Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited, a Fuel-Efficient Cruiser

The Challenge of Contemporary

“Modern cars all feel the same,” they say, and by them, I mean me. When you test drive dozens of 2.0L turbocharged compact SUVs and sedans with electronically controlled power steering and numb-feeling gas pedals, it can sometimes be challenging to distinguish them beyond the color of the menu screens in their infotainment systems.

As a self-proclaimed professional, I need to be somewhat of a driver seat sommelier, detecting the subtle differences in a vehicle’s character to better inform you, the consumer.

Yet, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles deliver a uniquely tranquil driving experience. This was recently confirmed when I took a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited sedan on a middle-of-the-day drive from San Antonio to Austin through peak traffic hours.

If sports cars get the blood pumping and large pickup trucks make you feel stronger than you are, hybrid sedans (and SUVs) are a chill pill to sedate the frustrations of urban travel.

Facelift for the 2025 Hyundai Sonata

The Hyundai Sonata has been undergoing a style evolution since the eighth generation debuted in 2019 as a 2020 model. A standout design cue was its radical daytime running lights that ran up the car’s hood line. The 2025 Sonata’s exterior design carries over from the 2024 model year refresh featuring new front and rear bumpers, as well as new headlights and taillights that completely change the car’s appearance.

The Sonata’s front end now has a slim daytime running light bar running across the width parallel to the hood. The car’s actual headlamps are located underneath, tucked within the air intakes and open-mouth grille.

At the back, the sedan’s taillights continue the design pattern, incorporating a width-long light bar across the trunk with a digitalized textile pattern and aggressively large exhaust ports for an otherwise soft-spoken hybrid powertrain.

Overall, I like the car’s look, acting as a mirage of a large luxury sedan from a distance that lingers even after you reach the door handle.

Hyundai Sonata Interior Design

Inside, the Sonata gained an upgraded dashboard layout consisting of two 12.3-inch screens mated together under glass displaying the car’s instrument gauges and infotainment menu.

I like the fit and finish of the center console’s climate and audio controls that come across as sharp with contemporary styled dials and buttons.

In addition, there is a new steering wheel with an elegantly simple three-prong design and round center. Poking out from the right side of the wheel is a new gear selector knob that you operate by twisting towards and away from you to select drive or reserve with a push button at the top to engage park.

It’s intuitive after the first try, although it may be hard to spot if it’s your first time in the driver’s seat. The model shown is the Limited trim level, offering upgrades like leather-trimmed seats with heating and ventilation for the front passengers. In addition to dual climate controls, adaptive cruise control, a panoramic sunroof and a 12-speaker BOSE audio system.

Plenty of Power for Modern Traffic

Under the sculpted hood, the Sonata Hybrid features a 2.0L four-cylinder engine and AC electric motor, producing 192 horsepower combined to drive the front wheels. Not exactly a speed demon by today’s standards, but potent enough to get moving and keep up with modern traffic.

The Sonata’s efficient and quiet demeanor encourages a mellow driving style, which got me through the nightmarish lunch rush traffic and construction zones littered with debris and tire-scarred orange barricades.

For fuel economy, the Sonata Hybrid boasts an EPA rating of 44 mpg in the city and 51 mph on the highway, resulting in an average of 47 mpg.

When I received it, the car’s range stated 560 miles with a full tank, and with a 13.2-gallon fuel tank, it’s possible to extend that range into the 600s with some careful, slow driving. But if you drive with heavy shoes like I do, you’ll still easily average over 45 mpg.

A Tranquil Aesthetic

Good fuel economy is one of the factors behind the Sonata Hybrid’s signature aesthetic of tranquility. Driving the Sonata was like taking a deep inhale in a room spiked with a lavender scented candle.

It’s a relaxing car to drive. Granted, like a massage or vacation, the relief is quickly ruined by the demands of reality, meaning the car’s driving personality doesn’t leave a lasting effect until you return to the driver’s seat.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited sits at the far end of the lineup with a starting price of over $37,000. The second-tier Sonata Hybrid SEL starts at $31,000. At the other end of the spectrum is the Sonata SE (gasoline), starting at $26,650, and the performance-oriented N Line, in the middle, starting at $35,250.

Engine: 2.0L four-cylinder engine with electric motor

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

0 to 60: 7.8 seconds

Starting Price: $31,000 (SEL Hybrid)

Price as Shown: $38,600 (Limited Hybrid)