Hyundai Sonata Hybrid with excellent autonomy and design know-how

Introduced in 1985, the Hyundai Sonata became the successor to the Stellar. Moreover, there were almost no external changes, but inside they turned out to be more than enough. This is front-wheel drive, and climate control, and a 4-speed automatic transmission. Nevertheless, the complete external similarity led to the fact that under the new name the car was sold only in the domestic market. The Canadian export variants simply positioned it as an old second generation model.


The first generation Sonata did not make the right impression on potential buyers. After all, having cast a glance at her, they seemed to see the already fed-up Stellar again. Plus, non-compliance with high environmental standards has closed the way for a new product to the European and American automotive markets. The attempt of restyling with repainting the body in two colors, undertaken a couple of years later, did not save the situation. The history of the model ended after the Seoul Olympics.


Automotive history knows many examples of how a good idea turned into a complete collapse. If you are an attentive reader of our site, then you yourself could read more than one such sad story. However, in the case of the Sonata, it turned out to be a wonderful happy ending. Although it would not be entirely correct to say so. After all, even today, almost 40 years later, the car continues to be produced in Korea and exported to many countries around the world. He has already gone through the eighth generation and, it seems, is not going to retire at all. Moreover, in parallel with generations six through eight, Hyundai pays tribute to fashion by releasing hybrid versions of the Sonata.

Demanded hybrid sedan

A mid-size sedan on which experts cannot agree. Someone, according to technical parameters, refers it to the D-segment. Others, paying attention to increased comfort, are ready to talk about business class. One way or another, but in the entire history of the model, we are dealing with engines with a volume of 1,8 / 2,5 liters, power - 90 / 180 liters. With. And the assembly shops of the company are located in the USA, Russia and other countries.



Tests carried out on the North American continent confirmed that the car is capable of such a feat. Their result was a trip without refueling in a combined cycle of movement for a distance of 686 miles (1104 km). The average fuel consumption at the same time was at the level of 4,5 l / 100 km. The data is confirmed by the American EPA.


Such solid performance made the car a very desirable acquisition for nature lovers and those who want to save money. It also appealed to progressive drivers who are ready to try something trendy and new. And, indeed, the Sonata Hybrid turned out to have a lot of progressive and interesting solutions.

Solar battery and automatic transmission

The main non-trivial decision of the designers was the solar battery as an alternative source of energy for the electric motor. She was accompanied by an automatic transmission (without a torque converter). In general, the power unit of a hybrid model consists of the following elements:

✅ Smartstream G2.0 GDi HEV motor
✅ hybrid automatic transmission with ASC
✅ traction motor

A six-speed "hybrid" drives a motor with a total power of 195 hp. With. Most of them fall on the classic aspirated 2-liter (152 "horses"). The rest is for an electric drive (52 hp). This combination allowed the Sonata Hybrid to achieve excellent fuel economy in a mixed driving cycle - an average of 4,97 l / 100 km.

Tests at the EPA showed even better results. The urban driving cycle required only 4,7 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. The record figures were achieved when the car was driving on the highway - 4,35 l / 100 km. All this was made possible thanks to excellent aerodynamics and many other features of a hybrid car, which we will discuss below.

Know-how applied in the Sonata Hybrid

The appearance of the car can be called exclusive to the hybrid line of the Korean brand. It's just that cars of this type have external features that other Hyundais do not have. All of them fulfill a dual role that enhances the prestige of the car: improved aerodynamics and purposeful environmental friendliness of the model. These are the following elements:

✅ alloy wheels on all wheels
✅ original grille cascade
✅ rear spoiler, contributing to the increased aerodynamics of the car

All this contributed to the achievement of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid's drag index of 0,24. In general, wheel deflectors, spoilers and plates for wrapping the bottom did their job. Another help in increasing the autonomy of the car can be called the Solar Roof battery.


This roof-mounted solar array helps recharge the Sonata's batteries. The experts calculated that if you allocate a 6-hour period for recharging every day, then the annual mileage on the battery will increase by 1300 km. Agree, this is quite good. Moreover, the solar system prevents the complete discharge of the main batteries. Yes, and in a few hours in the parking lot, you can slightly increase the amount of autonomous movement of the Sonata Hybrid.

Active Shift Control technology was first used on this model. It is designed to effectively control the vehicle's hybrid propulsion system. At the same time, the electronics clearly calculates the optimal speed of rotation of the shaft and transmission. This reduces the switching time by almost a third. In addition, this approach allows you to operate the transmission in a gentle mode, significantly extending its service life.

Also, the entire Sonata line has the added convenience of a digital key. You can use it after installing a special mobile application on your smartphone. The main thing is that it supports NFC technology. Wireless data transmission requires close proximity of the reading sensor and the mobile device itself. The digital key via Bluetooth Low Energy is able to remotely perform some operations:

✅ activate car alarm system
✅ close or open cabin doors
✅ turn on the motor

At the same time, it is possible to customize the functions, taking into account their set and frequency. This is especially convenient when renting a car, when you can simply limit the time of its operation. Another way to increase active traffic safety is the Forward Collision Avoidance (FCA) system.


It is able to recognize pedestrians even in the dark and in the absence of signs of movement on their part. This is followed by a warning to drivers and, if necessary, the activation of automatic braking. For the system to work, the front radar and camera sensors are turned on. When they detect a slow-moving obstacle ahead (pedestrian, cyclist, or motorcyclist), a three-stage warning occurs:

✅ visual and sound notification
✅ determination of the level of potential danger
✅ automatic braking to prevent accident

The model also has protection against displacement from its lane. It is needed for movement at the moment the driver falls asleep at the wheel. True, its functionality is limited by a speed limit of 145 km / h.

Owner reviews and availability on the Russian market

One of the Russian car enthusiasts who purchased Hyundai Sonata Hybrid in Korea shared his own impressions. He noted that the Korean assembly is better than the domestic one. Also unusual was the too quiet operation of the internal combustion engine. A good ride and high efficiency have become another plus of the Sonata Hybrid.

Hybrid, successfully tested for efficiency. Photo: youtube.com[/ Center]
It works great even at very low temperatures. Smart electronics can not only save energy in cold weather, but also slightly warm the battery itself. That's just a very low landing will make it difficult to operate the car over rough terrain.

The main disappointment is that direct deliveries to Russia look problematic. Instead of hybrids, the usual Hyundai Sonata with a 2-liter, 150-horsepower engine (and a small batch of 2,5-liter, 180 “horses”) entered our market. Its prices start from one and a half million rubles.