Topic: Test Drive: 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

[Autos_Editor]

Sonata Hybrid uses engineering and technology to reduce hybrid car compromises.
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[See3PeeO]

We are enjoying my wife's new 2015 Sonata Limited.  Decent fuel economy on the last 2 tanks (7.6 and 7.9 l/100km) mixed driving. 811 km and 765 km.  The interior was what sold us over the Honda Accord we almost bought before test driving the Sonata.  So far on some weekend road trips we've enjoyed the excellent nav, radar cruise, etc.  Trunk was large enough to take my two kids to camp (2 huge duffle bags plus a whole lot of gear).  Overall my first Hyundai experience is great so far.

[JRM]

Not great mileage for a hybrid when compared to my Passat TSI.  I recently drove 2,888 with 3 passengers and luggage for 4 to Newfoundland and up to the top of the Viking trail.  There were a lot of hills through Gros Morne National Park.  The trip computer showed an average of 6.2 l/100 km. and 5.9 l/100 km with a manual check.  Who needs a hybrid with all the added complexity and cost?

[MR2Pritch]

Not great mileage for a hybrid when compared to my Passat TSI.  I recently drove 2,888 with 3 passengers and luggage for 4 to Newfoundland and up to the top of the Viking trail.  There were a lot of hills through Gros Morne National Park.  The trip computer showed an average of 6.2 l/100 km. and 5.9 l/100 km with a manual check.  Who needs a hybrid with all the added complexity and cost?

Shoppers want options to save fuel, reduce emissions, etc, and this is one of them. A Passat TSI is another. So is a Passat TDI. Or a Tesla. Choices choices.

[mixmanmash]

Not great mileage for a hybrid when compared to my Passat TSI.  I recently drove 2,888 with 3 passengers and luggage for 4 to Newfoundland and up to the top of the Viking trail.  There were a lot of hills through Gros Morne National Park.  The trip computer showed an average of 6.2 l/100 km. and 5.9 l/100 km with a manual check.  Who needs a hybrid with all the added complexity and cost?

Different conditions, different driver, etc.  Can't compare unless all things are equal.

Here's an example: I can get great fuel economy in my Odyssey, but my wife cannot, driving on the same roads in similar conditions.

[Noto]

Sonata’s new hybrid battery, which is smaller and more power dense, now sits beneath the trunk floor, effectively taking the usual hybrid sedan cargo-space compromise and fist-punching it right in its filthy yap. The resulting full-function trunk can accommodate a generous Costco run or a weekends worth of camping gear, no problem, and rear seats fold down fully when required, which is unheard of in a hybrid sedan, too.

This is the highlight, here.  Good on ya, Pritch!

[dkaz]

A hybrid can get ~5.5L/100km on the highway, but so can my Mazda 3. Why buy a hybrid, right?

But 90% of the time I'm commuting. I can do ~7 L/100km in my Mazda 3, a hybrid can likely do 4.5.

What about a delivery guy? 10 L/100km in a Mazda 3? The hybrid? Still 4.5.

That trunk looks great.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Not great mileage for a hybrid when compared to my Passat TSI.  I recently drove 2,888 with 3 passengers and luggage for 4 to Newfoundland and up to the top of the Viking trail.  There were a lot of hills through Gros Morne National Park.  The trip computer showed an average of 6.2 l/100 km. and 5.9 l/100 km with a manual check.  Who needs a hybrid with all the added complexity and cost?

Right around 6 is what I get on the highway too.

[libraman]

Not great mileage for a hybrid when compared to my Passat TSI.  I recently drove 2,888 with 3 passengers and luggage for 4 to Newfoundland and up to the top of the Viking trail.  There were a lot of hills through Gros Morne National Park.  The trip computer showed an average of 6.2 l/100 km. and 5.9 l/100 km with a manual check.  Who needs a hybrid with all the added complexity and cost?

Right around 6 is what I get on the highway too.

Hybrids shine in city driving. That is where the advantage lies.

[X-Traction]

Not great mileage for a hybrid when compared to my Passat TSI.  I recently drove 2,888 with 3 passengers and luggage for 4 to Newfoundland and up to the top of the Viking trail.  There were a lot of hills through Gros Morne National Park.  The trip computer showed an average of 6.2 l/100 km. and 5.9 l/100 km with a manual check.  Who needs a hybrid with all the added complexity and cost?

Right around 6 is what I get on the highway too.

Hybrids shine in city driving. That is where the advantage lies.

Hybrids also do pretty well on the highway.  There's no way the non-hybrid '08-'12 Escape can match the equivalent Escape Hybrid for highway mileage.   Bad traffic hurts hybrid mileage, but it hurts non-hybrids worse.

On the last fillup, my '09 Escape Hybrid with AWD got 6.8L/100km.  Mixed city/urban/highway.  This being Vancouver, every drive included ample time stuck in stop & go traffic jams.  And many cold startups, which hurts mileage by having to warm everything up multiple times rather than driving straight through the fillup.  This is a relatively large, heavy, boxy, and outdated vehicle.

This Sonata looks like an excellent effort.

[MR2Pritch]

Note, if you didnt read through the whole review, i had zero stop and go traffic towards that total. I'm in Sudbury ontario, we dont really have city traffic, rush hour, etc. Most of my driving was highway, cruise set to 110 or so

j

[Noto]

Note, if you didnt read through the whole review, i had zero stop and go traffic towards that total. I'm in Sudbury ontario, we dont really have city traffic, rush hour, etc. Most of my driving was highway, cruise set to 110 or so

j

Still amazing.