2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
2020 Hyundai Sonata HybridMSRP Range: $27,750 - $35,300
- High fuel economy
- Comfortable ride quality
- Offers lots of safety and technology features
- Enjoyable and easy to drive
- Interior materials quality isn't as high as that of some rivals
- Road and wind noise is a bit elevated
- Fully redesigned hybrid variant
- Part of the seventh Sonata generation introduced for 2020
2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Review
Hyundai fully redesigned the Sonata for 2020, giving it a striking new look and impressive technology features. The same goes for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, which ups the ante with a far more efficient powertrain.
Our verdict | |
The Sonata Hybrid grabs your attention with distinctive styling and cool features such as an available solar panel roof. It's more efficient than its predecessor and packed with tons of attractive technology. Add in a pleasing driving experience, high levels of comfort, and a spacious cabin and you've got one of the best hybrid sedans out for 2020. | |
How does it drive? | |
The Sonata Hybrid is adequate from a performance perspective. Acceleration feels good off the line but tapers off once you're rolling. Essentially, it feels zippy around town but may take some planning to pass cars at freeway speeds. In Edmunds' testing, our Sonata Hybrid test car covered 0-60 mph in 8.3 seconds. That's about as quick as the Camry Hybrid but a little slower than the Honda Accord Hybrid. Around turns, the Sonata Hybrid feels balanced and controlled. It's also easy to drive around town. The six-speed automatic transmission is quicker to downshift than the continuously variable transmissions in the Accord Hybrid and Camry Hybrid. In general, the Sonata Hybrid drives a lot like a regular car, which could be a high point for some buyers. The brakes also feel pretty natural without any of the hybrid weirdness that can stem from blending generative and regular braking processes. | |
How comfortable is it? | |
The Sonata Hybrid is a pretty comfortable car, but it isn't perfect. The front seats have a nice shape to them, but we found the padding a bit stiff, which can reduce your comfort on long trips. The outboard rear seats are nice and cushy, but the middle seat is stiff and uncomfortable. Ride comfort is a high point and strikes a good balance between being compliant and controlled. The Sonata Hybrid's suspension absorbs impacts well without being overly floaty or soft when you take on curvy roads. The climate control system blows strong and cold at its max and is very effective at regulating cabin temperature in auto mode. Surprisingly, road and wind noise is higher than average. It's not bothersome or loud, but you know that it's there. There's some engine noise at freeway speeds as well. | |
How’s the interior? | |
The Sonata Hybrid's interior is intuitive to learn. The center stack controls are easily reachable for both driver and front passenger. The sharp and responsive 10.25-inch infotainment screen (in the SEL trim level) is also easy to read and use. There's plenty of interior room for front occupants, and rear-seat legroom is among the best in the segment. Most drivers will find that it is easy to settle into a comfortable driving position due to the decent range of adjustments that come from the seat and steering wheel. Visibility is good to the front and sides. But rear visibility is a little impeded because of the thick rear window pillars, sloping rear roofline and high rear deck. | |
How’s the tech? | |
The Sonata Hybrid is loaded with tech and everything works pretty well. It leads the segment in infotainment screen size and response. It also has a segment-first solar panel roof that charges the hybrid battery when the car's moving or parked. Smartphone pairing and integration are excellent for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and they work with the wide-screen format. The screen is also great when using the available surround-view camera system while parking. The voice controls work well with natural speech commands for radio, navigation and phone. The advanced driving aids suite is comprehensive, and the aids work well in concert. The warning sensors can be sensitive but never annoying. The instrument panel features unique side-view cameras when merging into the left or right lane. | |
How’s the storage? | |
There's a good amount of storage in the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. It's easy to load things into the cargo area. The trunk is deep and broad, has a wide opening, and the hybrid battery doesn't intrude too much. Having rear-seat access levers in the cargo area is a plus. Inside, there's plenty of storage to keep small items. The center console area alone has plenty of spaces for multiple phones, electronic passes and other items. The console itself is about 5.5 inches deep, and the cupholders are sizable enough for larger cups and bottles. As for installing child safety seats, there's plenty of room in the rear for even a rear-facing seat. The lower car seat anchors are somewhat buried in the upholstery, so installation can be a little tedious. | |
How economical is it? | |
The Sonata Hybrid SEL, our test car, has an EPA estimate of 47 mpg (45 city/51 highway). That's right about what the other top-performing midsize hybrid sedans get. A trim-matching Camry XLE is rated at 46 mpg, while the Accord is at 48 mpg. All comparable. We averaged 47.1 mpg during our mixed-driving evaluation route, which indicates the EPA's estimates seem to be spot-on. Hyundai also offers an optional solar panel for the Sonata Hybrid. It covers the length of the roof between the windshield and the rear glass. It directly charges both the 12-volt battery and hybrid battery pack, and Hyundai says the solar panel can potentially power about 2 miles of extra driving per day. Toyota offered a solar roof on the Prius in the early part of the last decade, so it's not an all-new idea, but the Prius' panel could only power the climate control system. | |
Is it a good value? | |
The Sonata Hybrid delivers on Hyundai's strong value proposition, giving you a lot of features for your money. The Limited trim level, which is the model we tested, validates its top-level price with exclusive features such as a solar panel roof and a 10.25-inch touchscreen. The interior and exterior build quality looks pretty good too. The assembly is precise, though Honda and Mazda manage to do interiors a bit nicer. Perhaps it's the dominant gray interior texturing that still looks a little cheap. | |
Wildcard | |
Whether you enjoy squeezing the most miles from every gallon of gasoline or having a hybrid that's enjoyable to drive on curvier roads, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is a willing partner. It's big on visual appeal too. It looks sporty, sophisticated and futuristic at the same time. It's a head-turner in a fairly vanilla segment. | |
Which Sonata Hybrid does Edmunds recommend?
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid models
The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is a five-passenger midsize sedan that is available in three trim levels: Blue, SEL and Limited.
2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid pricing
in Ashburn, VA
Sponsored cars related to the Sonata Hybrid
Features & Specs
| Blue 4dr Sedan 2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | $27,750 |
| MPG | 50 city / 54 hwy |
| Seating | Seats 5 |
| Transmission | 6-speed shiftable automatic |
| Horsepower | 192 hp @ 6000 rpm |
| Limited 4dr Sedan 2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | $35,300 |
| MPG | 45 city / 51 hwy |
| Seating | Seats 5 |
| Transmission | 6-speed shiftable automatic |
| Horsepower | 192 hp @ 6000 rpm |
| SEL 4dr Sedan 2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | $29,900 |
| MPG | 45 city / 51 hwy |
| Seating | Seats 5 |
| Transmission | 6-speed shiftable automatic |
| Horsepower | 192 hp @ 6000 rpm |
Safety
Our experts’ favorite Sonata Hybrid safety features:
- Smart Cruise Control
- Maintains a driver-selectable distance between the Sonata and the car in front.
- Surround View Monitor
- Provides a bird's-eye view of the car for ultimate parking precision.
- Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist
- Warns if a vehicle is lurking in your blind spot and will intervene if you attempt to move into that occupied lane.
NHTSA Overall Rating 5 out of 5 stars
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
| Frontal Barrier Crash Rating | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4 / 5 |
| Driver | 4 / 5 |
| Passenger | 5 / 5 |
| Side Crash Rating | Rating |
| Overall | 5 / 5 |
| Side Barrier Rating | Rating |
| Overall | 5 / 5 |
| Driver | 5 / 5 |
| Passenger | 5 / 5 |
| Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings | Rating |
| Front Seat | 5 / 5 |
| Back Seat | 5 / 5 |
| Rollover | Rating |
| Rollover | 5 / 5 |
| Dynamic Test Result | No Tip |
| Risk Of Rollover | 9.7% |
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid vs. the competition
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid vs. Honda Insight
The Sonata Hybrid is currently tied for first place with the Honda Insight. For slightly less than the price of a midgrade SEL Sonata Hybrid, you can get a range-topping Insight in Touring trim. That means you'll get more significant features for the money. The Hyundai, though, does enjoy a big power advantage.
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid vs. Toyota Avalon Hybrid
The Toyota Avalon comes in third place behind the Sonata Hybrid and Honda Insight, but in many ways, it could be in a different class. The Avalon is a bigger sedan and, not surprisingly, it's more expensive. It does return strong fuel economy figures that are just a few mpg short of the top-ranked hybrids.
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid vs. Honda Accord Hybrid
The Accord Hybrid gets high scores for its efficiency, generous passenger space and big trunk. We have some issues, though, with the noises the powertrain makes and longer-than-average braking distances. It's a solid hybrid sedan choice nonetheless, but it does cost a little more than a similarly equipped Hyundai.
FAQ
Is the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid a good car?
What's new in the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid:
- Fully redesigned hybrid variant
- Part of the seventh Sonata generation introduced for 2020
Is the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid reliable?
Is the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid a good car?
How much should I pay for a 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid?
The least-expensive 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Blue 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $27,750.
Other versions include:
- Blue 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A) which starts at $27,750
- Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A) which starts at $35,300
- SEL 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A) which starts at $29,900
What are the different models of Hyundai Sonata Hybrid?
More about the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Overview
The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is offered in the following submodels: Sonata Hybrid Sedan. Available styles include Blue 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A), Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A), and SEL 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A).
What do people think of the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid?
Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and all its trim types. Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2020 Sonata Hybrid.
Edmunds Expert Reviews
Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2020 Sonata Hybrid featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.
Our Review Process
This review was written by a member of Edmunds' editorial team of expert car reviewers. Our team drives every car you can buy. We put the vehicles through rigorous testing, evaluating how they drive and comparing them in detail to their competitors.
We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.
What's a good price for a New 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid?
Which 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrids are available in my area?
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Why trust Edmunds?
Edmunds has deep data on over 6 million new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles, including rich, trim-level features and specs information like: MSRP, average price paid, warranty information (basic, drivetrain, and maintenance), features (upholstery, bluetooth, navigation, heated seating, cooled seating, cruise control, parking assistance, keyless ignition, satellite radio, folding rears seats ,run flat tires, wheel type, tire size, wheel tire, sunroof, etc.), vehicle specifications (engine cylinder count, drivetrain, engine power, engine torque, engine displacement, transmission), fuel economy (city, highway, combined, fuel capacity, range), vehicle dimensions (length, width, seating capacity, cargo space), car safety, true cost to own. Edmunds also provides tools to allow shopper to compare vehicles to similar models of their choosing by warranty, interior features, exterior features, specifications, fuel economy, vehicle dimensions, consumer rating, edmunds rating, and color.
Should I lease or buy a 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid?
Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.
Check out Hyundai lease specials