First Look Review: The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid stands out in the SUV craze

Midsize sedan customers who want to experience electrification but are not ready to fully commit to EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 6 have several hybrid choices from Asian brands. The latest among these is the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, scheduled to arrive at U.S. dealers in early 2024.

Hyundai showcased its latest hybrid sedan at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show (2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited trim), where I had the opportunity to explore the new model. Hyundai calls it “our most advanced Sonata yet,” and here’s what I found:

Design

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid has a powerful and sophisticated exterior. I think its sharp and prominent front-end gives it an aggressive and dominating character. The low-slung sedan emphasizes its width with a horizontal DRL that spans almost the entire front-end. When I saw it up close in Los Angeles, I found that the housing of this light stripe neatly masks the hood shut line. I also noticed that the low and high beam lights are hidden in the bumper, and when they turn on, they make it seem as if the car’s ready to attack the tarmac!

The 2024 Sonata Hybrid has a fluidic side profile that projects elegance with a gracefully sloping roofline, a sleek and curvy greenhouse, and spiral alloy wheels. An H-shaped tail light lends a sharp and high-tech to the otherwise sensuous rear-end and gives it the same wide and aggressive appearance as the front. The segmented lights that progressively reduce from three to one inwards give the car a sporty styling, and they remind me of the checkered flag.

Interior

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid has a low-profile, simplistic interior. I think the sleek dashboard with a concave surface in the middle and the two attached edgy cockpit screens makes the cabin look tidy and organized. I like the slanted patterned trim on the dashboard, which enhances the style in a subtle manner. The ultra-wide and tall AC opening is a bit too overt for my liking, although I think it could be great for quickly cooling the cabin during the summer.

I dislike the way Hyundai has clubbed the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment on a single structure to make them look like one. There’s a notably big bezel between these displays, which looks odd, in my opinion.

The bezel makes it seem the displays were forced together, meaning this isn’t a harmonious integration. Nevertheless, they are sharp panels with a clean user interface. The infotainment system has a simple menu structure and supports wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, both of which were missing in the previous model.

It seems Hyundai hasn’t seen Volkswagen and many of its own customers voicing out their dislike for digital controls for HVAC. The company has used a 6.6-inch LCD in the 2024 Sonata Hybrid, and I think it’s not as convenient and safe as the outgoing car’s physical buttons. Thankfully, the company has carried over at least the dials for adjusting the cabin temperature, stereo volume, and radio frequency.

Looking closely at other places in the cabin, I found that Hyundai has installed new I/O in the 2024 Sonata Hybrid so that customers can use their latest gadgets without dongles or outdated wires. For example, right below the climate control system panel, there are two USB-C ports.

The center console is also new, as there’s a new, steering column-mounted gear selector instead of a button-type unit integrated into the center console like in the outgoing car. When I sat in the driver’s seat, I learned that the new upper console cover can serve as a palm rest. Hyundai lifted the new steering wheel from the second-gen Kona family and offers it with a manual tilt and telescopic column.

As for space and comfort levels, the 2024 Sonata Hybrid offers good legroom and headroom for a six-foot-tall person like me in the front. I felt that under-thigh support in the front was also decent. That said, if space is your priority in the rear seat, the 2024 Honda Accord or the 2025 Toyota Camry would be better options.

In the back, ingress and egress were easy, just like in the front. If you are well over 6 feet tall, headroom will be tight, but that said, my head wasn’t touching the roof. Both legroom and knee room behind the driver’s seat, which was still in my most comfortable position, were sufficient. I found that, unlike the pre-facelift model, the new hybrid sedan features sunshades in the rear windows, a feature I’d truly appreciate on a hot summer afternoon.

I think the 2024 Sonata Hybrid’s trunk is just as cavernous as the previous model, which offered 16.0 cu. ft. of cargo volume. However, to open the trunk lid, while the latter required pressing inside the rear Hyundai logo, the former required pressing a button integrated into the trunk lid spoiler for the same. The wide opening of the trunk and the fold-down function of the rear seat make loading big objects easy.

Specifications

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid has a 2.0-liter GDI gas engine under the hood, good for 150 horsepower and 139 pound-feet of torque. A permanent magnet synchronous motor that produces 51 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque assists this engine, and it gets its juice from a 1.62 kWh battery pack. The total output resulting from this combination is a healthy 192 horsepower. A 6-speed automatic transmission sends drive to the wheels.

While the specifications of the 2024 Sonata Hybrid are no different from the pre-facelift model, I expect it to offer a better driving experience. This is thanks to the inclusion of paddle shifters, offering drivers more control over the engine, and the introduction of a regenerative braking mode. I anticipate that the new model will achieve a combined fuel economy of up to 53 MPG.

Price

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid’s prices will likely start at just under USD 30,000.

TopElectricSUV says

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid has a sporty exterior, a modern interior with the latest technologies, and very efficient powertrain expected to deliver the best-in-class fuel economy. With its expected competitive pricing, the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is well positioned to offer variety in the segment that is controlled by the Japanese.

2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid FAQs

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