2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Test Drive: Efficiency Over Everything

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is an environment friendly midsize sedan with sharp styling and a clean journey. Sedans, nevertheless, don’t maintain the attraction they as soon as did as SUVs and crossovers proceed to achieve in reputation. Volkswagen is all the way down to solely the Jetta, whereas Ford, Lincoln, and Buick have kicked sedans totally to the curb with no single possibility of their lineups. Hyundai is amongst these holding quick with the Sonata, Elantra, and Ioniq 6.

This 12 months’s Sonata replace offers it sporty styling that proves hybrids don’t must look uninteresting. It’s downright futuristic with a lightbar that runs throughout the size of the hood simply above the grille. That grille can be new, together with bigger air intakes that make for a daring first impression. Inside, upgrades embody bigger display shows and a brand new structure for the middle console. There’s an obtainable head-up show that places key info just under the driving force’s line of sight, so that you don’t must look away from the street. The lineup additionally shuffles barely with the elimination of the Hybrid Blue trim, leaving simply the SEL or Restricted. We spent a while with the Sonata Hybrid; listed below are our ideas.

Exterior: A Recent Look With A Futuristic Vibe

Kudos to Hyundai for making the Sonata a sedan that’s not boring. The up to date exterior makes the Sonata hanging with an extended hood and that single lamp above a bigger grille. There are additionally wide-set headlights and massive air intakes. The general impression is one among a sporty sedan that’s completely fashionable reasonably than a forgotten a part of the Hyundai lineup.

Within the again, Hyundai’s penchant for making the whole lot appear like an H as soon as once more exhibits up within the lights: It’s not apparent, however when you see it, you may’t unsee it. It’s paying homage to what Hyundai did on the brand new Santa Fe, however way more refined. We love the Santa Fe’s design, nevertheless it feels a bit like an episode of Sesame Road devoted to the letter H, and we recognize the lighter hand with the Sonata.

Inside: A Prime-Notch Inside That Delivers Consolation And High quality

The Sonata has lengthy had a incredible inside, and it continues to take action for the 2024 mannequin 12 months. It’s upscale, surprisingly so for a automobile at this value level, which provides tremendously to its attraction. The bottom SEL Hybrid has twin computerized local weather management, fabric seats, an 8-way energy driver’s seat and four-way energy entrance passenger seat, heated entrance seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Restricted Hybrid provides leather-based seating surfaces, ventilated entrance seats, rear sunshades, and a heated steering wheel.

Whichever you select, it’s a beautiful and cozy inside. The entrance seats are roomy with minimal bolstering. There’s simply sufficient to offer help and maintain you comfortable in your seat with out being too tight for longer journeys. Headroom and legroom are good, with sufficient house for 3 folks to sit down comfortably within the rear seats. Except you’re heading out for a street journey, these three adults will probably be completely wonderful so long as you do not have NFL linebackers alongside for the journey. Nevertheless, it falls wanting each the Honda Accord Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid on rear legroom if that’s your precedence.

Cargo: A Spacious Trunk

In case you are actually targeted on cargo room, then you definitely’re going to need to have a look at a crossover or SUV. They not solely provide extra room, but additionally provide extra flexibility since they’ll maintain bulkier gadgets than even the biggest trunk. By way of midsize sedans, the Sonata Hybrid is fairly spacious at 16.0 cubic ft. That’s greater than the 15.1 cubic ft within the Toyota Camry Hybrid however wanting the 16.7 cubic ft discovered within the Honda Accord Hybrid.

Know-how: Bigger Normal Display Sizes

Within the ever-evolving effort to maintain us related, display sizes are getting larger yearly. It’s a difficult stability as a result of bigger screens make it simpler to make use of infotainment methods, however they are often distracting and generally ugly. There are some that span the total width of the dashboard and others that appear like somebody simply caught the display on there, design be damned.

This 12 months, the Sonata lineup contains a regular 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. It is a setup that works superbly with the 2 screens housed in a single show to unify the presentation. The system is simple to make use of with customary wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wi-fi smartphone charging, six-speaker audio, and entrance and rear USB ports. The Restricted provides 12-speaker Bose audio, navigation, and a 12-inch shade head-up show. The massive screens as a regular function be sure that each trims of the Sonata Hybrid feel and appear premium.

Efficiency: Not The Most Partaking Driving Expertise

Energy for the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid stays unchanged this 12 months with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine and 39-kW electrical motor paired to a six-speed computerized transmission. This delivers 192 mixed system horsepower and is offered with front-wheel drive solely. It’s a wonderfully wonderful engine that will get the Sonata Hybrid up to the mark, nevertheless it’s not particularly robust.

Shifts are clean general with good dealing with, however this automobile is concentrated on gas financial system and luxury. Efficiency falls a bit additional down the checklist, which is okay when you have the identical precedence. If you’d like one thing with sporty dealing with, regardless of the way it seems to be, that’s not the way it drives. It is a clean, easy-going sedan perfect for lengthy commutes and street journeys.

Gas Effectivity: This Is Why You Purchase The Hybrid

Whereas the driving expertise within the Sonata Hybrid isn’t tailor-made for lovers, the upside is spectacular gas financial system. The Restricted and SEL each get an EPA-estimated 44/51/47 mpg metropolis/freeway/mixed. These are the identical figures as final 12 months, however final 12 months there was one further trim possibility. The Hybrid Blue was rated at 50/54/52 mpg metropolis/excessive/mixed and that trim is gone. So, gas financial system hasn’t precisely fallen, however your choices are extra restricted.

It is nonetheless good gas financial system, however dropping the Hybrid Blue makes room for the competitors to do higher. The very best gas financial system of the Toyota Camry is discovered within the LE trim which will get 51/53/52 mpg metropolis/freeway/mixed. There’s additionally the Honda Accord Hybrid which delivers 51/44/48 mpg metropolis/freeway mixed.

Drive Impressions: A Cozy Household Sedan

There are efficiency sedans, however that’s not the purpose of the Sonata Hybrid. It is a fuel-efficient sedan with loads of room for passengers, good facilities, and a clean journey. It’s targeted on holding cash in your pockets on the pump and making certain that you simply arrive in consolation. It is well-suited to the morning commute with a quiet journey that retains the noise of visitors at bay and helps you reset after a busy day on the workplace. On the weekends, it is nice for household outings with sufficient room for the children and no matter you want for a day’s journey.

The engine has sufficient energy to stand up to freeway speeds with out grievance. It is quiet and well-mannered with clean shifts, however not aggressive. Mash the gasoline, and it responds, nevertheless it’s doubtless not going to outrun the man subsequent to you at a visitors mild. As soon as as much as freeway speeds, there’s sufficient energy for passing slower autos, however once more, it’s mild-mannered, so plan accordingly for lane modifications in heavy visitors. Dealing with is easy-going with responsive steering that does not tax the driving force. It is a enjoyable automobile to drive, whether or not on the freeway or on twisting nation roads.

Pricing and Verdict: A Nice Worth For The Value

Hyundai continues to do what it does greatest: It gives enticing autos with aggressive pricing and surprisingly upscale interiors. It is not that the Hyundai Sonata seems to be like a luxurious automobile, however that it nonetheless seems to be extra luxurious than you’d anticipate for the worth. It has sharp exterior styling that makes it stand out from different sedans together with a properly appointed inside loaded with customary facilities. From the appear and feel of the supplies used all through the Sonata Hybrid to the big infotainment display, that is an interesting sedan.

Pricing begins at $30,800 for the SEL Hybrid, not together with the $1,150 vacation spot charge, with the Restricted Hybrid coming in at $37,200. Even at its most well-equipped, it is lower than $40K, which makes it straightforward in your pockets. Going with the SEL is an excellent higher deal and places it in attain for extra modest budgets. Mixed with gas financial system that makes rising gasoline costs simpler to handle, the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is a good possibility for households in want of a brand new sedan.