Used 2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2017 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid, so we've included reviews for other years of the Sonata Plug-in Hybrid since its last redesign.
Just enough battery to do the job...
Rob Davy, 11/12/2016
2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
25 of 25 people found this review helpful
I commute 34 miles each way to work. The battery on this car has been able to get me almost all the way to work with minimal use of gas (like 2 to 14 miles of gas depending on my charge percentage). When I charge at work, I have actually been able to get all the way home just on battery. I am 6'7" tall and I fit very comfortably in this car. And, that actually says a lot considering I am a very large man as well. Being able to fit was obviously my number one most important criteria. My buying decision also included carpool lane access criteria. This car is allowed to drive in the carpool lane in Utah. But, you have to have a C Decal, which is won only through a lottery process. I happened to already have access with my Prius, so I was allowed to transfer the permit. My third factor was tax credits. This vehicle is eligible in Utah for $1000 of tax credits at the state level. And, it is eligible for around $5000 of tax credits at the federal level. So, that knocks $6000 off the price at tax time (assuming you are able to claim it). It is good to know that if you can't take all of the deductions or credits in year one, then the government will allow you to take the remaining credit the following year. When gas prices are low, the breakeven period for this car takes much longer. But, high gas prices can make the break even period much shorter. Of course, the price of electricity is also a critical factor. The fact that this car has a lifetime warranty on its battery (for the first buyer) is comforting. I was told that the battery warranty is not transferable, so that is something to consider. I think that this PHEV (plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) offering is one of the most compelling in the segment. The Prius prime gets 15 miles per gallon better fuel efficiency, but you lose one of the back seats. And, you gain 5 miles of electric-only range in the Sonata. And, that is a big deal for people with a 34 mile each way commute like myself. The Ford C-Max received very poor ratings by consumer reports, so that one is out. The Audi E-Tron is a very fun car to drive, but it is smaller and has lower specs on both gas mileage and electric-only range. The Kia Optima looked comparable (or perhaps a bit better), but it is not available in Utah at this time. Availability in your state depends on whether or not a given dealer has two trained technicians that can work on PHEVs. I admit that I am still very new to this experience of driving electric cars, but I love how quiet the car drives. And, I love the thought of saving money and avoiding gas stations whenever possible. So, as for me, I believe this vehicle is an outstanding value. I am not a tree hugger by any means, but this car makes me happy from the standpoint of keeping money in my pocketbook. So, I say it is a great buy! I am a mechanical engineer, and I am not easily impressed. But, this one is impressive.
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Excellent Car Overall - Big Improvement Over Prev
GD, 05/14/2016
updated 08/05/2016
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
19 of 19 people found this review helpful
Now that gas is cheap - under $3 in California (of course it won't last) I wanted to update my Sonata Plug In Review. First - FINALLY - Hyundai made good on its promise to add Apple Car Play and Android Auto via a very long and painful software update (3 hrs+). They also fixed an annoying problem on the LCD display in EV mode instead of a big giant battery it now splits the screen in 2 with the battery on the right and the EV remaining distance on the left (previously only seen in the instrument cluster display) So, there's that. Also something was fixed with Bluetooth, my Samsung phone now pairs very fast and remembers the last App playing audio and starts automatically but it STILL will not stay in Shuffle mode if you have an ipod or iphone, so everytime the car is started its about 50 clicks to go back to shuffle/random play mode sigh. So, the Truth is I have only bought 16 gallons of gas in 5,800 miles of driving, I think that speaks for itself. Even with cheap gas -- I am paying nearly zero to drive all over the place. Since gas is so cheap, I tried 91 instead of 89 and it made a HUGE difference in the engine's performance. Seriously a big improvement, and I don't know why because Hyundai says do not use 91 so whatever. The gas mode is much more responsive and smooth on 91. Also, not explained well in the manual, the CHG MODE will recharge the EV battery with 380 volts on the highway in about 30 minutes. The engine is also much more responsive in the mode, but of course there is no hybrid mode working so I only use it on the highway where I can keep a consistent speed. One other weird thing I have experienced, the ventilated front seats (AC) are not very good or mine are defective. I have tested them in a Dodge Charger V8 and they are way better, more air flow and cooler. Hyundai probably just went with a cheap version. I STILL MUST complain about the awful Blue Link Mobile App. Why Hyundai??? The app is still slow, slow, slow, doesnt connect much of the time, and it should be free! So I can still see charge info but I cannot start the car -- lol because they want me to pay for it. no way I have owned this car for one month, and 1,543 miles. I have not bought gas once. The free full tank from the dealer is about 1/2 full, the only time it uses gas is on my way home from work (Toll Road) in Southern California and it switches silently into Hyb mode. But, understand it still has battery left for hybrid mode and its then begins charging the battery. Unfortunately, my Sonata Plug In (Limited) always shows incorrect battery info. For example, 30% battery remaining but only 2 miles of all EV mode available. Hyundai needs to fix this and the "stupid" battery gauge under the speedometer. It has blue and white lines but its so confusing even the Service Manager couldn't figure it out! Vehicle is really nice, and drives great. HOWEVER -- the BlueLink Mobile App and Service are TERRIBLE! Most of the time the service is "unavailable" or some other useless error message. When it does work it takes 10-15 minutes to reach my car with the App - Unacceptable Hyundai. I decided to Lease this time because no matter how great a Hyundai vehicle is, their resale value is the worst in the auto game. I know, I had 2 Sonata hybrids and had to pay to get out of them both. The 2015 lost 50% of it value in 10 months!!! So beware - only lease this car so you can give it back at the end. One additional comment about charging. You would think in Southern CA where Hyundai is headquartered there would be EV charging stations everywhere -- Nope. They are a nightmare to find and when you do, every Tesla is town is plugged-in for hours. Also, the charging stations are not free. There are several different ones Charge + and others that you have to sign up for in advance and get a card to use them. It's really a hassle. Unlike Nissan, Hyundai will NOT allow you to charge your car at their dealerships - really bad PR Hyundai. Overall I enjoy the car a lot. But no Apple OR Android App integration means old bluetooth for your phone. And, Hyundai bluetooth is soooo slowwwww to connect to my iPhone and Samsung S7, I usually end up listening to my old iPod I have plugged in. The XM sound quality is horrible, so I wouldn't even bother signing up for a subscription. One other weird thing, the radio keeps playing after turning off the car (can be configured) but the power windows stop working...lol very weird. The car needs a usable Mobile App and to charge faster (9 hrs in my garage on a standard outlet and the cable gets very hot too. Sometimes the fan under the hood kicks on while its charging..hmm) Lastly, on a new model with all this technology - -why did Hyundai put plain old bulbs in the license plate holder (and the dome lights). I mean that just seems really like an oversight in my view. I replaced them with Sylvania White LEDS from Amazon but I dont think I should have needed to.
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No real competition in a full size plug in
Charles, 02/18/2016
updated 02/21/2018
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
I stumbled across the Sonata Plug-in Hybrid while researching the Chevy Volt and and Ford Fusion Energi. I'm glad I did! Hyundai did their homework with this car. It's spacious, quiet, refined with a well laid out interior with high quality materials and intuitive easy to use controls and electronics interfaces. The Limited version has a luxury feel to it with a myriad of features that rival our S Class Mercedes. Though only rated at 27 miles of battery range, I have been consistently getting 30-35 miles over the last two weeks before reverting to hybrid operation, where it gets an average of just over 40 MPG. On a 1000 mile trip combining interstate and secondary highways, it averaged about 41 MPG, which isn't bad considering we were going 75-80 on the freeway sections. On one 70 mile section of Highway 1 in northern California it actually did 48 MPG. The comfort level is high with excellent ventilated seats, an extremely smooth and controlled ride, and a noise level that's about as quiet as any car I've been in. The navigation/information/media system is outstanding with loads of information and easy to use. The price at $39,000.00 seems high, but rebates and dealer discount brought the price down over $5,000.00. In addition, the California rebate of $1,500.00 and Federal tax credit of $4,900.00 (?) drops the net price down below $28,000.00, which is a screaming deal for a car with this content and capability. It has more electric range than the Ford Fusion and a vastly bigger interior than the Volt. The adaptive cruise works very well, as do the electronic driving assists. There just aren't any glaring flaws or shortcomings I've discovered yet, other than the trunk is a smallish 10 cubic feet due to the battery pack. Hyundai hasn't just established itself as an equal competitor. With this car, it leads the pack. UPDATE 8/18/17 Car broke down on 7/26/17 with hybrid warning lights on the dash. Had to be towed to nearest dealer, where it has been sitting since it stopped. They were not able to analyze the problem, and after finally replacing a part which didn't fix the problem, now say the hybrid battery needs replacement. Problem is, the battery is not available and they don't know when it will be! I had an initial contact with Hyundai customer care, and was promised they would look into it and get back to me. That was 12 days ago and I have heard nothing back, despite leaving 5 messages which weren't returned. Customer service seems non-existent. I am definitely done with Hyundai, and this will probably end up as a California Lemon Law claim. Buy one of these at your own risk! UPDATE NUMBER 2 2/21/18 Hyundai purchased the car back from me, paying back all of my costs less a fair pro-rated amount for miles driven. In the end Hyundai was fair and did the right thing. Shame. I really liked the car.
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End up buying a hybrid-plugin
Herman E. of San Jose, 05/12/2016
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
I am presently leasing a Nissan all electric leaf car and my lease is expiring so we started to do research on which car to get to replace the Nissan leaf. My main goal is to have a car to be able to use HOV lanes here in northern California(San Jose). I wanted to get into the higher range(200+mile) electric vehicle such as Tesla, Ford Energi, Chevy Bolt and new Nissan Leaf but all wont be available till next year(forget the Tesla model 3). I started to review all the specs of cars then a friend told me to look on the all-new 2016 Hyundai plugin hybrid, I was glad that I did! was so surprise of the car handling and features, its no difference from driving my BMW and Mercedes E class. interior has more luxury features and room! Ride and comfort is same as a luxury car. Of coarse its not as fast as BMW and Mercedes, but I am not going to race the car and unfair to compare 4 cylinder to six and eight cylinder but and I said but, look on the technology setup, its a hybrid-plugin technology which gives you the torque and speed(202hp) enough to make you happy. Getting 40+ mile to a gallon is just the icing in the cake. People says its still a Hyundai, well go look and compare it yourself. I ended up buying a Hyundai plugin limited and looking forward to enjoy it on HOV lanes. Not to forget the longest warranted car in the automotive industry.
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Great commuter
Ray, 03/09/2018
2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
I don't normally review anything, but I feel compelled to write about this car. With a daily round trip commute of 108 miles, I was tired of the constant trips to gas stations and the expense. After just a month with this car, I am blown away. It is the most economical, practical, comfortable commuter vehicle that you can buy. Never being a big fan of Hyundai, I was skeptical on a number of fronts - reliability/quality, comfort, and ride quality. This car is ghostly silent with a perfect driving position, comfortable seating and good ergonomics. Having owned a number of luxury cars and currently an owner of a BMW X5 Diesel (also a great economical SUV) I am really impressed with ride and build quality. I am currently running 33-34 miles on pure electric and averaging close to 80 MPGs for my commute. I plug it in at night and at work - 110V outlet takes about 8-9 hours. Too early to give a report on long term reliability, but with 100K powertrain warranty and lifetime battery warranty I am covered for alt least 4 years of commuting. Good looking vehicle - conservatively sharp, without the typical Hybrid space ship looks. One word - impressed.
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If only the dealer knew...
J. Newton, 02/16/2018
updated 08/26/2019
2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited w/Blue Pearl Interior 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
We were shopping hybrids for my wife to save gas (work is a 35 mile round trip). We also looked at plug-ins and full electrics. Tesla - too expensive (and too long a wait for the Model 3). BMW i3 - Really harsh ride and not an inviting space. Prius - boring and harsh ride. Honda - comfortable, reasonable mileage. Mini Countryman PHEV - fun but somewhat expensive with options. Hyundai Sonata Hybrid - Everything the Honda has, plus cheaper and better warranty. Hyundai Sonata PHEV - Well, couldn't find one to test several dealers said "no real difference, so save money and buy a hybrid". Well, found one to look at and even the dealer who had it seemed to think we'd opt for the hybrid. We persevered and bought the PHEV for environmental reasons. Best decision ever. We've had it 4 weeks now, and I love everything about it (including the fact that we've used less than 7 gallons of gas so far). It is loaded with features (has every option except a sunroof and auto-parking), cost $30k after federal tax credit, has a lifetime warranty on the battery, and makes me smile every time I drive or ride in it. I've found being fuel efficient is fun too (how far can I get on this charge...). UPDATE: We've had the car for 19 months now. The odometer shows 16,057 miles, and we've spent $361.89 on gas in those 19 months. We thought we'd see a jump in our electric bill, but we can't complain as it still averages under $150 a month for our 2,400 sqft house (including car charging and HVAC, etc.). I like this PHEV better than a pure electric, as we can travel without charging delays. When someone offers a parallel PHEV with a 150-200 mile range on the battery, we'll trade this one in. Until then, we're happy with our Sonata PHEV.
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This is the best car I have ever owned
James Thomas, 04/12/2016
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I went to the dealership to test drive a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. They had a PHEV in stock and I hesitated because it was a few thousand more than the hybrid but I decided to give it a drive anyway. And boy, am I glad I did. This car is AMAZING. It is silky smooth on roads of all types, quiet as a mouse (particularly in electric mode). The interior is very well appointed and every day it seems I find something new it can do that I didn't know about. I could read the manual included but it's fun just discovering stuff. As an example, I was adjusting the mirrors and didn't put it back into Neutral mode. When I switched into reverse, the side mirrors angled down and made it very easy to see what was on my sides (the backup camera takes care of what's behind me). I've always been a terrible parallel parker but this car makes it easy. I have been using the car to go to and from work primarily, though I took it out this weekend into the mountains for 160 miles. I'm sitting at 770 miles since my last fill up and I still have about 40% of the tank left. Talk about amazing! I also find that it's made me a better driver, simply because I have so much information at hand and I want to maximize the mileage. It even has a screen that tells me how aggressive I'm being, which my wife appreciates. Don't let the cost of the car hold you back. Even at gas costing $2.20 per gallon, it's still saving money. It costs me about $0.70 to recharge the battery every day. The car I replaced was getting about 30 miles per gallon, so it was costing me about $1.70 or so per day. So I'm saving net $1.00 per day, which is about $30 per month. When gas gets back to $4 per gallon (and I have no doubt it will), then I'm suddenly saving $3 per day. Plus it's environmentally and geopolitically responsible to use as little fuel as possible. It has a tremendous amount of cabin space and all three of my kids fit in the car nicely. I had the sales guy sit behind me after I adjusted the car for the way I drive and got out and looked at his seating arrangement. He is 5'11" and he had about 3 inches of leg room, which is more than enough to sit comfortably. It's a fantastic midsize sedan.
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Better than my Genesis
Mike, 10/10/2016
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
So, I am coming off a 2013 Hyundai Genesis and I am impressed with how much Hyundai has improved their product from their last generation products. I purchased the plug-in Sonata in base trim. This is my first EV/Hybrid experience and I think it would be hard for me to go back to gas guzzling cars again. Just on Battery alone, I am regularly getting 30 miles before battery runs out. I hardly use gas at all on this as my avg MPG on the computer has been 99.9 mpg since I brought the car home. And on freeway where gas engine was running I was averaging 55 mpg as long as I kept the speed to 65 mph or below. I am also impressed with how the car rides so smooth and quietly. It rides much better than my Genesis and noise level is equivalent. With new techs like Android auto, blind spot monitoring, back up camera's, etc. this car has all the gadgets I will ever need. With the plug in being eligible (hybrids are not) for Federal and State rebates ($6400 total in California) this car can be very affordable. I don't know why they don't sell as many as this car is great. Only negative I had is in base trim they don't offer leather seats. Now plug-in base trim MSRP is around $35,000 and I think for $35K, the car should come standard with leather seats (even though I did not pay near MSRP). And interior and exterior color choice is limited. Only color I saw available was plain gray which I thought looked very cheap.
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Great ride and value
Elizabeth Seale, 11/15/2016
2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited w/Blue Pearl Interior 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
9 of 11 people found this review helpful
I have always been a Toyota or Honda owner the luxury and comfort of this car is great and the technology and user friendliness beats both Toyota and Honda.
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Great Features - Horrible Reliability.
Disappointed Sonata Owner, 10/28/2017
updated 10/31/2018
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
(1) Has been in for the check engine light 11-13 times. (2) Broke down on highway for a hybrid system failure and has been at dealer over 3 weeks. UPDATE at 37000 mi. The car was eventually recalled for the above two items and has not been a problem since.
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Lyft/Uber Driver Loves It
Tim Larson, 01/02/2019
2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I am a 3 day a week Lyft/Uber driver and have put 40,000 miles on my Sonata limited hpev. Everything about the car is exceptional except for some of the luxury electronics. Car is 🤫, so quiet when driving electric mode there’s actually a noise generating system in front end to alert pedestrians to the fact that a car is coming! As driver I cannot hear the noise maker or any other noise when starting, idling, or slow driving in a parking lot or driveway. Eerily quiet on the first couple of drives , is the best way to describe this car. Driving 8 hours straight each night with only one bathroom/coffee stop, I have never experienced a single moment of discomfort. Front seats are completely adjustable in about 10!000 positions, and provide comfortable support including a separate electronically adjustable lumbar support. Rear seats generate constant applause from passengers for both comfort and leg room. “I didn’t order a limo !” is a frequent customer comment when first entering the car and sitting down. I didn’t say this, my “paying passengers “ did and do! Car is a joy to drive, and when you need speed, a firm push on the accelerator rockets you to 70 mph immediately! The combination of the gas and electric motors combine to feel like far more than the 202hp advertised. Sound system is great, with a joystick like control that allows you to find your perfect position with the single movement of one finger. Volume and bass are powerful enough to elicit compliments from a carful of millennials! Recurring problems with the auto dimmed headlights, and with the Blind Spot Detection system have yet to be remedied. I am extremely unhappy with this failure, but cannot say enough about my dealers’ service department. They always listen, and have gone to great lengths to find a solution which is still eluding us. Smart and diligent as they are, the electric luxury items continued faults are annoying enough to reduce a perfect 100% rating of the Sonata Limited edition to 95%. If the rest of the car were not “perfect “, perhaps the annoying headlights wouldn’t bother me so much. All in all the car rates a definite “buy”! Far outpacing the rest of the class.
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Smooth, quiet, spacious -- love it!
Barry in Phoenix , 07/31/2019
updated 08/29/2023
2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This is chronological. My opinion of the car has changed somewhat over time -- you might want to read the first paragraph here, then jump to the end! I have the 2017 Limited, and I've driven it for about 4 years in Phoenix. I typically get 21 electric miles (down from 27 initially!), which mostly covers my daily commute. Everything functions well, including the AC (critical here). It's cool to have the 'driver-only' mode to make the AC a little more efficient. The car is so quiet and smooth on all types of pavement. The back seat is also large and comfortable. It drives very nicely. I have never noticed that the brakes are 'grabby' (as the Edmunds reviewer says). I have noticed an initial lag when demanding 'hard' acceleration -- it takes a second for the gas engine to kick in, then the acceleration is good. In most city driving, including busy freeway driving, the gas engine stays off. But to accelerate aggressively on the freeway, you need that gas engine. As a freeway cruiser, it's great. Just engage the adaptive cruise and keep it in the lane. Obvious complaint: The trunk is small, due to the battery pack. UPDATE Aug 2022: At the 4.5-year point (around 45K miles), the electric range has dropped to about 21 miles. The car still drives great, and I've had no major issues. There was an engine-wear monitoring recall in 2021 -- I don't think it was specific to the PHEV. They installed some software which apparently can more-closely monitor for engine vibration. I have noticed no specific problem, but it is at least a theoretical concern. On two extremely hot (115 F) days in the summer of 2019, when driven hard on the freeway, I had a couple of instances where the car warned me about the heat, and started the gas engine while the battery still had plenty of charge. I took it to the dealer to have it checked, and they found no issue -- it's just the electric-drive system protecting itself from the heat. In 2021 (before that recall), my daughter was driving on the interstate between cities and got an error message and briefly lost some power. She pulled over and restarted the car, and went on her way. I took it to the dealer, and they were unable to find a problem. It has only happened this once. I did have several months in 2019-2020 where I had a longer commute that drained the battery every day. I would then put it on a level-2 charger at work. I think that this pattern of twice-daily full recharges in the Phoenix heat likely led to the battery-range-degradation that I have seen. Update (Feb 2023): After three instances of hybrid-system errors that forced me to restart the car, I took it to the dealer again. They have determined that the drive battery (the big one) needs to be replaced. It is under warranty, so there will apparently be no cost to me. The dealer is paying for a rental car while they wait for the battery to arrive (could be a month or more). I am hopeful that this will restore the original electric range (27 mi). It was getting fairly close to the 70% capacity level that is guaranteed for 100k miles in the warranty. Update (Aug 2023): It took SIX MONTHS to get the replacement battery. Hyundai did provide a loaner or rental car for the entire time, although not one that is nearly so fuel-efficient. And they required us to return and replace the loaner each month. And because we moved about 800 miles in the interim, they had to ship the car to us (which they did without complaint). The car is basically back to normal, with 25 EV miles indicated (but we usually get slightly better than that). All of that cost me exactly $0, and I got six months of free miles (no mileage depreciation). I guess I would say: Be careful about buying an EV or PHEV that has a limited production run. It can be hard to get that one critical replacement part that is generally made specifically for your vehicle -- the big battery. My guess is that they have to do special-order manufacturing runs or maybe just refurbish batteries that come back.
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Awesome Car
Kevin Jay, 01/24/2018
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I've had this car for a year and a half. When shopping, I compared it to the Chevy Volt, and the Ford Fusion Hybrid Plug In. I went with the Hyundai because it had more electric range than the Ford (just enough to finish my daily commute on all electric), and was more roomy and comfortable than the Volt. Overall, I think Hyundai hit it out of the ballpark. At work, one of my friends is always complaining about how much gas he puts into his SUV. I respond by complaining about how I just had to complete my "seasonal" fill up. It's not far from the truth. I drove from the first week of September until the last week of November on a single tank of gas. I commute about 25 miles rt, and I can complete the commute on just an overnight charge. I've got solar panels, so the charge costs nothing (I've reached break even on the panels themselves). I am leasing the car, and with the Federal and State rebates (and some negotiation), the monthly cost is two sixty five (I have the base model), which is not far off from a similarly equipped hybrid sedan. I think Hyundai's estimate of 27 miles to an electric charge is pretty accurate, but I live in the Northeast, and in the winter months the electric range drops slightly. I should say that my commute is fairly level, and YMMV if you drive on uneven terrain. When using the gas engine, the economy is still very good. I average between 42 and 44 mpg when using gas. Pure highway driving is slightly better. We took my daughter for a tour of prospective colleges, driving from Massachusetts to Virginia by way of Pennsylvania. The gas consumption was just over 50 mpg overall for that trip, even with quite a bit of mountain driving. I love the freedom the hybrid plug-in offers. My daily commute is all-electric, but I can go on a long trip without worrying about where to charge. That trip was a pleasure with this car. The roominess is excellent - better than my last car which was a Camry. I find the fit and finish of this car to be surprisingly good. I was not expecting that with a Hyundai. The cockpit and back seats are laid out with thought. There are plenty of cup holders and everything is easy to reach. In the front cabin, seat comfort and adjustability is excellent. I don't miss the leather seats that I have had on previous cars. The cloth seats come with heaters as standard equipment. My daughter reported the back seat was very comfortable too. Visibility is excellent, although at night, the headlights leave a bit to be desired. The dashboard is simple. Controls, including the Nav/Entertainment system, are logical and easy to use. This was a selling point over the Ford. Hyundai did an amazing job of cramming in the battery and hybrid technology without skimping on interior space. As to the cargo capacity, it is slightly less than you would find on a standard hybrid, but still quite good. We had no problem packing the trunk with enough luggage for three people on a seven day road trip. No need to take up space in the back seat. The sound system is very good, with the exception of satellite radio (see below). The Android Auto system works pretty well. We recently got Waze support, so that Waze can run on the dashboard screen, though it isn't fully functional. It will accept a destination, but then the map won't update once the car starts moving. I'm hoping a software update will resolve this. This car is not going to win any races, but it can cruise effortlessly at 80mph. Acceleration is adequate for passing, even on a grade, although there is a slight lag when you floor the pedal. The ride is very comfortable at any speed, and the car feels quite stable around turns. My car is white, and I think the exterior is very sharp. The car is not without problems. I've had the dealership look into a persistent check engine light 4 times so far, and it remains to be seen whether the dealership has fixed it for good. During the last visit, the technician suggested that it was a problem with my Level 2 charger. That seems unlikely. What's more likely is that the hybrid plug in system is quite complex, and Hyundai hasn't fully debugged it. Thankfully, I've never had the hybrid system problems some others have reported here. I've also had persistent problems with Sirius XM on the entertainment system. It takes a long time for it to find stations, particularly on cloudy days. For a long stretch of time, it wasn't working at all. Even so, I sometimes don't get reception until the end of my commute. The heating system is poor. The heated seats help a lot, and heat up quickly, but the climate control system is slow to heat the cabin, and it has trouble doing so when running in EV mode. The gas engine kicks in to help, and then it takes a good ten to fifteen minutes to get going. Even so, I don't have to fill the tank more than once a month during the winter. I really like this car - it's almost perfect and I'd buy it again.
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Do NOT buy the 2016 Plug-In
Danielle, 05/15/2018
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
The 2016 Plug-Ins have a faulty hybrid battery. There was a recent recall regarding this. My car also cut off on me on the freeway. It was terrifying!! That was the 5 or 6th time my car was in service. Last year they had my car in service for over a month. Hyundai has agreed to do a repurchase of the vehicle. I absolutely loved the vehicle, too bad they are faulty.
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Mileage
Don, 08/12/2020
2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I have averaged 70.5 miles per gallon over 36,000 miles. I’m glad that I installed a level 2 charger at my home but a regular plug will charge overnight.
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I love this car
Oliver Thurman, 06/15/2016
updated 03/22/2017
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
10 of 19 people found this review helpful
I've had it for almost a year now. Aside from the unusual drive system (plug-in electric, with backup gasoline engine) it's basically a very mainstream midsize passenger sedan. Since I'm not a high-mileage driver, most of the miles I have put on the car have been in pure-electric mode. In this mode, which lasts for 27 miles or so, the car is just incredibly quiet and smooth, giving you a real sense of luxury in a non-luxury car. A curious side-effect: the near-silence of the car at low speeds makes traffic jams (I live in LA) seem less awful! Or so I feel. I'm also quite happy not to bother visiting gas stations -- I use about about one tank every six months. The engine *does* turn on if you need to accelerate onto a freeway, or for that matter if you're just feeling in a hurry and use a lead foot. When you do this, you'll get 200 h.p., plus the extra torque that electric drive offers. But in most circumstances I find it relaxing to exercise just a bit of self-restraint and accelerate so that electricity alone suffices. I got the fancier version and enjoy the bells and whistles that come with it. There are discrete warnings about lane departure, etc., that make driving safer, and the sound system keeps me, a finicky listener, quite happy (having no engine noise to compete with the music helps too.) Seats are really comfy with lots of legroom both front and back. Visibility is good all around. It's true that by buying this car I've lost a certain amount of trunk room (space is needed for the huge battery). But it's actually easier retrieving grocery bags from the smaller trunk (a little short of 10 cubic feet) than it was from the cavernous trunk of my former car. If I need to carry something big the huge back seat will usually be enough. Sadly, I have never, ever, spotted another Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid on the road -- I'm totally alone in my preference! Too bad; I think other buyers would enjoy this car very much if they only gave it a try. The 2017 model is pretty much just the same as the 2016 I have, so this review probably holds good for the 2017 version too.
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Very happy
Anne French, 09/18/2016
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car is the best kept secret! Luxury car with longest electric range in its class. I easily get over 30 miles on a charge. The regenerative electric charging is amazing.
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A Lemon. Has spent over 60 days in service.
T James, 12/06/2017
updated 06/15/2018
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
For the 1st 7 months, this car was great. I bought it brand new. Super great mileage. It is my wife's commuter car, and for about a year, she drove less than 27 miles a day, on average, thus saving a ton on gas. About twice a month, it simply did not charge overnight--frustrating. But, it stopped charging entirely, and spent 9 days in the shop at 7 months. Then, it went another 7 months of sporadic not charging, until it stopped charging entirely again. It spent 41 days in service. Since then, it has given us Hybrid System warnings requiring trips to the dealer, along with that sporadic not charging. I am taking it in for service in 2 days for it's 3rd warning since it came out about 4 months ago. Hyundai has agreed to buy it back, basically following the lemon laws of CA (I have signed an agreement forbidding me to give details). My wife and I loved the car until it stopped working. And, worse, these two long stays in service would have cost me almost $7,000, had it not been under warranty. Remember, the battery is guaranteed forever to the original owner. But, the starter system is not. I believe the same starter parts are used in the 2017 Sonata PHEV and Kia Optima PHEV too. Sad. As of January 2018, we no longer own the lemon. We now own a 2018 Accord 1.5t Touring.
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Plug-in hybrid is amazing (still as of March 2022
Tony D, 07/12/2019
updated 11/20/2023
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Update 11/23: EV battery needed to be replaced, had to wait 6 mos for new battery to come from Korea. Warranty covered all including loaner car. New battery is better than original, now rated 27 miles EV, but I have gone 34 miles on battery alone. Update 3/22: at 60K miles, still have 10 mm on original brake linings. Regen braking is great. EV mode all electric distance has decreased to around 16 miles. Over 60 mpg over past 5 years. Update 7/20...I now have over 43,000 miles on it, and at last service still have plenty of brake lining on the original brakes, due to regenerative braking system. Also still have good tread on original tires, and still get 30 miles EV mode, so I’m still averaging over 75 MPG. (Original review). I have owned my 2016 Sonata PHEV for 3 years, and can report that I still get about 30 miles of full electric driving before the hybrid engine comes on line. I have not seen any decrease in battery range during the past 3 years. Love the high tech safety equipment and the quiet comfortable ride. Depending on the length of typical trips, the fuel economy is incredible. Not unusual to go 1000 miles between gas stations! (model type below is incorrect)
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DO NOT BUY or DRIVE THIS CAR-SAFETY HAZARD
Salahuddin Ahmed, 03/20/2018
updated 04/05/2021
2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
2 of 12 people found this review helpful
I bought a brand new 2016 model. At under 18,000 miles, the "Check Hybrid System" light came on while parked and the car would not start. Had to tow it to the dealer. After a week they said they could not find any problem. Eventually they returned it by saying they had to reset something and it started. Brought it back and in three days, same thing happened. Took it back and the same story. Yesterday as I was going up a mountain on a winding road, the warning sign came on again and the car shut itself down immediately. I was lucky enough to find a spot to pull over. As the car lost complete power, I could have easily gotten hit by a car or worse yet could have gone down a steep slope because of the twist and turn of the roadway and the complete loss of steering power. I only have 24,600 miles on it now. This car is a death trap. DO NOT BUY or DRIVE IT. I ended up returning the vehicle under California Lemon Law. To the credit of Hyundai, the process went smoothly. Perhaps they knew there was a problem.
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Hybrid System Failure
Salahuddin Ahmed, 08/09/2017
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
2016 Sonata Plug-in Hybrid. I have it for little over a year and 17,500 miles. Hybrid System failed twice in three weeks. First time car won't even start, had to tow. Now I am afraid to drive it because the possibility of getting stuck. NOT ACCEPTABLE. Lost a week in dealership first time and now it is back there again.
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Hybrid System Failed Twice - Engine lost Power
Prabhat, 09/10/2017
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited w/Blue Pearl Interior 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My Sonata PHEV had Hybrid System failed not once, but twice within a span of 1.5 months. It's been hardly 1.5 years since I had bought this car. In both cases the Check Hybrid system warning comes up and Engine looses power. The 1st time it happened, it was in the middle of a busy freeway and was left all of a sudden with no power on the engine. Extremely dangerous and life threatening problem to face with. The 2nd time it happened it was on a 3 lane local Parkway still dangerous as I am left with no power to control the car. The car had to be towed to the dealership in both cases. The dealership took 1 month to fix the car the 1st time, it ran for close to 1.5 months and again the same problem and its back at the dealership. Now they want another month to fix it!!! Highly unreliable car, imagine getting this problem in the middle of nowhere, this car cannot be trusted. It's a Lemon.
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Great car!!
Jeff Bu, 08/24/2016
2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Super-quick and quiet. And with 27 miles of electric-only power, I use zero gas during the week. No "range anxiety" on weekends because the hybrid gas engine kicks in automatically after that.
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1st Fill-up & 2nd Sonata Hybrid
Kob Kevin, 05/20/2019
2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
First off! This is my 2nd Hyundai Sonata Hybrid (2013 Limited & now Plug-in Limited). So my rating and review is based on how happy I was with the former. ITS BEEN 3 WEEKS AND STILL ON THE DEALERSHIPS TANK OF GAS! That is I've driven over 500mi and my tank is just passing Half. I've fully taken advantage of charge stations at work and charging at home. With the former Hybrid, albeit, got really good MPG always started with depleted battery (100+ temperatures in Phoenix). So now all my short driving trips and back are pretty much covered with all battery EV energy. As for comparison to my Limited 2013 Hybrid, the interior is quite similar, the Dash and Entertainment is a little different and took some getting used to. Its grown on me, and I feel the sound system in former was a little better. Having all the Safety features are annoying (like having a significant other passenger seat driving), but you can disable each. I.e. I like to change lanes without Indicators if there's no one around but Lane avoidance warning goes off (just disable it). I really enjoy the new cruise control and front collision. You can set the car length parameters to a more comfy distance or have it closer but it still adjust your speed to the car in front of you.
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Absolutely perfect. Next!
McKay H, 09/29/2021
2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid Limited 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
As the title suggests you can imagine what I am about to write. If your looking for an unbiased and fairly liberal approached review of this vehicle scroll down. You won’t get that here. I have not a single thing.. ok maybe one thing.. bad to say about my sonata. I could go on for days telling you everything I love about it but I will spare you the time. This car is honestly the greatest investment I’ve made. Especially as gas prices are so high these days I can’t imagine life without it. I get around 1200 miles per tank of gas and visit the pump about ever month and a half. Not to mention the reliability has been great as well. Of course with a mileage of around 56k (unless you drive a dodge) you should expect nothing less than zero maintenance issues. Like I said, I could go on but just know this car is worth every penny to me and I hope it would be for you as well. Lastly the one gripe I have is the truck space. If you can spare the space it’ll be worth your while. I promise.
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