2020 HYUNDAI SONATA
Hybrid Limited model is stylish with an EPA Score of up to 52 MPG
Have you ever seen a car with a solar panel on the roof? I never had before, but my Hampton Gray 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited had one. It charges both the standard 12-volt battery and the battery pack for the electric motor, and that is just one of the items that make this roomy four-door sedan stand out.
My tester was a top-of-the line Sonata Limited and came with flashy 17-inch alloy wheels. It has an EPA rating of 45 city/51 highway for a combined score of 47. The base Sonata Blue model scores 52 mpg on the highway, thanks to its lighter weight and 16-inch tires.
The Sonata hybrid comes with a 150 horsepower 2.0-liter engine and a 51 hp electric motor for a total output of 192 hp. As mainstream hybrids go, the Sonata is capable of a goodly amount of traveling using electricity alone. The cabin is incredibly quiet, and when moving with the gas engine off, it feels as futuristic as it looks.
I was struck by howmodern the Sonata looked when it was revealed at the New York International Auto Show. It looked more like a prototype then a car ready for the streets. The lines of LED lights that frame the headlights and hood lines are my favorite Sonata front end feature. The Hybrid grille is upgraded with flaps that can close to allow only the necessary amount of air in. This, along with an especially smooth bottom, make for an amazing coefficient of drag (CD) of only 0.24.
But it is the back end that is most memorable. The roof is slanted right to the tail, where a for-lack-of-a-more-descriptive-name, spoiler is edged with more LED lights. The line of red LED around the rump of the Sonata helps to support the Jetsons look.
The interior is comfortable and the dashboard is very up to date. The 10.25-inch infotainment screen sits atop the dash center and is very well designed. In addition to being an easy-to-use touchscreen, it also is framed with several touch buttons that I wish every company used. The instrument cluster consists of a 12.3-inch screen that changes its display based on your driving mode. These gauge pods can be changed to present trip mileage, speed, electric efficiency, navigation, or entertainment.
I also like the way the two large circles become blind spot viewing when you utilize the turn signals. Another favorite is the well-placed wireless phone charger at the front end of the comfy center console.
There are plenty of safety items that came standard with my Sonata. In addition to the airbags, you also get Hyundai’s smart sense driver-assistance, front collision sensors, adaptive cruise control, blind spot collision avoidance assist, rear crosstraffic alert and assist, and rear surround-view camera.
You can get into a basic nonhybrid Sonata for only $23,600. My tester was the top-of-theline hybrid model and stickers out at $36,430. Between those two there are quite a few choices of hybrid and non-hybrid Sonatas. Take a drive at your nearest Hyundai dealer and see if you find yourself drawn in by the sleek looks, great fuel economy and exceptionally competitive features packed in every Sonata.