Her + His Car Reviews
2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited
Our car reviews are innovative and interesting as we provide insightful and expert reviews from both Her + His perspectives.
Her: Anne Fleming, Car Buying Advocate, women-drivers.com
His: Don Hammonds, Writer, AutomobileJournal.com
| HER | HIS |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| $36,430 | $36,430 |
| Performance | |
| Powered by a 2.0 Liter engine and an electric motor that produce a combined 192 horsepower, the new 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid delivers adequate acceleration. Six-speed Automatic transmission. Various Driving Modes include Custom, Smart, Eco, Sport, truly allow for a more customized feel for the driver(s). See video for smart technology and what it provides. Remarkable, top class gas milage of 47 combined and 51 highway on this terrific new model. | The combined hybrid system put out 192 horsepower.
Surprisingly, I found that the Sonata Hybrid sedan was only adequate when it came to acceleration. There were times when it seemed to be slow to respond on the highway, too. Otherwise, the brakes were excellent and were well-balanced in terms of not being overly sensitive. Cornering was stable and predictable. |
| Fuel Economy | |
| Top of Class 45 City, 47 Combined and 51 Highway miles per gallon. | Ratings are 47 miles per gallon, with ratings of 45 in the city and 51 on the highway. You can save $3,250 in fuel costs over five years. The car uses 2.1 gallons per 100 miles driven. Annual fuel cost was $850 based on driving 15,000 miles a year using gasoline costing $2.70 a gallon. |
| The Car | |
| The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited is a best buy all the way around. It's been completely redesigned from front to back, side to side and top to bottom - and does it show. With its chiseled hood, LED headlights with running metallic trim, and brushed gun-metal aluminum grille, the entire combination of the front of the vehicle coming at you looks beyond luxe. Who would have guessed it's a Sonata? Kudos, Hyundai! Carried by 17" Gun-metal gray wheels, we love the value of this car, how spacious it is and its above-board technology and safety features - all for an affordable price point. The ratings of this car are near the top, and how couldn't they be. Safety with Comfort and a massive dose of Fuel Savings spells a Winner. An innovative solar roof panel draw in power about 800 electric miles a year, per Hyundai. That's a little more than 2 free miles a day! BONUS! |
Clearly, Hyundai has a huge winner on their hands with the all-new Sonata. Sleek, daring, attention grabbing, it looks very much like an expensive German four door "coupe" luxury car, and in terms of its interior, that message is sent loudly to anyone who is fortunate enough to sit in one.
But the Sonata's triumph is certainly not limited to its looks. First, it is laden with the latest technology in safety and comfort, and I am happy to report that all of those features operate brilliantly--except for the infotainment system, which you cannot operate intuitively as you do on most cars. It is quiet, solidly built, and frankly, it ranks among the top models in the mid-sized sedan segment. The quality materials, fit and finish, and overall comfort is just about flawless, too. And--most important for competitive reasons--the fuel economy in the Sonata Hybrid is way, way better than previous generation Sonata Hybrid, which had fuel economy figures that lagged considerably behind its then competitors. |
| Safety | |
| Around View Monitor and Front and Rear Parking Sensors. Parking Collision Avoidance Assist Forward Collision Avoidance Assist w/ Pedestrian Detection. Rear-Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist. Blind Spot View Monitor, Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist. LED Daytime Running Lights. Proximity Key. Push Button Start. Hands Free Trunk Release. Hyundai Digital Key including NFC card, virtually turning your phone into a key fob. Two LATCH. A new innovative feature tremendous asset to the driver is Blind Spot View Monitor. When you put your turn signal on one of the gauges from the driver's dash turns into a screen showing what is behind you. When you turn on your other turn signal it does the same for the other lane. Why? You can see all the activities, pedestrians, cyclists, or vehicles behind you, so they are no longer in your blind spot. Brilliant, Hyundai! See video to view in action. |
Standard among the many safety standard features are Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist; Blind Spot Rear View Mirror; Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance assist; Forward Collision avoidance Assist with pedestrian detection; Parking Collision Avoidance Assist in the rear; and around view monitor and Front and Rear Parking Sensors. |
| Technology | |
| Heated front seats - Ventilated too. Leather Seats, Leather-wrapped Steering Wheel for easy gripping. Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Satellite, Radio, Bluetooth, HD, Radio, including an 8-inch touch screen, Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control For children, there are two sets of LATCH connectors in the rear.
Proximity Keyless Entry Push Button Start. High Beam Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring Lane Adaptive Cruise Control The infotainment system is 10.25 inches and includes navigation. It has clear menus and provided passengers much data in a concise manner. Also, jam sessions include Bose 12 speaker audio system, dual USB ports, wireless charging ports for wireless devices. Plus, the ingenious roof's solar panel. |
You may want to sit down for a while. There's a huge, huge list of features with this car and it will take some time just to read what all is standard on the Sonata.
The 2.0 liter gasoline Direct Injection Hybrid engine; Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor; 270V Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery and Hybrid Starter Generator; Combined Hybrid System power of 192 horsepower; and a six speed automatic transmission; solar panel roof, smart cruise control; with stop-start capability; electronic parking brake with automatic vehicle hold; 17 inch alloy wheels; LED headlights, LED Taillights and LED daytime running lights; heated side mirrors with turn signal indicators; proximity key entry with push button start; hands-free smart trunk release; leather seating; heated and ventilated front seats and Bose premium audio 2 speaker system. Other standard features include power front seats with integrated memory system for driver seat; dual automatic temperature control; 12.3-inch color LCD Cluster; 10.25-inch touchscreen navigation system; and many other items. |
| Aesthetics & Styling | |
| What an exquisitely designed vehicle. We absolutely love the 2020 Sonata. The leather seats are so comfy and of course allow for heat and cool air to be pushed from them to enhance the temperature of the passengers. In addition to the sound system, Hyundai has infused a new "nature spa effect" of Warm Fireplaces, Snowy Village, Lively Forest, Calm Sea Waves, Open Air Caf� to choose from.
This is such a value for the price! It has tremendous high-tech luxe! There is a redundant parking brake - one on the gearshift on console, and another near dashboard. This was confusing at times, why engaging one wouldn't affect the other. |
The good news is that the interior is contemporary, and simple gauges including some colorful and easily understood setups as part of the instrument panel. Easy tabs are used for the climate control system, and the seating is spacious and comfortable.
And yet, there were a number of spots where it was clear that cost cutting was the goal. Hard plastics were visible in several spots, especially the door panels and part of the top portion of the instrument panel. Then there was the entertainment system. Totally non-intuitive. Not even a clue how to connect your phone to the Bluetooth system. You should not have to dig into the glove box and find the thick owner manuals to operate the system. Hyundai should reconsider how this system is organized. |
| Warranty | |
| 5 Year/60,000 New Vehicle Warranty. 10 Year/100,000 Mile Powertrain warranty. | Five year, 60,000 mile New Vehicle Warranty; 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty; 10 year, 100,000 mile Hybrid System Components warranty; three year/36,000 mile complimentary maintenance. |
