WASHINGTON — The 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid offers good gas mileage and luxury for decent price.
The Hyundai Sonata was redesigned for 2015, and less than year later, there’s another redesign of the Sonata Hybrid. We looked at the Limited last year, and not long ago I tested the Sonata ECO with a small turbo four-cylinder engine that managed 31.5 mpg — good for a midsize sedan.
Now it’s the Hybrid’s turn. The gas engine and small electric motor combine for 193 hp, which is more power than the Sonatas I drove in the past. You can even drive on electric power for a bit. I got up to between 55 and 60 mph with easy acceleration before the engine kicked. It will also kick into electric on the highway at times, and it’s nearly seamless going to and from electric and gas modes. The car has a regular automatic transmission, so it drives just like other Sonatas.
The price of the Hybrid starts at around $26,000, and for a fully loaded one you can expect to spend around $35,500, which isn’t crazy money for a hybrid. The Sonata Hybrid looks mostly like any other Sonata except for the wheels, which give away that it’s a hybrid — they aren’t the most stylish. The car also sports Blue Drive badges — the name of the hybrid system. The rest of the exterior wears the redesigned look of a more upscale and conservative new Sonata, complete with the large grill inspired by the luxury Hyundai Genesis sedan.
Usually, choosing a hybrid version of a model means you have to compromise by losing space for batteries, but not here. You get a full trunk, and the rear seats fold down, which creates more space. Credit Hyundai with cleverly packaging the Blue Drive system to keep the spacious interior intact.
The rest of the cabin is filled with heated and ventilated front leather seats, and the rear seats are heated as well. Rear headroom isn’t the largest in its class. My tester carried the $4,500 Ultimate package, which adds a panoramic sunroof, NAV with a larger eight-inch touch screen and a Smart Cruise Control, which you set to follow to a stop and go again. It also adds lane departure and forward collision warnings. The package adds a lot of luxury and safety for the price.
So you can get luxury and space, but what about fuel economy? The new Sonata Hybrid is better than the previous model. The new Sonata Hybrid is rated at 39 mpg city, 43 mpg highway and 41 mpg combined. I did a little better, averaging 42 mpg in 350 miles of mixed driving. The ride is good and the cabin is quiet, even with the engine working. The bumps are dealt with nicely, and there is plenty of power when you need it. This isn’t a sporty car, but it handles curves nicely and the brakes don’t seem strange, like on past hybrids.
The 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is now on par with some other hybrid midsize sedans and worth a look if you’re in the market. With good space inside and a full trunk, you don’t have to make the sacrifices you used to. With a touch of luxury for a price that’s very competitive with some normal gas sedans in its class, the 2016 Sonata Hybrid is helping make the hybrid a bit easier to buy without breaking the bank.
Mike Parris is a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association. The vehicles are provided by STI, FMI or Event Solutions for the purpose of this review.
