How safe is the Hyundai Sonata?
Drivers of the 2020–2023 Hyundai Sonata died at a rate of 83 per million registered vehicle years, 105% higher than the average of 37 for all vehicles. That makes it one of the riskiest vehicles on the road for its driver: it ranks 120th of 129 vehicles, safer than 7% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
Where the Hyundai Sonata sits among all 129 vehicles
Hyundai Sonata (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 37
The rate is based on plenty of data, so this ranking is reliable.
Vehicles ranked near the Hyundai Sonata
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 117 | Chrysler 300 2WDCar · Large | 132 | 9 |
| 118 | Dodge Charger 2WDCar · Large | 90 | 9 |
| 119 | Nissan SentraCar · Small | 81 | 8 |
| 120 | Hyundai SonataCar · Midsize | 83 | 7 |
| 121 | Nissan KicksCar · Small | 86 | 5 |
| 122 | Hyundai Venue 2WDSUV · Small | 113 | 5 |
| 123 | Kia K5Car · Midsize | 94 | 5 |
How it compares with other cars
Among the 23 cars ranked, the Hyundai Sonata is 15th. The safest cars are below. See all cars.
| Cars rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honda Civic hatchbackCar · Small | 28 | 36 |
| 2 | Subaru LegacyCar · Midsize | 37 | 27 |
| 3 | Toyota Corolla hybrid 2WDCar · Small | 51 | 21 |
| 4 | Subaru WRXCar · Small | 51 | 20 |
| 5 | Toyota Camry hybridCar · Midsize | 51 | 20 |
| 15 | Hyundai SonataCar · Midsize | 83 | 7 |
Common questions
Is the Hyundai Sonata a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Hyundai Sonata is one of the riskiest vehicles on the road for its driver. Its driver death rate of 83 per million registered vehicle years is 105% higher than the average, and it ranks 120th of 129 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Hyundai Sonata compare with other cars?
It ranks 15th of 23 cars. The safest is the Honda Civic hatchback, with a rate of 28.
Why is this different from the Hyundai Sonata's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.