The 2018 Hyundai Sonata was one of the South Korean manufacturer’s best-selling sedans thanks in large part to its practicality and fuel efficiency. If you want to get the most out of your Sonata and keep it on the road for as long as possible, you’ll need to understand its engine oil capacity.

With impressive ratings across the board, the Hyundai Sonata has proven to be one of the best values on the road every year it has been in production. Whether new or used, the general maintenance that comes with owning a car can put a dent in your pocket quicker than you may have imagined.

We’ll help guide you through changing your own oil so you can save on this recurring maintenance bill. In this article, we’ll cover engine oil capacity, the best types of oil for your car, and how to change it yourself!

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2018 Hyundai Sonata Engine Oil Capacity

Before you crawl under your car, we need to go over exactly how much oil your Sonata needs.

The 2018 Sonata comes equipped with a 1.6-liter engine with an oil capacity of 5.1 quarts. The 1.6-liter part indicates the engine’s displacement and cannot be confused with its oil capacity.

The displacement measures how much air and fuel are sucked into each cylinder during one cycle of the engine, while the oil capacity measures how much oil is required to keep the engine running smoothly.

If you don't know the difference, you might fill the engine with too much oil and end up with more serious problems.

What kind of oil does a 2018 Hyundai Sonata need?

Now that we’ve covered how much oil your Sonata requires, let’s discuss the best oil type.

With more vehicles on the road than ever, you are going to find a ton of different options when you take a gander in the oil aisle. Don’t worry, we’ve done the research for you, so all you have to do is find it: SAE 5W-20 engine oil.

This is the oil recommended by Hyundai, making it the best choice anytime you need a refill.

Let’s break down this oil so you have a better understanding of what you’re putting into your car. The “W” stands for winter, and the 5 before it indicates this oil remains thin while the car is under cold conditions. The 20 following the “W” tells us this oil is of moderate viscosity (thickness) while the engine is at normal operating temperature.

To put it simply, you want an oil that is thin enough to flow well during a cold morning start-up, as well as one that is thick enough to cool down a hot engine and keep all its parts lubricated.

If you’d like to consider some other options, feel free to check these out:

Hyundai recommended: If you want to do as Hyundai advises, SAE 5W-20 engine oil is the way to go.

Longer oil change intervals: If you wish to only change your oil every 20,000 miles,

Mobil 1 Extended Performance High Mileage 5W-20

engine oil is a great option.

Extra protection: If you push your Sonata to its limit,

Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-30

engine oil will keep your motor protected.

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How often to change oil on a 2018 Hyundai Sonata

Hyundai recommends changing the oil on a 2018 Sonata every 7,500 miles to keep its engine operating at optimal strength.

Routinely monitoring your oil level and taking note of the last time it was changed will ensure you never keep old contaminated oil in your engine for too long.

If you do not drive often or keep your mileage low, you should still change your oil every six months to prevent it from becoming sludge and potentially causing complete engine failure.

The following signs can also warn you that your Sonata oil needs to be changed:

The oil has turned a dark brown or black color

The oil texture has become gritty or coarse

Strange sounds are coming from the engine

You smell smoke or burning odors under the hood

Your car’s performance has noticeably declined

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How to change your oil and oil filter

Having checked off every detail, you can now change your oil! You should have a new oil filter, a rag, a filter wrench, and a socket wrench on hand before beginning. And lastly, make sure you have a bottle of SAE 5W-20 motor oil handy.

Begin by warming up the current oil by turning on the engine and letting it idle—this will help the oil flow out easier. After a few minutes, kill the engine, pop the hood, and follow these steps:

Position yourself under the engine and set your drain pan beneath the oil drain plug.

Disconnect the oil drain plug using your socket wrench, and let the oil drain out.

Remove the oil filter with your filter wrench, allowing any excess oil to drain into your pan.

Wipe the filter mounting surface clean and install your fresh filter with the filter wrench.

Fasten the oil drain plug back into place.

Refill your engine with the proper amount of oil.

See? That's not too bad! You should check the oil level with the dipstick to make sure you added enough new oil, and then double-check that the oil pressure dashboard light is turned off. To be absolutely certain, start the engine and inspect for leaks.

As far as cleanup is concerned, you should refrain from dumping your old oil onto the ground or into the garbage. This oil is contaminated and should be brought to your local recycling center to be properly disposed of.

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