You may be wondering---"Hey! Wait a minute! When did hybrids suddenly get hot?"
We're not just talking sales, though there may currently be a mini-trend in people chickening out of EV purchases and buying a hybrid instead, but what were once dork-mobiles are now sleek, desirable sedans. Consider the Honda Accord Hybrid, the Toyota Camry Hybrid...even the Prius has gone from Quasimodo on four wheels to being a looker.
Now, if all this sounds...um...whatever the automotive equivalent of sexist is...Hyundai behaved provocatively.
In a news release about the '24 Sonata, Hyundai says the new design "embodies Hyundai’s theme of ‘Sensuous Sportiness.’"
I am debating right now as to whether to speculate if the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid's standard front seat coolers are there for that reason, but perhaps it's best to just move on.
If all this is getting to you, there's a cold shower under the hood. A 2.0-liter hybrid four-cylinder with 192 horsepower that whispers "let's take it slow" as it takes 8.2 seconds to get to 60 miles per hour. Those more frugal than frisky will be excited by the EPA-estimated 47 mpg combined city/highway.
While we're focused on practical matters, there's 16.0 cubic feet of trunk space.
Rear seat legroom is a solid 34.8 inches.
The Sonata's interior re-do is clearly inspired by Hyundai's EVs, the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6. It's a smart move to spread that fresh design. It's also visible in the new Santa Fe SUV.
Base price of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited is $38,375, including destination. And as is typical of Hyundai, this top-of-the-line model is loaded with standard equipment including selectable drive modes, LED lights, an acoustic windshield, panoramic sunroof, wireless device charging, a Bose premium audio system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, rain-sensing wipers, a color head-up display and a comprehensive suite of active safety features.
It's an all-in-one deal. $38,375 is the as-tested price. That's $620 less than the 2023 Accord Hybrid I reviewed a year and a half ago, and there's been a price bump for the Honda since. The '24 would be $39,985, or $1,610 more than the Sonata Hybrid.
Hyundai's playbook the past couple of decades has been to come in with more standard features than the competition at a lower price. For the past couple of years, they've seriously upped their game on design, as well.
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