|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Redesigned for 2020, the stylish Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited delivers an enjoyable, comfortable ride that’s easy on the wallet too. In fact, drivers may have so much fun tooling around town in this sleek, four-door sedan that they might fail to notice that the fuel gauge has barely changed, even after a week’s time. At 47 combined city/highway EPA mpg, this mid-sized car nicely “sips” (not guzzles) regular unleaded gas.
My test model sported a “Shimmering Silver” exterior color and an attractive gray interior. Cool design elements? Outside, these included a seamless hood and hybrid-exclusive integrated spoiler. Inside, I appreciated the good front-seat headroom and legroom, seating for up to five people and approximately 16 cubic feet of cargo space.
For the 2020 hybrid, Hyundai also made positive powertrain and aerodynamic enhancements to cut drag and improve performance. Buyers can choose from three trim levels – the entry-level Blue trim level ($27,750), the mid-tier SEL trim level ($29,990), and the top-of-line Limited trim ($35,300 base price). All trims have a 2.0-liter, GDI (gasoline direct injection), 4-cylinder, gas-electric hybrid 6A engine (192 horsepower, 139 lb-ft torque), plus front-wheel drive and a six-speed “shiftable” automatic transmission.
Standard Blue trim features include keyless ignition and entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, LED headlights, a six-speaker audio system with satellite/HD radio, Apple CarPlay/Android smartphone integration, an eight-inch touchscreen, and much more. Helping keep the driver and riders safe while motoring along are such standard safety features as collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and lane keeping.
Sixteen-inch wheels are standard for the Blue trim, 17-inch wheels are available on the SEL and Limited trims. The SEL trim level adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel, wireless device charging pad, 12-speaker Bose audio system, hands-free trunk lid, and many other amenities.
The Limited trim level includes everything from ventilated front seats to a 10.25-inch touchscreen (nicely integrated into the sedan’s dash), leather upholstery, and a surround-view camera system that I found helpful in tight parking situations. I also appreciated my test vehicle’s 12.3-inch fully digital gauge cluster.
Perhaps the neatest Limited trim inclusion, though, is the solar-panel roof. Converting sunlight into electricity, it recharges the hybrid’s conventional 12-volt battery and 1.6-kWh lithium-ion pack for an added range of up to two miles per day or about 700 miles a year.
Another Limited trim technology perk is the Hyundai digital key; in addition to a key fob, drivers can use a compatible Android smartphone to unlock the car’s doors and start the engine. That digital key can also be shared with another driver’s smartphone.
The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited is a good looking, mid-sized family sedan with a pleasing coupe-like design. It offers a comfortable ride, improved powertrain performance, impressive technology perks and, best of all, it’s a gas sipper – not a guzzler.
EPA mileage for the 2020 Sonata Hybrid Limited is rated up to 45 city and 51 highway.
Grant Miller is the publisher of Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277 or via email at Grant@CommunityNewspapers.com.
