The future is now. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

As the Grand Transformation to Electric Vehicles seems to be somewhat less transformative than we might have been led to believe by industry executives who were “all in” with varying levels of commitment (e.g., “We will be all electric by ____,” a date that is no longer uttered), there is a move back to hybrids.*

The knock on hybrids, since the Toyota Prius showed up on American roads in 2000, was that there are two powertrains (the regular engine and electric motor(s)), so that wasn’t going to be acceptable.

Except they were accepted.

And that two powertrain quibble gave rise to the “too expensive” mantra.

Now there is a move by some of the hybrid-skeptical companies to say, “Hey, we’ve got them, too! We’ve been behind them all along!”

(Insert polite coughing sound here.)

Hyundai has been offering a Sonata Hybrid since model year 2011.

Consistently.

But if there’s anything to know about Hyundai, the company is consistently producing vehicles that are stylistically and functionally advanced.

Although the 2025 Sonata Hybrid is a carryover from model year 2024, it still looks 10 years more innovative than anything out there.

And it should be pointed out that the Limited trim driven here is the top-of-the-line (there is also the entry SEL trim).

So, going back to that “hybrids are too expensive,” know that this hybrid has a starting MSRP of $37,450. The one driven had a single option: $210 for floor mats.

Before looking at the Monroney for the car I guesstimated it would cost $50,000.

Not because of the “two powertrains are too expensive” schtick.

But because (1) it looks lux and (2) it is loaded.

Let’s roll through just some of the features on the vehicle:

• Blind-spot and surround-view monitors
• Parking collision-avoidance assist (for example: you can see on the 12.3-inch screen where the vehicle is in real space when you are backing out of a parking space, which is incredibly handy in lots that are designed to maximize the number of spaces and minimize the amount of space between them)
• Panoramic sunroof
• Leather seats
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• LED interior lights (this is something that needs to be seen because the difference between the illumination from them and the traditional incandescent lights is remarkable)
• Bose premium audio
• Power closing trunk (which really seems a bit too much, but when you look at how the trunk hinges, something that most people pay approximately zero attention to, are designed and integrated, you know that this is something that is conceivably beyond my $50K estimate to lux space)
• And this list could go on to the extent that your eyes will glaze over, so as there are a few more things to say, I’ll stop

The vehicle has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that is mated to a permanent magnet synchronous motor. The engine provides 150 hp. The motor 51 hp. And the way these things work, the sum of the two is not 201 hp but a combined 192 hp. The whole hybrid give-and-take is a tricky business.

Now this is a large-ish four-door sedan. It is 193.3 inches long, 73.2 inches wide, 56.9 inches high, and has an 111.8-inch wheelbase. It has a passenger volume of 104.4 cubic feet (i.e., it is roomy) and the aforementioned trunk has a 15.6-cubic foot capacity.

Its curb weight is 3,687 pounds.

All of which is to say that given the capacity of the engine and the size and weight of the vehicle, it is capable of propelling you when you drive—surface streets or freeways—as you probably normally drive. No head-snapping when you stand on the throttle, because 99.9% of the time—give or take a 0.1%–you are not feeling that you have to prove something when you are in a four-door midsize sedan, type of powertrain notwithstanding.

The reason people drive hybrids is not to sate their need for speed but because they don’t have a need to spend a whole lot of time at a gas station. The EPA numbers for the Sonata Limited Hybrid are 44 mpg city, 51 mpg highway, for a combined 47 mpg.

Hard to quibble with what it is or how it delivers the kind of fuel economy people are looking for.

==

*It should be noted that Hyundai does have EVs, including the Kona Electric, the Ioniq 5 and the Ioniq 6. But it also offers hybrids in the Elantra, Santa Fe and Tucson.