2012 Hyundai Sonata MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2012 Hyundai Sonata gets up to 27 mpg combined with a gas engine and up to 36 mpg as a hybrid, across 4 EPA-tested versions.

EPA fuel economy

2012 Hyundai Sonata · 4 EPA-tested versions

Best gas version

27MPG combined

24 city 34 highway

$2,500 a year to fuel

2.4L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic

Best hybrid version

36MPG combined

34 city 39 highway

$1,850 a year to fuel

2.4L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automatic

Best version saves $2,750 in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.47 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Sep 30, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $1,850 to $2,600 a year. Ratings for the best versions are unchanged from 2011.

One of the Sonata years to avoid

The 2012 drew 206 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 92 for a typical Sonata year: 2.2 times as many.

Years to avoid: 2011 to 2013 and 2015; best year: 2019. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.

Every Sonata year ranked The 2012 Sonata's recalls and problems

Every 2012 Sonata version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
Hybrid
2.4L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automatic Best EPA listing: Sonata Hybrid	36 mpg	34 / 39	$1,850
Gas
2.4L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Sonata	27 mpg	24 / 34	$2,500
2.4L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual EPA listing: Sonata	27 mpg	24 / 34	$2,500
2.0L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Sonata	26 mpg	22 / 33	$2,600

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.47 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
2.4L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automatic	$1,862	$155	$9,312
2.4L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic	$2,483	$207	$12,417
2.4L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual	$2,483	$207	$12,417
2.0L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic	$2,579	$215	$12,894

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

Does the hybrid pay for itself? See the payback for every model sold both ways.

Hyundai Sonata MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 25 to 32 mpg (every year from 2010 to 2026); highest in 2020. Hybrid: 36 to 52 mpg (2011 to 2026); highest in 2020.

Best gas version
Best hybrid version

2012: gas 27 mpg · hybrid 36 mpg

Show as a table

Hyundai Sonata best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version	Best hybrid version
2010	25	–
2011	27	36
2012	27	36
2013	27	37
2014	27	37
2015	31	37
2016	31	41
2017	31	42
2018	31	42
2019	31	42
2020	32	52
2021	32	52
2022	32	52
2023	32	52
2024	29	47
2025	32	47
2026	32	51

Every Sonata year's ratings in one table

How the 2012 Sonata compares

2012 midsize sedans covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2012 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Toyota Camry Best: hybrid	40 mpg	28 mpg	$1,700
Hyundai Sonata This page Best: hybrid	36 mpg	27 mpg	$1,850
Kia Optima Best: hybrid	36 mpg	27 mpg	$1,850
Honda Accord Best: gas	27 mpg	27 mpg	$2,500
Nissan Altima Best: gas	26 mpg	26 mpg	$2,600
Chevrolet Malibu Best: gas	26 mpg	26 mpg	$2,600

Hyundai Sonata vs Toyota CamryMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests side by side

2012 Sonata recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 11 safety recalls and 1,711 owner complaints for the 2012 Sonata.

Owners most often describe engine failure (216 complaints, 13%), then stalling (211). NHTSA's overall crash rating: 5 stars.

See the 2012 Sonata recalls and problems

Questions

How much fuel does the 2012 Sonata hybrid save?

Comparing two-wheel-drive versions at EPA's assumptions (15,000 miles a year, $4.47 a gallon), the hybrid costs $1,850 a year to fuel against $2,500 for the gas model: $650 a year, or $3,250 over five years.

Does the 2012 Hyundai Sonata need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2012 Hyundai Sonata version on regular gasoline.

How does the 2012 Sonata's MPG compare with the 2011?

For 2012, the best gas version is rated 27 mpg, the same as the year before and the best hybrid version is rated 36 mpg, the same as the year before.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 29, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.47, midgrade $5.07, premium $5.48, diesel $6.38 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Oct 2, 2026 and complaint file dated Oct 2, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.