FaultScore

Hyundai Sonata vs Ford Focus

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Hyundai Sonata Ford Focus
Complaints on file 22,259 29,786
Model years covered 1987–2026 1999–2018
Worst model year 2013 2000
Best model year 2025 1999
Crashes reported 1,148 1,631
Fires reported 850 424
Injuries reported 740 979
Deaths reported 21 54
Most complained-about part Engine & Cooling Transmission & Drivetrain
Share of complaints involving harm 12.4% 10.4%

Hyundai Sonata by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Engine & Cooling 5,099 22.9%
Steering 2,377 10.7%
Airbags 2,068 9.3%
Electrical System 2,003 9.0%
Other & Unspecified 1,327 6.0%
Brakes 1,258 5.7%
Body & Structure 1,087 4.9%
Fuel & Propulsion 1,087 4.9%

Ford Focus by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Electrical System 4,474 15.0%
Engine & Cooling 3,622 12.2%
Fuel & Propulsion 2,723 9.1%
Steering 2,111 7.1%
Other & Unspecified 1,536 5.2%
Brakes 1,204 4.0%