Hyundai is offering a $50 gift card (Amazon,Visa, Target) for a test drive so I drove a Sonata Hybrid today

Kinja'd!!! "KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time" (kngt)
06/15/2019 at 15:35 • Filed to: test drive, sonata, hyundai sonata, sonata hybrid, hybrids, midsize sedans, quick review, Oppo review

Kinja'd!!!0 Kinja'd!!! 9

Here’s the link: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . It’s legit.

Th ere’s really nothing in their lineup that truly appeals to me so I decided I’ll go drive the top of the line 2.0 Turbo Sonata, but that was inside the showroom as a display. Settled for a top of the line limited Hybrid instead. MSRP $31K good fuel efficiency 39/44/41 combined

Kinja'd!!!

What can I say? it’s decent. Good space for driver and passengers, hybrid battery doesn’t eat into trunk space. Lots of features, this had heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, all the safety and tech except navigation, Panoramic sunroof and all that.

However, I did notice the quality of buttons switches, plastic trim and even the leather is definitely one step below a Honda/Toyota and several steps below Mazda. I have sat in the Kia Optima and it’s slightly better than a Sonata. I did sit in the 2020 SOnata at the NY auto show and they’ve definitely improved the interior quality there. Guess you have to cut cost somewhere, and why Genesis exists.

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It drives fine. Super-quiet outside of the freeway where there is wind noise >70MPH and I hardly noticed any tire growl/road noise. The hybrid system is seamless, did not transition harshly between gas and battery, and has some punch from the battery down low in sport mode. 193HP isn’t a lot much but is more than enough for 95% of commuters and it has respectable torque which is more important. Pleasant, unobtrusive it just goes about its way. Steering has a very rubber band effect but it’s not artificially boosted. I hardly noticed the automatic transmission. Ride was good but not floaty. It handles well for what it is. I took exit off-ramps at some speed and there was the expected understeer, nothing unmanageable.
It is remarkable how far midsize sedans have come in 2019, I started thinking “Hey I could almost get used to this..almost”

If you want space, efficiency, quietness, some style (don’t want an ugly Prius), and you drive in traffic/highway most of the time a midsize hybrid sedan makes a perfect family commuter.


DISCUSSION (9)


Kinja'd!!! Spanfeller is a twat > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
06/15/2019 at 15:51

Kinja'd!!!3

You got it wrong; they paid you 50 dollars to write a review about it


Kinja'd!!! KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > Spanfeller is a twat
06/15/2019 at 15:56

Kinja'd!!!12

Kinja'd!!!


Kinja'd!!! 412GTI > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
06/15/2019 at 16:03

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I’ve always been interested in driving one of these s ince they have a conventional automatic and not an e-cvt. It’s amazing, there really isn’t a bad midsize offering out there. 


Kinja'd!!! Svend > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
06/15/2019 at 16:26

Kinja'd!!!0

So what are you going to do with the $50? 


Kinja'd!!! KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > Svend
06/15/2019 at 18:32

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“ Stuff”


Kinja'd!!! Svend > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
06/15/2019 at 19:01

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Nice, nice, nice,

Enjoy. 


Kinja'd!!! BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
06/15/2019 at 20:15

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I just signed up to drive a Veloster Turbo 7A next weekend. This will only add to  my 1/18 collection.


Kinja'd!!! LJ909 > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
06/15/2019 at 21:02

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My girlfriend was just bugging me to go do it so she can go buy makeup at Target. I told her it makes no sense for me to test the hybrid version of a car I already have. 


Kinja'd!!! SiennaMan > Spanfeller is a twat
06/15/2019 at 21:12

Kinja'd!!!2

There should be a place to indicate you're a writer on a car blog and get a few cents more..