012 Hyundai SONATA Hybrid
Shop the 2012 Hyundai SONATA Hybrid

More for your money

So far so good, only have had a short time. This is our third Hyundai, can't beat what you receive for your money. Disappointed the boothtooth doesn't work well with iPhone 6, wife doesn't seem to have issues with her Android though. Head room a little tight. Different driving a hybrid, but getting use to it. Love the gas savings. (Rideshare)

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 4.0
  • Performance 4.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 4.0
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
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I love this car more than any other car I owned

This car is a perfect family car. Pros: 1. Interior Quality 2. Tech 3. Audio System 4. Price 5. Reliable Cons: 1. Sluggish acceleration at times 2. Milage is not as promised

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 5.0
  • Interior 5.0
  • Performance 4.0
  • Value 4.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 5.0
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
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Love My Sonata Hybrid!

I recently purchased a black 2012 Sonata Hybrid with only 39,000 miles on it. The car was well cared for and looks almost new. I know some people have complained that the hybrid system isn't the most refined, but after driving this daily for almost a month, I LOVE this car! There is plenty of power under the hood when you need it, and once you begin to learn how to truly drive a hybrid and use the various options on the screens to teach you how to keep the car in a fuel efficient state, you will be surprised with the MPG's you can crank out. Bear in mind, this isn't a small car or a Prius, so you're not going to get 50mpg. I traded a 2010 Ford Fusion for this, and I am getting 10-12 mpg better than I did with what is in my opinion a much better looking and handling car with more horsepower under the hood. I'm getting 120-150 miles more on a tank of fuel in mixed driving than I did with the Fusion. I anticipate having this car for a long time and look forward to learning how to be even more efficient with the MPG's. Keeping the car in EV mode quickly becomes a game!

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 5.0
  • Interior 5.0
  • Performance 5.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 4.0
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
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Great on gas and good for the value

Hybrid gets great mileage. I used this vehicle for a couple of years before upgrading to a newer model Perfect for daily use and commute

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 5.0
  • Interior 4.0
  • Performance 5.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 4.0
  • Reliability 5.0
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
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I cannot be happier with this nice looking ride!

With a fine glide as, it rolls down the street. It's makes you wonder why everyone doe's try one out. There are a lot of cool cars out there right now. This one is just beautiful. No complaints from me. I love it!

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 5.0
  • Interior 5.0
  • Performance 5.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 5.0
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Having fun
  • Does recommend this car
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2012 Sonata Hybrib from new to 45,000 mile review

after 45,000 miles I have a good feel for this car. I have read the other reviews and don't entirely agree with them. for starters the car is reliable with absolutely no problems at all so far. Super easy oil and filter changes for DIY and no maintenance that you cant do yourself until 60,000 miles. As for the smoothness of the transmission. Some hesitation at takeoff from a complete stop is noticeable but that is it. After the car is rolling it is smooth. It has plenty of power for highway merging with solid acceleration. No neck jerking performance but typical V-6 sedan performance from the 4 cylinder and hybrid motor working together under full throttle. Now the gas mileage. It is totally dependent upon speed and ambient temperature. I can get 45 mpg on highway at 65 mph in summer. More typical is 38 mpg at 75 mph. In the winter when temps run as low as the single digits to the 20's fuel economy suffers to 33 mpg at all speeds. Expect 32-34 mpg in freezing temps. Overall it still is a great value and saves money unless you live in Alaska.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 4.0
  • Performance 4.0
  • Value 4.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 4.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
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Extraordinary value for a nearly perfect car

This is our first Hyundai and we're very glad we bought it. The mileage does vary significantly depending on conditions, but compared to a non-hybrid, the mileage is still terrific. I've gotten over 42 MPG on summer trips several times. And that's with 4 adults on a long trip with no complaints about space or comfort whatsoever. Interior space is wonderful, especially rear-seat legroom and the cavernous trunk. Quiet interior with a great factory sound system Would definitely buy again, but the car does have 2 niggling faults. 1- As mentioned elsewhere, acceleration off the line is delayed, so taking off from a start requires some judgment. 2- The cruise control is a bit schizophrenic. It jumps up 3 MPH over your target speed, then settles back down to it. Nothing scary, just an annoyance as the car surges initially. No service issues whatsoever, just oil changes, etc. Bought ours Certified Pre-Owned with 12k miles already on it. Now almost 31k after a year. Hard to believe that the car is still worth nearly what I paid for it. Remarkable how much car can be had for so little money. Recommended to a friend who tried one out and bought one as well. Truly awesome car for so little money.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 5.0
  • Interior 5.0
  • Performance 4.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 5.0
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
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Super car with Great Styling

The Sonata, my second one, is one of the best cars I've ever owned. Mileage is right on. 33-35 around town. A little less in very cold weather. 39-40 Highway only. If you don't drive like a "Jack Rabbit" you will get the described mileage.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 5.0
  • Interior 5.0
  • Performance 5.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 5.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Does recommend this car
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This is a DO NOT BUY

After a year of smooth driving, the car began to jerk and shudder about a month ago. Based on the reviews I have read, this is an issue Hyundai has yet to rectify. After bringing the car into the dealership service centre 4 times, eventually having a software update applied, the dealership tells me this is normal. The shuddering occurs when the car shifts down from 4th to 3rd, which suggests a transmission issue. I would not recommend buying this car.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 2.0
  • Interior 2.0
  • Performance 1.0
  • Value 3.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 1.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does not recommend this car
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Love The MPG

I owned a 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid for 7 months prior to this purchase. Browsing the web I realized I could trade in the Fusion for a similarly equipped low mileage sonata hybrid and save a large amount on my monthly payments. I couldn't be more pleased with the switch. My MPG after 2100 miles driven with the sonata is 44 overall average while the best I could get in the Fusion was 39. I was disappointed in Ford's claim of 47/47 city and highway driving. No way will you ever get 47 on the highway. Also the gas tank is 4-5 gallons smaller on the fusion so you're filling up a lot more. The sonata feels roomier and I've received several compliments on the styling and color. I owned a 2011 elantra which was a little small for the family. I love this purchase and my warranty on a used Hyundai hybid is better than the new Ford's warranty.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 5.0
  • Performance 3.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 5.0
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
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