[cc] 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Road Test Review - First Drive

[MrCHOIDOs]

All the hybrids on the market use NiMH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) batteries, which contain no heavy metals (so they're not hazardous waste, like the Pb-A batteries), and are easily recycled. Often they'll have labels on the packs themselves listing who to contact to recycle them, and often there's a nice cash bounty reward as well (Toyota's $200). The energy could come from a wind farm or solar energy, the sun is the real clean energy of the future.

[highmileage]

@MrCHOIDOs, not all hybrids use Pb-A or NiMH. Look at Ford's Li-Ion, Hyundai's Li-Fe or BYD's Fe batteries.

[biyorkman]

It is seen only that neither the motor system nor the gasoline engine unite well and it cohabits in strange shape under the present situation.

Only running of a free gasoline car will be experienced when making it. If good fuel cost is obtained, it is necessary to find out peculiar "Sweet spot" in which the motor greatly intervenes it, and to drive while taking care with so as not to deviate from the spot.

[dherman0001]

I have the sonata hybrid premium. Get 45mpg hwy @ 65-78mph (important to use cruise cntrl, or drops to 38.). With mixed driving, getting 32-38. Handling is incredible, power is not lacking. Ive never had a new car where so many strangers approach me and rave about it. Its appearance is ultra modern, high quality, and sporty(It looks expensive). Whether this is good or bad is up to you. Features equal the Acura TSX, but looks far better! I see the Acura drivers jealous stares at stops!

[joewillgo]

@highmileage I was hoping you would know when Hyundai would release the Sonata Hybrid with the new Blue-Link System? Hyundai already released Blue-Link to the regular gas Sonata, however it was not released to the Hybrid Sonata! So do you have any idea when Hyundai would release it to the Hybrid? Because I want the Sonata Hybrid VERY BADLY, however I would think it might be best to wait for the Blue-Link System to be released into it. But I need one soon, so how long would it be? PLEASE HELP?

[wyantizer89]

so it doesn't have built in GPS? :[

[SickoZone]

@wyantizer89 top of the line yes.

[stihlyaugenblick]

Great review, even the big words like annex! What was your impression of the vehicle's performance from step-off or dead stop. Did you have to adjust your timing at all when turning left versus traffic or accelerating to merge on the freeway or leaving a parking lot. I see the 0-60 is rated at 9.2, but that doesn't tell much about low-end torque. I drove a Lexus ct200h and it was sluggish enough to change the way I drove to compensate. My usual car was an ordinary Sube Forester. Thanks.

[highmileage]

@stihlyaugenblick Thanks for the kind words. I did adjust my behavior to keep the Sonata in EV mode, just as a novelty -- but under normal conditions, I wasn't bothered enough by any lag in response to adjust my driving behavior. Then again, when I drove the CT (review on my channel page), I didn't feel the need to adjust my behavior, either. The Sonata's electric motor is more robust and better calibrated for start-stop operation. Hope that helps. //Adam

[alexjxcx]

@highmileage in your opinion what would you recomend, size being a small yet still somewhat import factor, hybrid sonata or ct200? you can even PM me the answer =P

[highmileage]

@alexjxcx Honestly, they're two very different cars. Drive them both and then come back here and let me know what you thought! Also, check out my CT review on my main channel page. Thanks so much for watching. //Adam

[singlerosez]

im not sure is it good or bad?

[verbusen]

Thanks for the nice review. Great feedback.

[ktonlai]

wow, this looks surprsingly good in grey.. front should still get rid of that gaping mouth

[KonaDivision]

I enjoyed the review overall but it seems that you were trying to use every big word you know to describe the car. How about you use every day language to convey the opinions that you may have.

[highmileage]

@KonaDivision *laugh* Sorry, man. For what it's worth, it wasn't forced. I'm a linguistics major. ;) Thanks for watching!

[rforracing]

Fueleconomy.gov estimates are always a hoax.

[zizo8655]

this is abad car

[pattycarljackson]

@zizo8655 how is it a bad car

[fuguf1sh]

You only saw 34 mpg on the highway? Pretty alarming unless you were cruising @ 80mph.

[highmileage]

@fuguf1sh 34 highway would still put the Sonata Hybrid at the front of the midsize MPG pack, beat only by the non-hybrid Sonata. The non-Hybrid's engine is GDI; the Hybrid's is not GDI. Good to keep in mind. Cruising speed was about 74mph, for reference.

[jasony79]

A video clip of the trunk would've been nice. I can't really tell what the spacing is like based on that angled pic.

It's unfortunate that you have such outdated information about mileage and pricing. It's 40 mpg at highway and the 24 city for the base model is only for manual. You should note that. I used to think I drove mostly on the highway, but my mph average is 30. My average mpg for the Sonata is 28 (still better than EPA's 26). Also, the base price is expected to be in the mid 20s.

[highmileage]

@jasony79 For the 2.4 GDI non-Hybrid, the fuel economy is indeed 24 city / 35 highway, per the EPA. Official MPG stats for the Hybrid haven't been announced, but Hyundai's projections are accurately listed in the video. Official Hybrid pricing hasn't been announced either -- I stand by my estimates listed in the video.

[valkyrieXX]

People that keep mentioning the CLS should have their eyes checked... because in reality Sonata looks nothing like the Mercedes...

And the ix35, and the new elantra don't look original? give me a break...

[flatblackstrat]

So basically if your on the highway most of the time this car is not worth the extra price? What are the highway numbers if you don't mind me asking?

[highmileage]

@flatblackstrat Hyundai estimates that the Hybrid actually gets better highway mileage than city mileage -- a rarity among hybrid vehicles. However, in my testing, the Sonata averaged 40mpg in heavy Chicago traffic, because it stayed in EV mode for long stretches at a time. On the highway, the Sonata would cycle into EV mode for a few moments at a time, but never enough to really raise MPG. I averaged about 34 highway MPG from Chicago to Cleveland. Your driving style may change these numbers.

[flatblackstrat]

@highmileage Well I'm sure it does get better MPG because their would not be much point in making it if it didn't haha. What I'm most concerned with is would it pay for itself in the long run and 90% of Hybrids do not because they only achieve a mere 2-4 mpg increase over their base models. I am torn between this and the cruze but the cruze will not hold it's value and I really think this will be the first car to get Toyota resale figures. 34 MPG is pretty good if it was 50/50.

[pattycarljackson]

@flatblackstrat idk your hole convo but its like the camry hybrid every 100,00 miles you have to replace the battery and its a thousand bucks. and the regular 2011 sonata almost achieve the same gas mileage of the hybrid camry and the sonata wasnt a hybrid at that time. so i thinkl the sonata will pay for itself unlike the toyota camry hybrid

[flatblackstrat]

@pattycarljackson The Sonata hybrid get's about 40MPG highway per EPA. What don't you understand about what I said? What I meant was would it be a waste of money to get the base model engine instead of the hybrid powertrain. And if this guy wasn't seeing EPA estimated mileage than most people probably wouldn't I suppose.

[abuammrah]

bullshit

[roofer2kproductions]

sweet, adam.

[dhollist]

Well done Adam!

[AccidentallyFunny]

Fantastic review btw. Love the technical work as well. : )

[highmileage]

@AccidentallyFunny Thank you for your ideas -- and for watching. //Adam

[AccidentallyFunny]

The issue that I have with Hyundai is that they are not design leaders. I recognize the fact that every automaker in the industry takes design cues from others and applies them to their vehicles, but Hyundai "borrows" without any shame. Perhaps that's their intention, it certainly must be as they've succeeded in building a solid attractive brand.

Nonetheless, despite how smart it is to buy hyundai, I'd still find myself looking at Honda, Toyota, Ford and Mazda before hyundai. Personal opinion.

[valkyrieXX]

@AccidentallyFunny

I'd take Hyundai's that look great with "borrowed" design over the fugly crap that honda's and toyota's churning out these days... ;)

BTW, I am not sure how original the brands that you've mentioned either, as I can swear that I've seen that brand new Scion TC 10 years ago from my friends HYUNDAI ACCENT!

Personal opinion.

[AccidentallyFunny]

@valkyrieXX Cool, i can respect that ~

[pattycarljackson]

@valkyrieXX i agree with you. toyota has the same old styles and so does honda i like the accord though. look at the honda jazz and the toyota yaris they look exactly alike only real big difference is the windows toward the back. but nobody talk crap then saying oh they look alike they took eahc other styling. but everyone is so quick to jump on hyundai. i agree with you honda and toyota are bullshit

[AccidentallyFunny]

@pattycarljackson For what it's worth, this video is about a Hyundai, so the focus and matter of subject will generally revolve around Hyundai. There's plenty of videos where people have similar things to say, about other brands. Hyundai's lack of originality as a whole, in design, is undeniable though. Their business is based on giving the consumer what they want from other brands, but at a lesser cost. That's Hyundai and it's great. But again, taste and opinions vary.

[WorldOfIvillis]

@AccidentallyFunny Lack of originality? Look at this car I haven't seen any other brand of cars that had this design. Plus if you ask me Japanese are the number one in copying anything. I may seem biased but if you see it in history and all other ways it is true.

[pattycarljackson]

@AccidentallyFunny i can see why you would but for me toyota is not reliable as they used to be mazda i dont like. and just for honda and stuff they are getting very lazy with reliability to because i know alot of people who have hondas and they put alot of money into them because of issues with the car. i got a 2006 sonata never had a problem not saying other havent but i talk to alot of people who have them and they havent had major or any problems at all

[AccidentallyFunny]

@pattycarljackson I'm very happy your car has not given you any issues. And honestly, every brand has many buyers that will say they've never experienced issues because the reality of it is, cars today are reliable when taken care of. Yeah stuff happens but generally speaking the manufacturers around today are around for a reason, because people continue to buy based on trust in the brand and reliability.

My original comment was purely based on the design of Hyundai's btw. :) not reliability.

[pattycarljackson]

@AccidentallyFunny i like that you said cars are reliable when they are taken care of people say hyundai sucks and arent reliable. they say after 100.00 miles a car will start to have problems its not true if you get all the maintnance done on it and get oil changes check the car every so often and mak sure there are no major problems the car wont fall apart.

[jeffro2k1]

Great review!

[highmileage]

@jeffro2k1 Thank you for watching! //Adam