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

Adam Barrera at highmileage.org evaluates the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid sedan and places it in the context of its competition. Let me know what you think -- start a conversation with me on Twitter. http://twitter.com/highmileage


In a market saturated with low-denominator midsize sedans that try
just hard enough to earn buyers' attention, Hyundai has taken a
radical tack with the wildly styled Sonata Hybrid.

Manufacturers obsessed with selling vehicles in bulk tend toward
conservative exterior designs.
Hyundai, on the other hand, has retained bravery.
Even the base Sonata wears daring sheetmetal strakes and a swooping
rear roofline.
The Hybrid's unique front air dam allows for an aerodynamically tight
grille-less hood design.
Blue logos and clear taillamps seem to be staples of hybrid differentiation.

It also seems as if every hybrid must have a gimmicky display to
reassure owners that they are,
indeed, helping the planet.
Four different screens in the navitainment system can be used to
monitor the driver's behavior, the flow of energy to and from the
wheels, and fuel economy statistics.
Only the last two screens provide useful information at a glance.
An Eco Guide needle swings to indicate live fuel consumption.
A traditional tachometer would be more useful, but, unfortunately,
there's not even an option to monitor engine speed through the driver
information center.

This Blue Drive button on the steering wheel seems to have no effect
other than turning the driver information center blue.
One screen 'grades' drivers' habits via an Eco Score,
which never exceeded nine during this test.

No matter. In heavy Chicago traffic, the Sonata returned an average of
40 miles per gallon
by aggressively cutting fuel during deceleration
and staying in EV mode until the battery pack reached less than half-capacity.
At freeway speeds, the Sonata often cycles into pure EV mode.
Hyundai says their hybrid will enter EV mode at speeds of up to 62
miles per hour,
but this pre-production car entered EV mode when coasting down from
speeds of over 70 mph.

On the road, powertrain transitions are seamless.
At parking lot speeds and at idle, however, the Sonata whirs, pops and
buzzes in a cacophony that, again, probably serves to remind its
drivers that they are indeed inside a hybrid. Imperceptibility was
once the goal of any hybrid vehicle.
Now that driving a hybrid is a social statement,
certain types of aural feedback may possess an important sort of novelty.

Otherwise, the hybrid shares the base Sonata's quirks and assets.
The steering wheel is admirably designed with a sense of motion,
but curiously, the leather wrap doesn't cover the touch points at 9 and 3.
The same dynamism is captured in the design of the center stack,
but the navitainment system cannot split radio and map data.
Hyundai's famous premium leather grain is perforated to stay
comfortable during long roadtrips.

The battery pack does annex some trunk space,
which leaves a very narrow pass-through slot to accommodate long cargo.
However, passenger volume remains unchanged from the standard model.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid makes sense for midsize sedan buyers
who spend lots of time in bumper-to-bumper city traffic.
However, like most other hybrids, high-speed commuters may find that the
conventional non-hybrid Sonata delivers similar highway fuel
efficiency -- at less cost.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Hyundai
• Sonata
• Hybrid
• Road
• Test
• Review
• First
• Drive
• 2011
• sedan
• quality
• critique
• adam
• barrera
• highmileage
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• highmileage.org
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[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.

[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

[highmileage]

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

[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.

[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.

[SickoZone]

@wyantizer89 top of the line yes.

[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? :[