2021 HYUNDAI SONATA SEL

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata is recorded with a salvage/rebuildable certificate of title, and the auction lists the primary damage as “SIDE.” Stage 1 reports that the visible damage to the left-side doors, quarter-panel area, and rocker panel supports the stated side-damage classification. However, the salvage/rebuildable title status cannot be confirmed from the photographs. The visible exterior damage is concentrated on the left rear side. The left rear door has multiple moderate dents and creases extending from the middle of the door to its lower edge, together with light-colored linear scratches and broad paint scuffing. The adjacent left rear quarter panel, particularly the area above the wheel arch, has irregular deformation and creasing. A broad depressed area with sharp creases and uneven contours extends across the left rear door and the panel behind it. The lower left rocker panel also shows minor linear abrasion and light-colored scrape marks. The light-colored upholstery has cosmetic discoloration. Multiple gray and brown marks are visible on the front seat cushion and adjacent upholstery, while the rear seat cushion has darker discoloration marks. According to the VIN decode, this is a left-hand-drive, front-wheel-drive sedan manufactured by Hyundai Motor Co. in South Korea. It is equipped with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the SEL trim. The decoded equipment includes standard ABS, electronic stability control, traction control, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping and lane-centering assistance, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear visibility assistance, and curtain and side airbags for the first and second rows. NHTSA recall records provided for the 2021 Sonata include a fuel-pipe recall affecting certain vehicles with 2.5-liter turbocharged engines; the decoded information does not state that this vehicle is turbocharged. Other listed recalls concern possible windshield bonding, automatic-transmission fail-safe operation, and a fuel-tank check valve that may allow the tank to contact hot exhaust components. Recall applicability and completion should be verified by VIN with Hyundai or NHTSA before purchase, along with confirmation that all necessary repairs have been completed. A physical inspection should assess the structural condition behind the left-side panels, door and quarter-panel fit, rocker-panel integrity, suspension and wheel-area components, restraint systems, paint quality, and the operation of all safety and electrical systems. Rescue or rebuilt vehicles should also be checked for proper repair documentation and any outstanding title or registration requirements.