The 2021 Hyundai Sonata makes a more powerful circumstance for by itself after very last year’s entire redesign. No extended merely a value participate in — though it is however keenly priced and properly outfitted — Hyundai’s midsize sedan has a rejuvenated perception of design and also features impressively up-to-the-moment tech. The model line has been fleshed out with a fuel-sipping Hybrid and the Sonata’s 1st efficiency version at any time, the really credible Hyundai Sonata N Line.
Although buyer desire in this section is shrinking, the autos have never ever been better, and the 2021 Sonata is a good case in point of that truth. Is it our prime-encouraged relatives sedan? No, would be the Honda Accord. Should the ’21 Sonata be on the shorter checklist along with the Accord? Absolutely.
What is actually new for 2021?
Next up on the Sonata’s important redesign very last calendar year, the 2021 model calendar year sees the arrival of the 1st Sonata N Line, a sporty variant with an exceptional 2.five-liter turbocharged motor generating 290 horsepower and 311 pound-ft of torque. You can examine additional about it in our Sonata N Line assessment. Elsewhere in the lineup, the new Safe Exit Aid characteristic alerts passengers who attempt to open a doorway when a auto is approaching from the rear. At last, the Constrained trim provides a six-way energy passenger’s seat, and the SEL As well as gains 19-inch wheels.
What is actually the Sonata’s interior and in-car or truck technology like?
The 2021 Hyundai Sonata features a modern, futuristic cabin with small clutter and higher-excellent materials. Like most new autos, its infotainment management monitor is showcased prominently atop the dash. Base designs get an eight-inch monitor, whilst a ten.twenty five-inch touchscreen is optional from the SEL model on up. No other midsize sedan (aside from the mechanically similar Kia K5) presents such a substantial monitor, and as we describe in our Sonata infotainment assessment and video clip down below, we imagine it truly is marvelous. Guiding the wheel sits a customizable twelve.3-inch virtual cluster display (optional on SEL, conventional on SEL As well as and Constrained), and the prime-of-the-line Constrained also presents a whole-coloration head-up display.
There are some wonderful touches for tech junkies, as well, like Hyundai’s “Digital Key,” which lets the proprietor to unlock the Sonata by waving an approved smartphone more than the exterior doorway handles. Hyundai also presents Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration as conventional devices. There are three USB ports and wi-fi charging is refreshingly not exceptional to the optimum trim stage.
Hybrid buyers are in for a particular take care of, as all those who choose for the variety-topping SEL As well as also get a photo voltaic roof. In sunny problems, these panels can replenish up to 2 miles of supplemental variety for every working day, or somewhere around seven-hundred miles for every calendar year. A lot more basically, they can energy components whilst the motor by itself is off, like the air conditioning on a sunny working day.
How huge is the Sonata?
The Sonata doesn’t have as much backseat legroom as the palatial Honda Accord. The gap just isn’t as massive as the spec sheet indicates (we imagine there are variations in the way Hyundai steps interiors) and folks taller than 6 ft can however sit 1 guiding the other. You ought to also be in a position to fit a rear-dealing with child seat in the back without transferring a entrance seat ahead. Headroom is abundant irrespective of that modern roofline, even additional than the Accord and Camry, equally on the spec sheet and in individual.
The trunk presents sixteen.3 cubic-ft, which makes it even bigger than every single midsize sedan other than the Accord. As we learned in our Sonata baggage exam, that determine interprets into similarly amazing things-carrying capability. Indeed, only the Accord trunk has been in a position to maintain additional things in our midsize sedan baggage tests.
What are the Sonata’s fuel economic system and efficiency specs?
The 2021 Sonata is obtainable with four distinct powertrains. The foundation motor in the SE and SEL is a 2.five-liter, normally aspirated four-cylinder generating 191 horsepower and 181 pound-ft of torque. These figures are common for entry-stage engines in the midsize section. This motor is rated at 28 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 32 mpg merged in the SE model and 27/37/31 in the SEL.
Stepping up to the SEL As well as and Constrained designs suggests switching to the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. This motor makes fewer energy (180 horses) than the foundation 2.five, but additional torque (195 lb-ft). It also presents similar quantities to other reduced-conclusion turbocharged engines available by the competition, such as the Honda Accord’s 1.five-liter. It even presents additional energy from a more compact package deal than the 2.-liter turbo available in the Volkswagen Passat. This motor is rated at 27 mpg city, 37 highway and thirty merged.
The most strong motor presenting is the 2.five-liter turbocharged four-cylinder underneath the hood of the Sonata N Line. It spins out 290 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. (The motor is shared with the Kia K5 GT). Contrary to the other Sonatas, the N Line takes advantage of a dual-damp-clutch automated handbook that also provides rev-matching and launch management. The N Line’s turbo-four can’t pretty match the horsepower of the Toyota Camry’s V6, while it does present additional torque. EPA estimates for the N Line are 23 mpg city, 33 highway and 27 merged.
The fuel-economic system champ is a 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid (pictured higher than). It makes use of a one hundred fifty-horsepower, 2.-liter normally aspirated inline-four and a 39-kW electric motor. Blended, they deliver a complete of 192 hp. Hyundai suggests this combo is excellent for up to 50 mpg city, fifty four highway and 52 merged in the Blue model, which is lighter (by a tiny additional than 100 kilos) and sporting activities more compact (sixteen-inch) wheels with effectiveness-targeted tires. Hybrid SEL and Constrained designs prime out at forty five mpg city, 51 highway and 47 merged. These figures are about on par with the 2021 Toyota Camry Hybrid and exceed all those of the Honda Accord Hybrid. In terms of true gasoline applied, the change in between the 47-mpg trims and the 52-mpg Blue is truly quite negligible.
Regretably, no Sonata presents all-wheel travel, a characteristic obtainable on an increasing number of relatives sedans, like the Sonata’s mechanically similar cousin, the Kia K5.
What is actually the Sonata like to travel?
We have driven every single version of the Sonata aside from 1 with the foundation 2.five-liter, and we have located each and every to be incredibly participating to travel in comparison to Sonatas of that earlier. That even applies to the hybrid, which in the earlier, have been synonymous with dull. Though equally the Honda Accord and Mazda6 are the top-quality athletes in this class, the Sonata isn’t much guiding, striking a knowledgeable balance in between comfort and managing prowess for a day by day driver. You most likely will not likely have fun in it, but it truly is vice free and it will not likely bore you to death with wholly anesthetized controls. Choose the steering, which has linear, steady effort and hard work and is sufficiently responsive to your inputs. We’re also admirers of Hyundai’s new, nicely contoured four-spoke steering wheel.
Many thanks to its regular transmission, the Sonata Hybrid drives additional like a typical gasoline-only car or truck than its rivals, the Accord Hybrid (which feels additional like an electric car or truck) or the Toyota Camry (which drones on like 1 with a CVT). If you are put off by the common weirdness of a hybrid, this is the 1 to get. At the very same time, you can definitely notice the electric boost provided to the motor when accelerating.
The 1.6-liter characteristics Hyundai’s new CVVD motor technology, but you wouldn’t know nearly anything particular is occurring had you not been warned. It’s a torquey tiny four-cylinder with ample grunt to get off the line in a hurry. There’s a lot of torque all over the rev band lag is small, and it’s pleasurable ample to listen to. On the other hand, it truly is not a considerable efficiency update – larger four-cylinder turbo engines from Honda and Mazda are however much a lot quicker.
The N Line, even so, is much a lot quicker. Acceleration is sturdy ample to lead to the steering wheel to squirm in your arms, especially a reduced speeds. With stiffer suspension elements and even bigger brakes, there is additional to the N Line than just additional energy. The car or truck is additional responsive in corners but the experience does not beat up occupants more than terrible pavement. We can come across additional about it down below.
What other Hyundai Sonata testimonials and comparisons can I examine?
2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line First Drive Assessment
Our assessment of the new-for-2021 Sonata N Line, which features additional horsepower than any other relatives sedan. We would not get in touch with it a whole-on activity model, even so, as it truly is smartly not hardcore ample to put off all those who just want additional thrust and sharpened responses without a punishing experience or hyperactive nature.
2020 Hyundai Sonata Baggage Examination | How much matches in the trunk?
The formal trunk quantity is sixteen.3 cubic-ft. Wonderful, but how much does that necessarily mean in terms of true things. This responses that.
2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid vs Accord and Camry
The midsize sedan section features a number of hybrid designs. Here’s how the Sonata stacks up towards the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry hybrids on paper.
How much is the 2021 Sonata price tag and what characteristics are obtainable?
The Sonata SE is robustly outfitted for a foundation-model auto, but the real value chief is the SEL As well as, which features the 1.6-liter turbo motor, eighteen-inch alloy wheels, suede and leatherette seating surfaces, Qi wi-fi product charging and an supplemental USB charge port — among the other valuable selections — all for a $4,600 quality. That might sound like a good deal, but it’s a great deal of devices for a price tag down below $thirty,000.
For a whole breakdown of each and every trim level’s characteristic articles, specs and pricing, examine out our 2021 Hyundai Sonata webpage below on Autoblog.
- SE: $24,705
- SEL: $26,805
- Hybrid Blue: $28,755
- SEL As well as: $29,305
- Hybrid SEL: $thirty,905
- N Line: $34,305
- Constrained: $34,955
- Hybrid Constrained: $36,305
What are the Sonata safety rankings and driver assistance characteristics?
Normal safety devices on the 2021 Sonata features ahead collision warning with pedestrian and bike owner detection, automated emergency braking, a driver inattention warning system, lane maintaining assist with lane centering, a rear occupant warn system, automated higher beams and adaptive cruise management. All but the foundation SE get a blind-spot warning system, which is upgraded in the Constrained with the entire, multi-faceted array of blind-spot tech that we named Autoblog Engineering of the Calendar year (see video clip down below).
Moreover the sheer quantity of these safety and driver assistance characteristics, we have located them to be among the the most effective-executed on the section. They do their career properly without irritating you.
The 2021 Sonata Constrained been given an IIHS Leading Basic safety Select ranking, slipping shorter of the coveted Leading Basic safety Select+ owing to the weaknesses of the headlights available as conventional devices on the SE, SEL and SEL As well as trims. The federal government (NHTSA) provides the 2021 Sonata an all round safety ranking of five stars out of five.
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