Used 2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 Sonata Hybrid, so we've included reviews for other years of the Sonata Hybrid since its last redesign.
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid redefines Luxury
Dennis, 03/23/2017
updated 01/30/2023
2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
55 of 56 people found this review helpful
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid We were owners of 2 Hyundai Elantras and have had zero problems with them and so when the 8 year old got totaled in a crash we decided to go Hybrid for our next car. We had hoped to wait 2 years and go Hybrid with a small SUV but none out there getting the MPG’s yet. So we went shopping. Honda Accord Hybrid had the best MPG’s but no trunk—really no trunk so if you want it exclusively for around town—well even then why buy it—go electric. The same was true with the Ford Fusion. Both companies sacrifice trunk space to fit the battery in and render the car impossible for long family trips. Bigger Hybrid cars had $$$ and were not dealing. We wanted to look at Hyundai’s cousin the Kia Optima Hybrid but they were selling fast and not discounting. So we settled on the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Both companies got into a bidding war for our bucks and this was a boost for us. We got steep discounts and thanks to Edmonds and Consumer Reports we knew the real starting point. Edmunds makes it great because the dealerships knew the price you got and thus took off from there. What surprised us with both car companies was that the price continued to drop! Both cars are a nice drive and because we wanted all the latest safety features we were hitting the top of the line Limited Editions for both cars. Thus both came fully loaded. The Sonata had a quieter ride, faster pickup, a huge trunk, and both rear seats fold down for added space. Both were equal in safety features but Sonata added the little things like a door handle light that comes on as you approach the car. The interior was way more luxurious with leather along the side doors as well! We also got lucky this year as Hyundai gets to make Genesis their Lexus/Infiniti Luxury car company, Thus Sonata now becomes the top of the line car and is decked out that way. Simply put you get a whole lot more car for your money. My friend who drives a Lexus found my Sonata Hybrid a quieter ride! My other friend could not get the sound system on his BMW 3 series unless he went up to the BMW5! My 1,000 mile review. The 8 way and 6 way power front seats are the best I’ve ever sat in and they are both cooled and heated! Driver's side has memory for 2 drivers! The headrest fits us both perfectly and this rarely happens. We are in love with the memory seats. The driver seat settings are set for us both and switch at the push of a button adjusting not only the seat but the mirrors! Oh, and the mirrors on both sides dip down slightly when you put it in reverse so you can see the lines in the road! Just too many features to name here but what you get IS more than the competition. Two things I must note. The side mirrors are the absolute best in any sedan. I can see 2 lanes –either side and of course it comes with the blinder yellow caution lights in the mirrors on both sides. Rear view mirror is also amazing in that it gives you a near complete view with the smallest blind side and auto darkening at night is very cool. The footprint and ride of this car is amazing but there is very little that we notice going from electric engine to gas—smooth and the regenerative breaks are hardly noticeable too! Turning radios is one of the best in class. Finally by the numbers—at 1,000 miles we surpass easily the 38 city—getting 40+ most trips, combined is slightly higher too at 43 and highway runs 46-48. The center dash screen is huge and does so much I have yet to get thru it all but the smaller screen for the driver—centered above the steering wheel can tell you how you are doing in ECO mode and this gentle reminder really helps. BUT—stomp on the gas of the Sonata Hybrid to go and it takes off because Hyundai did something real cool by joining the electric with the gas engine—having both run to give you a huge boost in horses without eating up a lot of gas! Nice. We are now at over 55K and the only issues were all updated and fixed with Hyundai updates and corrections and all free of charge. My wife and I still love this car. We love the luxury of it and riving it and the fact that we get so much car for a great price. AND--in this day and age we fly under the radar as people do not look at the car as see a luxury model even though my friends who drive BMW's and Lexus find the drive and feel of this car as good and most of the time better than their own! I wish--this time of year--the steering wheel was heated! The spacious trunk is so appreciated along with the back seats folding forward. Our friends with the Honda Accord Hybrid constantly complain about space as their trunk is so small. We can take a trip with friends and fit their luggage and ours in the back. Our friends cannot find the room for a simple trip of 2 without throwing stuff in the back seat! The car still looks near new, rides so nice on all surfaces, and gets city 38-42 and highway 47-52 at 72 mph! We did put on new Michelin tires for hybrid cars at 49K and it made for a much better ride. It did not improve the mpg as much but made stopping so much better as these tires grip the road better than the cheap tires that came with the car and will last a lot longer. We also added blue link which is way cool and allows us to do so much more on trips by interacting with our phone we can go anywhere and do most things quickly by locating the place via the phone and blue link. Six years old next month and over 65K on the car and she runs like a top. We updated the computer programing via blue link and Hyundai extended the warranty from 100K to 110K and years from 10 to 12! Who does that these days. By doing so we got the computer software updates that made it seem like a 2019 with all the computer stuff, maps, and advanced blue link that goes with it! All for free. The minor problems we have had they have fixed with new parts and at no charge. People still ask what kind of car this is due to the quiet ride and how old it is=looks near new! Only small gripe I have is I wish the passenger windshield blade did not come so far over to the driver's side. A bit of a distraction in the rain.
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After One Year Update
Happy Hyundai Owner, 09/02/2018
updated 09/04/2019
2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
21 of 21 people found this review helpful
Updating review - After almost 19K - my thoughts - Engine/Electric Motor/Transmission work flawlessly together. Seamlessly and efficiently changes modes and the 6 speed transmission is far preferable to a CVT even at the cost of a few MPGs. No droning noisiness. Drive in Eco mode most of the time. When sport mode is on the combined torque and HP turn the car into a pretty nice sport sedan. (The suspension is supposed to tighten in Sports mode but I found it to be a very modest tightening.) Speaking of MPG, averaging 44 MPG over the course of 12 months living in NE USA. All batteries lose efficiency in the winter months but make up for it in the summer. Interior is laid out to easily navigate the controls. Seats are excellent with good thigh support. One fail is the Halogen headlights in the SE edition. Low beams do not produce enough light. All cars at this point should have LED headlights standard. (I installed aftermarket LEDs and they work flawlessly.) After one year I think I made the right decision going with the Sonata Hybrid. I expect my next car will be fully electric. And at this point I would choose a Hyundai.
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I used to love this car.
Jake C., 03/04/2018
2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
26 of 28 people found this review helpful
I purchased this car in October 2017 and as of early March 2018, I have put about 3,200 miles on the vehicle. I purchased the car to be my daily commuter, but still large enough to carry the family around (2 kids and spouse) when we didn't want to take out our family SUV. I loved this car for the first three months I owned it. The fuel economy is great - I am getting about 42 mpg combined driving 80% highway in a mountainous location. The car is very comfortable and fits my family of 4 comfortably. I am able to fit our big double stroller in the trunk, which was a must for my new car. The infotainment center is intuitive and easy to use. The climate control panel is also simple and easy to use. Over the six months that I have owned the car, it has had to be returned to the shop 4 times. The first time was the day after I bought car and all four tires went flat and the dealer didn't remove some of the wrapping tape that was around the car when it shipped. Then in January, three months after purchase, it was very cold and I loaded up my two kids and the car wouldn't start. I got the car jumped and drove it around for about 30 minutes. Once I turned the off when I got home the car once again bricked. I had to get the car towed to the dealership and they told me it was an issue with the battery. So they replaced the battery and things worked well for about a while. In February, I was contacted about a factory recall. The dealership told me that it would take less than 1 hour to complete, so I took a long lunch break. The repair ended up taking 4 hours and I was forced to take leave for my job due to their miscommunication. The inhibitor switch was replaced, but to this day I have not been able to track down the recall on this part of the car. In late February I was driving home around 10pm and all of the lights on the car - the headlights, dome lights, dash lights started flashing and strobing very intensely. The flashing was so intense the car is pretty much unable to be driven at night. I took the car to the dealership, which was an ordeal in itself, where they told me that the hybrid drive on the vehicle had gone out. It was explained to me that this piece acts like the alternator in a hybrid, but again I can't find any information online about this part. They are still waiting for the part to be delivered, but it looks like the car will be in the shop for at least 1 week. While I hope this resolves the problem, I have low expectations. I have contacted Hyundai USA HQ, but the case manager has not reached out to me yet. I am hoping they offer to buy the car back. I need a reliable vehicle and I purchased this car due to the supposed reliability of Hyundais. I have never been so disappointed and wish I could go back in time and not buy this car.
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Saved my family's life
Adam Mignery, 06/20/2019
2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
First...The automatic braking on our Sonata limited saved my wife and daughters life. I'm addition they were surrounded by timely and appropriate airbags. I loved driving this car. Switching drive modes gave a varying impressive and new experience. The technology was user friendly and Android auto was flawless. More bang for your buck and classy. Thanks again.
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A nice hybrid I would buy again
Ramesh, 01/08/2019
2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I love my Sonata. I was a bit skeptical at first but it has held up really well. Very low maintenance cost and good cost savings. When on highway I get 47-49 mpg. In city I get around 38 mpg. Overall, the average is about 42-46 mpg for an average driving style depending on the weather and where I drive. I always drive in eco mode and haven't felt the need to switch to other modes. I have regularly driven up Mount hood, Helens and a few other hilly areas near Portland and still drive in eco mode without any issues. Love this vehicle! I would definitely buy this again given a chance. Fuel economy and gas emissions are one of my primary decision parameters and this vehicle does decently well in these two parameters. Based on my experience with Sonata Hybrid I wouldn't buy the regular fuel cars ever again. Only electric or high economy hybrid.
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