The new Hyundai Sonata, receiving a refreshing update for the 2024 model year, continues to have the peripheral vision of other mainstream automakers who produce a midsize sedan. Remaining highly competitive for such a segment, the new Sonata looks more mature in its refreshed design and is simply better-looking, in my opinion, with its new front fascia and rear design elements. While the looks on the exterior may pay off well to attract a larger audience, the interior attempts to update components but never departs far from its fundamental mission of being a mainstream midsize sedan that retains a good value proposition for the masses.
Hyundai doesn’t move the needle far from the typical familiar powertrain offerings in the new Sonata as the same engines return for the refreshed 2024 model year but with the option of all-wheel-drive on the base SEL non-hybrid trim. However, with it being a while since I experienced the Sonata Hybrid, getting the Hybrid Limited trim in for review was a good time to see if there have been many improvements, which there appears to be for the system’s response being slightly better but still suffering from some delay in throttle application. Using a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine coupled with the hybrid system’s electric motor/generator and a six-speed automatic transmission, the total output comes to 192 horsepower (151 lb-ft of torque from the electric motor) sent on its way to the front wheels. The power is good enough to keep the Sonata Hybrid Limited on pace with competitors, but it feels a bit behind due to the slow responsiveness of power inputs. The six-speed transmission, while it’s something I prefer over a CVT (continuously variable transmission) found in competitor hybrid sedans, the transmission remains lax about making its shifts, and the direct feeling that you expect seems a bit lost in the ‘slow’ shuffle. That’s not to say that the new Sonata Hybrid is a poor performer overall, but it does have the slowest acceleration when compared to the new Honda Accord Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid. You’ll need about 8.6 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standstill, which is rather sluggish.
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Fortunately, the Sonata Hybrid Limited makes up for its lackluster acceleration in the area of being exceptionally smooth and somewhat refined in how it handles itself on the road, even on questionable and roughly paved surfaces. The suspension tuning is spot on for a smooth feeling that has a decent balance and compliance for overall ride quality. While the steering feeling is very unnatural, requiring some unexpected corrections, and feels mostly numb, there’s respect for how well the Sonata Hybrid Limited eats up road imperfections and remains stable at interstate speeds.
The hybrid system works well when you, as the driver, are entuned to what it is doing and careful with your throttle inputs. There are also clever braking regen settings with three levels of regen and an auto mode that adapts to conditions using the front radar and detection of slopes. The system isn’t as smooth for braking regen as you get in a fully electric vehicle, but it helps to add power energy back to the hybrid battery pack that smartly retains a good amount of reserve power.
As a driver, the ability to score big on the mpg gauge shouldn’t be so thought-provoking, but for the Sonata to hit its EPA estimated fuel consumption numbers, you will have to pay special attention to your driving style. Basically, what I am getting at here is during the full week with the new Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited, I never matched the EPA fuel consumption estimate of 51 mpg on the highway. However, I was able to match the 44 mpg EPA estimate around town and still missed the combined estimate of 47 mpg by about 1 mpg. I easily saw the 44-mpg figure often and was able to get up to 48 mpg when driving conservatively at around 60 mph.
Anything above 60 to 65 mph, the highway EPA estimate of 51 remained out of reach. Much of this is attributed to the fact that when the engine runs, you never really crest past 32 mpg when you’re moving at highway and interstate speeds. The electric motor taking over is when things start to look better as the motor does well to maintain higher speeds on level surfaces and when you’re flaking vehicles in front of you for better wind resistance and often catching a draft. Yes, I sometimes felt like I was in a ‘light’ NASCAR race cruising down Interstate 95, attempting to score that 51-mpg highway figure. Unfortunately, I never saw it as I reached a high score of only 48 mpg, and that was behind a semi-truck moving at 63 mph in the slow lane.
One good thing about the Sonata Hybrid Limited’s fuel consumption is that there is potential if you adhere to being consciously soft about your right foot action and travel just below the posted interstate speed limits. Also, there’s an exceptional cruising range that can reach as far as 673 miles if you ever do hit and maintain that 51-mpg figure with a full 13.2 gallons of regular unleaded in the tank. Maybe my test vehicle needed some more breaking in – either way, I hope you know what’s going on here, Hyundai, so no one gets in trouble again. In all, the Sonata Hybrid Limited is economical for being a gas sipper, which will ultimately save you a lot of money at the pump.
The interior of the newly refreshed Sonata Hybrid Limited doesn’t depart far from the traditional expectations of a new Hyundai. The bigger 12.3-inch touchscreen gets updated for how you interact with what has traditionally been a simple-to-use system. I’m happy to report that the infotainment system remains to be simple with a short learning curve. The integration of wireless (and USB-connected) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is new for Sonata, as in previous years, only USB-connected integration was used.
The controls and physical buttons on the new Sonata remain for ease of use without taking the focus off the road for commonly used interactions. Additionally, visibility is still good, even with the sloping rear roofline and large rear window pillars. Even the dual-zone automatic climate control system with a panel of touch buttons and physical knobs for temperature adjustments is easy to reach and control.
Comfortable seating positions are easily obtained with the front heated and ventilated seats in my Sonata Hybrid Limited test vehicle, which have a lot of adjustability forward and aft. The overall seat comfort is decent, but the seat padding feels a bit thin and stiff on longer drives where you find yourself constantly adjusting the power lumbar after about 45 minutes or more into a drive. In the rear, the bench is comfy for the heated outboard seats, but the middle seat remains stiff, as you may expect.
Cargo room in the trunk accessed by a fully powered smart trunk lid offers up to 16 cubic feet of space that can be expanded by folding the 60/40-split rear seatbacks down.
The new Hyundai Sonata remains on par with the safest vehicles on the market, receiving the highest ratings from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. With that, you get the typical highlighted active safety features of a lane-keeping system, adaptive cruise control w/a highway driving assist system, 360-degree surround camera system, forward collision warning/w automatic braking, rear cross-traffic warning w/rear automatic braking, blind-spot monitors with blind-spot intervention and a trick blind spot view monitor that displays a live video feed of your blind spot upon signaling.
The Hyundai Sonata remains a respectable value with a starting price of $27,500 before any fees, while the Sonata Hybrid starts off at $30,800 for the SEL Hybrid trim and then lands at $37,200 plus destination pricing for my top-trim Sonata Hybrid Limited test vehicle.
