A batch of Canadian-built Sonatas, starting with 500 cars in 1989, was quietly shipped to Taiwan instead of the US — purely to dodge Taiwan's import quota on South Korean-made cars.
Lead trim: (Y-3) · 4-spd auto · 2.0L · up to 143 hp
Hyundai SonataY-3 · 1989–1994
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Hyundai Sonata yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactA batch of Canadian-built Sonatas, starting with 500 cars in 1989, was quietly shipped to Taiwan instead of the US — purely to dodge Taiwan's import quota on South Korean-made cars.
Collectors Spotted in the Hyundai Sonata Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Hyundai Sonata yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
8 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Y-3) · 4-spd auto · 2.0L | 1994–1994 | 2.0 L 4-cyl | 105 hp | 117 lb-ft | — | FWD | Automatic 4-spd | — |
| (Y-3) · 4-spd auto · 3.0L | 1994–1994 | 3.0 L V6 | 143 hp | 170 lb-ft | — | FWD | Automatic 4-spd | — |
| (Y-3) · 5-spd manual · 2.0L | 1994–1994 | 2.0 L 4-cyl | 105 hp | 117 lb-ft | — | FWD | Manual 5-spd | — |
| Base · 4-spd auto · 2.0L | 1992–1998 | 2.0 L 4-cyl | — | — | — | FWD | Automatic 4-spd | — |
| Base · 4-spd auto · 2.4L | 1989–2008 | 2.4 L 4-cyl | 116 hp | 134 lb-ft | — | FWD | Automatic 4-spd | — |
| Base · 4-spd auto · 3.0L | 1989–1998 | 3.0 L 6-cyl | 142 hp | 171 lb-ft | — | FWD | Automatic 4-spd | — |
| Base · 5-spd manual · 2.0L | 1992–1998 | 2.0 L 4-cyl | — | — | — | FWD | Manual 5-spd | — |
| Base · 5-spd manual · 2.4L | 1989–2010 | 2.4 L 4-cyl | 116 hp | 134 lb-ft | — | FWD | Manual 5-spd | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Sold in the US as a midsize, but this Sonata's cabin is roomy enough that the EPA classifies it as a full-size car.
The LF Sonata was supposed to be done by 2019 — but a China-built taxi version kept it in production until July 2023, four years after everyone else moved on.
The 2011 Sonata Hybrid wasn't entirely a Hyundai invention — it shared its hybrid powertrain with the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid, corporate siblings under the skin.
In Singapore, diesel NF Sonatas became the go-to replacement for the Toyota Comfort taxi, a Korean sedan taking over Tokyo's old cab job.
This Sonata's platform secretly became Hyundai's first-ever SUV -- the original Santa Fe rode on the same bones as the EF Sonata sedan.
A batch of Canadian-built Sonatas, starting with 500 cars in 1989, was quietly shipped to Taiwan instead of the US — purely to dodge Taiwan's import quota on South Korean-made cars.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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