What does a Charger Daytona, Lancia Delta HF Integrale and Hyundai Sonata PHEV all have in common? They are all homologation specials, cars whose special nature have raised the eyebrows of car nuts all over the world. While the first two were spawned by racing rulebooks, this week’s plug-in hybrid tester comes to us thanks to the zero-emission laws that are in effect in ten American states: California, Oregon, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maine and Vermont.

To be allowed to sell cars in those states, manufacturers must earn credits by offering clean, alternative-fuel options, usually battery-electric vehicles (BEV). Plug-in hybrids like this Sonata are also allowed under this rule as “transitional zero-emission vehicles”, provided their battery is of a sufficient capacity. Since Canada doesn’t enforce any zero-emission laws up here, it’s easy to judge how committed manufacturers are with their “homologation specials”, or how much red ink each one sold adds to their bottom line. Ever noticed we’re not getting the Fiat 500E, Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive or VW e-Golf? Kudos to Hyundai for offering us what is not only a PHEV that is very well integrated to its platform, but a drop-the-mike, knock-it-out-of-the-park, catch-some-net stellar plug-in hybrid, based on its electric-only range in the real world. Before you think I overindulged in Psy videos or suffered from the highly chemical new-car smell so typical of Hyundais, please read on.

The current generation of the Sonata launched for the 2015 model year wearing clean, crisp and, dare I say, conservative lines, doing away with Hyundai’s voluptuous “fluidic sculpture” design language (the new corporate look is actually called “fluidic sculpture 2.0”). After a successful seduction game that won it a significant chunk of the mid-size sedan market, the new Sonata effectively hid its curvy bod under a business shirt and went all serious on us, as if to prove she’s in it for the long haul, and not a mere fling. The Hybrid variant kept the curves for an extra model year, after receiving a significant upgrade of its hybrid hardware for 2013. As the Korean giant’s first electrified effort, the Sonata Hybrid had one signature feature that differentiated it from the green herd: its conventional six-speed automatic transmission. While all other mass-market hybrids use a CVT (save platform-mate Kia Optima Hybrid), Hyundai’s choice was budget-minded; the manufacturer developed its hybrid propulsion system in-house, as opposed to licensing Toyota technology like Ford did. While it did not make for the smoothest or most frugal hybrid back at launch, improvements made during the model’s cycle brought improvements to both driveability and fuel economy ratings.

See also: Hyundai Launches its New Ioniq Hybrids and EV at New York Auto Show

While that previous car was granted an extended stay for a partial 2015 model year, Hyundai took advantage of those extra months to come up with a 2016 2.0 Sonata Hybrid based on the new generation, and adding its first ever plug-in hybrid, this week’s Sonata Hybrid PHEV. In the spirit of the aforementioned Charger Daytona, both hybrids feature aerodynamic tweaking that yield a class-leading drag coefficient of 0.24. The slippery grille is better integrated than on the previous generation, and other surface details like the wheel design and subtle deck-lid spoiler help reduce air friction. The end result is akin to a wet-sanded Sonata, slippery without undue bizarreness (…cough-cough, new Prius). But the really interesting evolution is found under the skin, thanks to a complete redesign of the hybrid package.

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