Test Grade: The 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited Makes Your Drive Relaxing Again
Few modern cars double down on comfort and quiet like the Sonata Hybrid does.
Pros
- Supple ride
- Excellent fuel economy
- Strong value
Cons
- Sluggish acceleration
- Transmission abhors sporty driving
- Adjusting to the shifter
As electrification sweeps the car market, more automakers have embraced consolidation of gasoline-only and hybrid models into the same product lines. Such is the case for the updated 2024 Hyundai Sonata, now offered in four total trims, divided between two non-hybrid and two hybrid models. As part of this year’s major changes, the midsize sedan receives a futuristic front end, a restyled rear, and a reworked interior with more tech than before.
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We’ve already tested the powerful 2024 Hyundai Sonata N-Line, which offers a torquey turbocharged gasoline engine, so it’s time to turn our attention to the electrically assisted hybrid model. Outfitted with a 2.0-liter I-4 and an electric motor, the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid puts efficiency first with an EPA rating of 44/51/47 mpg city/highway/combined.
As a fuel-sipping foil to its sporty sibling, the range-topping Sonata Hybrid Limited occupies an entirely different niche than its N-Line counterpart. We put the face-lifted sedan through our testing regimen to see if it fulfills its purpose as the best-equipped version of the Sonata.
Test Results
When the present-generation Hyundai Sonata arrived for the 2020 model year, it dazzled with swooping bodywork and dramatic exterior lighting. Its front fascia is a tough act to follow, but Hyundai managed to incorporate the company’s new design language with angular bodywork and crisp lighting accents. The result is an upscale-looking sedan that also looks decidedly sporty. Unfortunately, the Sonata Hybrid’s exterior sets a performance expectation its hardware doesn’t meet.
Squeeze the throttle, and the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid’s initial jump off the line feels brisk. Its peppiness drops off quickly, though, as the best 0–60-mph acceleration our test produced was a sluggish 8.6 seconds. Rivals are much more spritely; the Honda Accord Hybrid Sport-L sprinted to 60 mph from a standstill in just 6.8 seconds, and the Toyota Camry Hybrid SE did the same in 7.0 seconds.
The six-speed automatic transmission cooperates and runs decisively through its gears with the pedal depressed fully during normal city-driving conditions. It gets choked up and confused, however, when upshifts and downshifts are less predictable. Pushing the Sonata Hybrid through our figure-eight test, we noticed the transmission drops power when upshifting from second to third and then hesitates to kick down on corner exit. The same is true on a back road, where the newest Sonata Hybrid struggles to provide the correct gear at the correct moment.
Realistically, though, fixating on these aspects of the Sonata Hybrid’s driving character in only the most extreme scenarios completely misses the point of what Hyundai’s sedan is designed to achieve. Where its rivals place greater emphasis on sportiness, the 2024 Sonata Hybrid is tuned for comfort. Take a more relaxed approach to driving, and the Sonata Hybrid reveals its strengths. The gas engine takes a back seat to the electric motor whenever possible, shutting off and refiring without calling attention to itself. With a combined 192 hp, the Sonata Hybrid needs prodding to get up to interstate speeds, but once it’s cruising it floats along with excellent composure. Very little road or wind noise penetrates the cabin, making for an experience that’s about as quiet as what you get from an EV.
Other positive traits contributed to our enjoyment of driving the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid around town and on the open road. Well-weighted steering enables predictable handing on sweeping curves and around sharp corners. The brake pedal feels solid for a hybrid, and we’re pleased with the car’s 60–0-mph stopping distance of 117 feet, although repeated hard deceleration gives way to brake fade and poorer stopping performance. The brakes bite well, though, and the Sonata Hybrid stays straight as you dig into the ABS. Again, Hyundai did well in tuning its midsize sedan for easy, relaxed driving. If you’re not in a rush, the Sonata Hybrid transports you with serenity that’s all too uncommon among its peers.
How Loaded Is the Limited Trim?
Our 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid test car features the top-level Limited trim, which outfits the midsize sedan with a long list of desirable features typically reserved for luxury cars. Dual 12.3-inch displays dominate the dashboard, showing clear graphics with easy-to-navigate interfaces. The cabin’s modern design is less minimalistic than that of the Ioniq 6, with plenty of buttons and knobs for controlling commonly used features such as the audio system and the infotainment screen’s main menus. The Limited’s 12-speaker Bose audio setup impresses with crisp, full audio quality.
Our passengers were consistently impressed by the high-resolution 360-degree camera view used for precise parking. Standard ventilated seats, something of an anomaly in the sub-$40,000 car market, make a noticeable difference in keeping front-row occupants cool on hot Southern California days.
Hyundai’s SmartSense suite of active safety tech is among the most comprehensive in the Sonata Hybrid’s segment, with standard features including blind-spot collision warning, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assistance, front and rear parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring. Enabling Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist locks the Sonata Hybrid into its lane, allowing it to drive itself down the highway with little driver intervention. Acceleration and deceleration, modulated automatically in accordance with the vehicle ahead, feels natural and comfortable. If traffic slows suddenly and unexpectedly, the Sonata Hybrid initiates hard, steady braking almost immediately.
Our test car’s gray interior looks handsome, and the cabin feels airy, particularly with the panoramic roof open. Rear-seat passengers enjoy decent legroom, although its biggest rivals provide at least 3 extra inches. Hyundai made up for this by adding second-row USB-C ports and second-row HVAC vents.
Hyundai also sprinkles some party tricks on top of an already-tantalizing package. A head-up display provides a legible readout of key driving information, allowing you to keep your eyes focused on the road ahead. Its Remote Smart Parking Assist system, popularly known as Smaht Pahk, allows a driver to stand outside and maneuver the Sonata into a parking spot with the key fob. A power trunk adds another dash of luxury to the Sonata Hybrid’s daily livability. As a mainstream daily driver vehicle, we appreciate the Sonata Hybrid Limited’s 64-color ambient lighting for its customizability.
Finally, Hyundai’s Digital Key 2 Touch allows both Android and iPhone users to lock, unlock, and start the car via their device. This feature lets the driver monitor and set presets for the seat and mirror positions, climate, and audio preferences. Three digital keys can be created and shared among family and friends.
Should You Buy a 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited?
Very few aspects of the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited hold us back from recommending it as a daily driver. There are little annoyances, like a fussy shift knob you must twist forward and backward to get into different gears. The selector is easy enough to use when you’re taking off from a parking space, but it’s frustrating to have to toggle the switch back and forth for a multi-point turn in a parking lot.
The center console is well designed, but the small storage compartment positioned between the cupholders and charging tray is too tiny for phones or sunglasses. The final nit we’ll pick is the fact Sport drive mode doesn’t do much more than quicken shifts and artificially stiffen the steering. It’s worth noting there’s a Custom drive mode that lets you enable Hyundai’s Smart drivetrain setting, which adapts its tune to your patterns and habits.
If you look beyond the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid’s powertrain limitations, which are offset by solid efficiency that matches the Toyota Camry’s and nearly meets that of the Honda Accord Hybrid, this is a highly competitive choice worthy of consideration. For just $38,560, a sum that includes the sole option of floormats for $210, you’ll drive out of the dealership with one of the best-equipped new midsize sedans available. The Sonata Hybrid Limited undercuts one of its range-topping rivals, the 2024 Accord Touring Hybrid, by more than $1,000. Shoppers who are a bit more price conscious should still consider the 2025 Toyota Camry XLE hybrid, though; it comes in at just $34,495. Still, if having an incredible array of high-tech features and great fuel economy are of utmost priority, the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited doesn’t disappoint.
Billy Rehbock's passion for cars started with his dad's Volkswagen Jetta GLX, his mom's Cabriolet, and his own Hot Wheels collection. A USC graduate with a Master of Science in journalism, he's an associate editor for the MotorTrend Buyer's Guide and covers everything from sports cars to SUVs.
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