Used 2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

The Hyundai Sonata is already a great midsize sedan with head-turning style, a premium interior, and excellent tech features. It arguably gets even better when you throw in a hybrid powertrain capable of over 50 mpg. The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is a practical choice for anyone looking for a frugal sedan that’s good on gas and wants the latest tech features and a car with a bit of aesthetic flair.

The Sonata Hybrid carries over into 2022 without many changes aside from some new tech features available on the top Limited trim. It competes directly with the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Honda Accord Hybrid, which is pretty tough competition. These two Japanese rivals are similar in size, price, and efficiency, but the Sonata Hybrid is the fuel-economy leader among the three.

Hybrid sedans aren’t known for being thrilling to drive. That means it’s no surprise that driving engagement is not a strong suit of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. With 192 horsepower, its performance is adequate for daily driving, but it’s worth noting that the Camry Hybrid and Accord Hybrid are both a bit more powerful and engaging to drive.

That said, the Sonata Hybrid is comfortable and quiet. If you like a subdued driving experience and a nice, quiet drive, you’ll have few gripes with how this car performs. Sometimes it’s a little too noticeable when the car switches between hybrid and all-electric propulsion and the feel of the regenerative brakes take some getting used to, but it’s all worth it to get such great fuel economy.

Driving the Sonata Hybrid is a breeze with the Highway Driving Assist system that comes with the Limited trim. This semi-autonomous driving system uses adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and route information from the navigation system to take a lot of the fatigue out of highway driving. However, you do still need to keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel.

If you still think of Hyundai as a bargain basement brand like it used to be, then the interior of the Sonata Hybrid will blow you away. Even in the base trim, the interior of this car is upscale and comfortable with plenty of modern tech features. The seats are supportive and the driver and front passenger get tons of legroom. The rear seats have less legroom than the Accord, but it’s roomy enough back there for kids and average-sized adults.

Upgrading to the Limited trim makes the Sonata Hybrid perform a convincing impersonation of a luxury car. It has leather seats (which are ventilated in front), a massive 10.25-inch infotainment system, a digital gauge cluster, a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, and so much more.

Trunk space in the Sonata Hybrid is 16 cubic feet, which is about average for this class. With 60/40 split folding back seats, you can get even more cargo space.

Head-turning looks come standard with every 2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. This practical midsize sedan has some dramatic lines, stylish wheels, and a distinct light signature in front and in back to make it truly stand out from the crowd. The sloping roofline gives way to a stylish rear spoiler giving it the look of a sporty liftback sedan.

Other than different wheel designs, there isn’t a lot of visual variety in the model range of the Sonata Hybrid. The Limited model does have full-LED lighting and a solar roof, but other than that, every Sonata Hybrid looks pretty much the same regardless of trim.

EFFICIENT HYBRID POWERTRAIN
This hybrid system nets a stellar fuel economy rating of up to 50 city/54 highway/52 combined mpg, which beats the hybrid variants of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

REMOTE SMART PARKING ASSIST
This clever available feature allows you to get in and out of tight parking spots by exiting the car and parking with an app on your mobile device.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid comes pretty well-equipped in the base Blue trim. Standard exterior features include LED headlights and taillights, aerodynamic 16-inch Eco-spoke alloy wheels, and a rear spoiler. On the inside, you get standard dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 60/40 split folding back seats, a 4.2-inch color driver information screen, and push-button start.

Standard safety tech features in the Sonata Hybrid are very generous. You get full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane following assist, rear occupant alert, safe exit warning, driver attention warning, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking.

There are two trims available above the base Blue model, the mid-range SEL trim and the premium Limited model.

The SEL model adds some excellent features while keeping the price affordable. It adds heated, power-adjustable front seats, Bose premium audio, wireless charging, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual charging USB ports, and 17-inch alloy wheels. This is also where you get the Hyundai Digital Key feature, which allows you to use your smartphone as a key.

The range-topping Limited trim makes the Sonata Hybrid competitive with hybrid luxury sedans like the Lexus ES Hybrid, but without a luxury car price. Some of its luxurious features include an upgraded 10.25-inch infotainment system with navigation, a 12.3-inch fully digital gauge cluster with a blind spot monitor, leather seating, cooled front seats, a head-up display, a heated steering wheel, ambient interior lighting, and full LED headlights.

The Limited model also adds more safety tech features. One of our favorites is Highway Driving Assist. This combines features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist with the car’s navigation system to create a semi-autonomous driving system that makes highway driving nearly effortless. However, it still requires you to stay alert and keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.

One feature that you won’t find in the competitors of the Sonata Hybrid is a solar roof. It charges the 12-volt battery that powers the car’s accessories. When that’s fully charged, it charges the hybrid system’s battery pack at a rate of about an extra two miles of range per day. You might say it’s a gimmick, but it’s a pretty cool gimmick.

A couple of new options available on the Limited trim for 2022 are Remote Smart Parking Assist and Dynamic Voice Recognition. With Remote Smart Parking Assist, you can park your Sonata Hybrid using a mobile app, making it easier to get in and out of tight parking spots.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is motivated by a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine mated to an electric motor with a lithium-ion battery pack. It produces 192 horsepower, which makes the Sonata Hybrid the least powerful car among its direct competitors from Honda and Toyota, but it also has the highest highway fuel economy rating.

Most hybrids use a CVT transmission, but the Sonata Hybrid uses a more traditional 6-speed automatic transmission.

2.0-liter inline-4 engine
150 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
139 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm

AC permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor
51 horsepower, 151 lb-ft of torque
Total system output: 192 horsepower
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 50/54 mpg (Blue), 45/51 mpg (SEL, Limited)