Your average mid-size sedan is an entity that is often dismissed as boring. However, you can't say the same about the current Hyundai Sonata. The car you're looking at made its debut for the 2020 model year and the Korean automaker sure has injected a good dose of style with this eighth-generation model. But there is so much more to the new Sonata apart from style.

Hyundai also brought a lot of new on-board technology, never before seen in this segment, and to top it all off and make it more relevant in current times, chose to add a hybrid model to the line-up. Now hybrid vehicles are well-known for their excellent fuel economy and Hyundai is focusing on many details with the latest Sonata midsize sedan to challenge the Japanese dominance in the segment. So what makes the Sonata Hybrid tick? Well, let's find out.

2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Performance and Capability

Hyundai has had a Hybrid model as part of the Sonata lineup since the sixth generation. With this latest Sonata hybrid, Hyundai chose to evolve its previous iteration rather than completely rethink the formula. Hyundai has concentrated on synchronizing the electric and gasoline engines in order to reduce response time significantly.

The Sonata Hybrid is available in three trim levels

- Blue

- SEL

- Limited

The base engine remains a 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder mill producing 150 horsepower, mated to a 52-horsepower electric motor and a tiny 1.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, for a combined output of 192 horsepower. Power goes to the front wheels and thankfully, unlike the Accord or Camry, the Sonata features a good old six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

The Sonata Hybrid's fuel economy allows it to go anywhere between 45 and 54 miles per gallon. Do note that the average 52 mpg is for the base model Blue trim that features 16-inch rims, which should also make for a cushier ride. You should be looking at a 686-mile range. If you step it up to either SEL or the top-spec Limited trim, you get slightly bigger 17-inch rims and the average gas mileage drops to 47 mpg.

Performance

Exterior Design

So how do you make a statement with your mundane mid-size sedan, well style it to make it stand out in a crowd of course and Hyundai has certainly pulled it off. Now I'll let you form your own opinion about how the Sonata looks, but I'm sure you'll agree that it isn't boring.

The design of this Sonata seeks to establish its identity first and foremost. You've got some truly distinctive design elements that help it stand out from the competition. But it's not all show and no go as you also have several functional elements on the hybrid, that are in fact present to improve efficiency and range. More on that a little later. Upfront you have a unique LED DRL arrangement that extends into the hood. It later joins a chrome trim piece that runs along the length of the hood.

A pinched arched line on the side relieves the beltline. The hybrid version's 17-inch wheels, on the other hand, appear rather small in the wheel wells of such a large car. The visual staging at the back is equally intriguing, with a line of LEDs on the trunk lid that breaks off at the lights.

The most intriguing technological advancement is the use of rooftop solar panels to power the batteries. This feature is only available on the top Limited trim. Not only does it look cool, but it can add up to two miles in driving range per day or an estimated 700 miles a year. Do note that it won’t charge while driving.

Exterior Dimensions

Exterior Colors

Interior Quality and Technology

Hyundai these days is rethinking and truly improving the design of its interiors. If we only consider this aspect of its offering, the Sonata calls into question the true tangible added value of luxury manufacturers, particularly their entry-level models. The integration of the air vents, which are discreet and slim, is also commendable. The materials used are of very high quality and support a genuine concern for aesthetics while also keeping ergonomics in mind.

Base model Blue and SEL feature fabric seats, while the Limited trim gets you perforated leather seats. The front seats feature heating and ventilation, along with a heated steering wheel, for those icy mornings. Backseat passengers praised the extra legroom.

The base model Blue features an 8-inch infotainment screen with a six-speaker setup with Bluelink and a 4.2-inch instrument cluster. While SEL gets you a 12-speaker Bose sound system with wireless device charging and a Hyundai Digital Key and a proximity key with a push-button start; the Limited trim adds a 10.3-inch touchscreen.

Additional features on the top-spec Limited trim include wireless phone charging, a heads-up display, and a 360-degree camera for those tight parking spots. The side cameras allow you to see blind spots in the fully-digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster. Also new for 2022 is a new remote smart parking assistant and dynamic voice recognition.

With 16 cubic feet of volume, the trunk of the Sonata Hybrid is just as accessible and spacious as the regular gas power variant. This is thanks to the clever positioning of the hybrid system's battery.

Interior Dimensions

2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Price and Availability

The range kicks off at $27,350 and tops out at $35,700 excluding destination and handling charges. Even with the optional extras, you shouldn't be looking at anything beyond the high 30s. You can configure your Hyundai Sonata Hybrid here.

2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Price

Safety

The Sonata Hybrid comes standard with a comprehensive active safety package. The safety features include front and side airbags, an engine immobilizer, a pre-and post-collision safety system, a remote anti-theft system, stability control, a tire pressure monitor, a 3-point belt, and a child safety lock in the rear doors.

Apart from the basics, the Sonata Hybrid also features three radar sensors, five cameras, and twelve ultrasonic sensors. The Hyundai Sonata received the coveted Top Safety Pick from the IIHS and scored the maximum five stars at the NHTSA for overall safety.

Main Competition

Although it lacks the sensory stimulation of a Honda Accord Hybrid, or the all-rounder abilities of the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the eighth-generation Sonata is undeniably a complete, truly modern vehicle with a number of competitive arguments compared to its primary rivals.

Getting into an Accord Hybrid is still the easiest at $26,670 and the range-topping out at $35,540. As for the segment stalwart a.k.a, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, it is available across five trims priced between $27,980 and $33,420.

With a revised powertrain that sips less fuel and a slew of hi-tech features, the new hybrid Sonata is also a far more accomplished proposition than its predecessor making it one of the most economical and efficient hybrid cars on the market today.