2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited

The midsize Sonata Hybrid, now in its seventh generation, has been around seemingly forever (actually only since 2011 as a hybrid). It’s a fixture in the midsize sedan category, alongside its perennial rivals, the Honda Accord Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid. The Sonata Hybrid has a lot going for it. Possibly its strongest quality is a smooth, comfortable ride accompanied by seamless gaselectric drivetrain transitions. The Sonata also gets excellent marks for fuel efficiency - 47 mpg in combined city/highway driving for our top-trim Limited test vehicle (and 52 mpg for the base Blue trim). It also delivers good value based on its numerous standard features, such as a large infotainment display, LED headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, and advanced driver-safety systems - e.g., an active intervention element in its blind-spot warning feature, which automatically steers the car back into its lane if the driver tries to change lanes while a car is in the vehicle’s blind spot. Unfortunately, the Sonata Hybrid lacks refinement in several key areas. The interior has an excess of piano-black plastic on the instrument panel and center console, creating a cut-rate ambience. Also, the brakes are grabby, the throttle is touchy, and the steering has an artificially light feel. Rear visibility is hampered by a high rear deck, and the exterior design—a mélange of sharp angles and crease - is polarizing. And the hands-free trunk opener of our test vehicle didn't function well.