Understand the car behind the VIN

2021 Hyundai Sonata SEL specifications

Build 5NPEL4JA-M · 2.5L · Front-wheel drive

Explore the specifications recorded for VIN pattern 5NPEL4JA-M. Start here to understand this version, then check the full VIN for an individual car.

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NHTSA vPIC decode · Pattern-level specifications

  • Decoded Oct 15, 2026
  • 6,498 known VINs
  • 96 listings reported active
Engine
2.5L
Drive
Front-wheel drive
Median asking price
$16,901

The essentials, explained

Engine, transmission & body specifications

As filed by Hyundai with NHTSA for this VIN pattern. Fields the filing does not record are left out entirely — a missing row means no recorded value, not a missing feature.

Engine

Displacement
2.5 L
Engine model
GDI THETA III
Valve train
Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Fuel type
Gasoline

Drivetrain

Drive type
Front-wheel drive

Body & chassis

NHTSA body type
PASSENGER CAR
Manufacturer
HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC (HATCI)

The market for this VIN pattern

What are sellers asking?

Asking prices from dealer listings associated with this VIN pattern in the United States. Mileage, condition, options and location can change the value of an individual vehicle.

$16,901 median asking price · 146 listings · as of Oct 25, 2026

2nd percentile $11,658 98th percentile $21,271

Compare every 2021 Sonata trim and its price →

Put the model year in context

Compare asking prices by model year

Explore 3 model years with VIN prefix 5NPEL4JA. These are different vehicles: price differences also reflect mileage, condition, equipment and the listings available. They are not a depreciation forecast.

Median asking prices · bars begin at $0

2020 $15,995
2021 $16,901
2022 $18,705

Highlighted: 2021, the model year on this page. Prices and update dates are specific to each linked year.

How this VIN pattern is read

A 17-character VIN carries two kinds of information: what was built, and which one it is. This page is the first kind — the nine highlighted positions.

VIN positions 1 through 8 read 5NPEL4JA and position 10 reads M. Those nine characters define this build. Position 9 and positions 11 through 17 describe the check digit, assembly plant and production sequence; they are not part of this pattern.

Positions Characters What they encode
1–3 5NP HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC (HATCI) · World manufacturer identifier
4–8 EL4JA Model, body style, engine and restraint system
9 × Check digit — computed per vehicle, not part of the build
10 M Model year — 2021
11 × Assembly plant
12–17 ×××××× Production sequence number, unique to each vehicle

From a version to your vehicle

Is this the car you’re looking at?

Enter the full VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or title — to open the vehicle’s page.

Before you make it yours

Three checks beyond the specification

History of the exact car

A shared engine says nothing about accidents or odometer changes. Review records for the full VIN.

Start with the VIN ↑

Recall status

Model-year campaigns alone cannot confirm whether a car was affected or repaired. Check its individual VIN.

Check with NHTSA ↗

Condition & equipment

Confirm installed equipment and arrange an independent inspection. Specifications cannot show wear or past modifications.

Manufacturer reference library

Manuals & reference documents

2021 Hyundai Sonata PDF Brochure

2021 · US · Model-year brochure. Equipment can vary by vehicle.

Open manufacturer document ↗

Documents may cover multiple versions. Check applicability to the individual vehicle; documents load only when opened.

Explore actual vehicles

6,498 known VINs for this pattern

Every VIN we have decoded to 5NPEL4JA-M is associated with this pattern in our records. Shared specifications do not mean shared history, condition or installed options.

  • 6,498 Known VINs
  • 96 Listings reported active
  • 146 Priced listings
  • $16,901 Median asking

Vehicles of this build

A fixed sample of 1 known vehicles associated with this pattern — each with its own history page. The sample refreshes quarterly, not nightly, so it stays put between visits.

Browse all 16 VIN record groups

Groups use a stable internal sorting key. Their labels are not VIN characters, locations or model variants.

Browse all 6,498 VINs of this build →

Neighboring configurations

Other factory configurations of the Sonata, each with its own recorded specifications. The set is fixed by the VIN patterns themselves, so it does not shuffle as prices or inventory move.

Keep going

Useful answers, without the guesswork

2021 Hyundai Sonata: specification questions

What engine code is recorded for 5NPEL4JA-M?

The recorded engine model is GDI THETA III. This is pattern-level data; confirm the installed engine on a vehicle that may have been modified.

Is this an original window sticker?

No. This page summarizes decoded VIN-pattern specifications. An original sticker or build record is needed to verify the optional equipment of a particular car.

Are the known VINs a production total?

No. These are VINs observed in our records. The count does not establish total production or rarity.

Does a missing specification mean the feature is absent?

No. Missing fields mean that a value is not recorded in this decode. Check the individual vehicle and its manufacturer documentation.

Where this data comes from

Specification fields are decoded from the manufacturer's filings in the NHTSA vPIC database, keyed on VIN positions 1–8 and 10. We publish the filed values as they stand and leave out anything the filing does not record.

Prices are asking prices from 146 live dealer listings decoded to this build , last updated October 25, 2026 . They are what sellers ask, not what buyers paid.

Vehicle counts come from the 6,498 VINs of this build we have seen in dealer inventory. They are a sample of the road population, not a production figure.

About the NHTSA vPIC data source ↗

Pattern decode updated October 15, 2026.