2019 Hyundai Sonata

The Hyundai Sonata is available in 5 trim levels starting with the SE which comes just under $20,000 with basic features like blind spot assist, rearview camera and a 7-inch touchscreen. The highest trim Limited 2.0T upgrades the engine and the transmission as well as the infotainment.

Model	SE	SEL	Sport	Limited	Limited 2.0T
MSRP	$19,550	$21,200	$22,050	$24,500	$28,900
Key Features	Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-traffic Alert	8-way power driver seat	Paddle shifters	Automatic Emergency Braking	8-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC
	Rearview camera	Proximity Key entry	Power tilt-and-slide sunroof	LED headlights with Dynamic Bending Light	18-inch alloy wheels
	7-inch touchscreen display	Heated front seats	Leather sport seats with cloth inserts	Smart Cruise Control with Start/Stop	8-inch touchscreen with Infinity® Premium Audio System
	Apple CarPlay & Android Auto	Hands-free smart trunk release	Sport grille, front fascia and rear diffuser	Leather seating with heated and ventilated front seats	Panoramic sunroof

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The best bang for your buck is the Hyundai Sonata Sport model which comes with paddle shifter and sport seats as well as a revised front fascia making the sedan look more aggressive and sportier.

Nothing this Sonata does is groundbreaking, from its linear and moderate acceleration, to its quiet-enough operation, to its fuss-free shift quality. There’s just enough power to give it moderately engaging feel - Car and Driver

Engine and Transmission

With three engine configurations to choose, from the base 2.4L engine which makes 185 hp mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, to a 2.0L turbocharged engine 245 hp engine which gets a 8-speed auto. The basic engine is mediocre and the performance is lackluster, while the 6-speed that you get is functional but forgettable. Upgrading to a higher trim gets you some punch from the throttle and a smoother 8-speed.

Models	Hyundai Sonata	Toyota Camry	Ford Fusion	Kia Optima	Honda Accord	Chevrolet Malibu	Buick Regal Sportback	Chevrolet Cruze Sedan L
MSRP	$22,300	$23,845	$22,840	$22,900	$23,720	TBD	$25,995	$18,870
Engine	2.4L Inline-4	2.5l I-4	2.5L I-4	2.4L I-4	1.5L Inline-4	1.5L I-4 Turbocharged	2.0L Inline-4	1.4L Turbo Inline 4
Transmission	6-speed automatic with SHIFTRONIC	8-speed automatic	6-Speed Automatic	6-speed automatic	CVT	CVT	9-speed automatic	6 Speed Automatic
Horsepower	185 @ 6000	203 hp @ 6600 rpm	175 @ 6000	185@ 6000	192hp @ 5500 rpm	160hp @ 5700 rpm	250 @ 5400	153hp@5600rpm
Torque	178 @ 4000	184 lb.-ft @ 5000 rpm	175 @ 4500	178 @ 4000	192 lb.-ft. @ 1600 rpm	184 lb.-ft. @ 2500 rpm	260 @ 2000-5200	177lb.-ft@2000-4000

The rivals in the vast segment come with equally impressive engines; the highlights include the Honda Accord with its tine 1.4L engine making 192 hp, and the Toyota Camry with a 203 hp engine. The Buick Regal takes the first position with a massive 250 hp four-banger under its hood. Meanwhile, the Ford Fusion and the Kia Optima have very similar engine specs.

Acceleration

The engine struggle under heavy acceleration. Although not too loud, the engine tends to get noisy if you want to use it for more than just your commute. The base level engine may not be as powerful, but the Limited and Limited 2.0T get much better engine, so you can relish the revs and put some power down.

Models	Hyundai Sonata	Toyota Camry	Ford Fusion	Kia Optima	Honda Accord	Chevrolet Malibu	Buick Regal Sportback	Chevrolet Cruze Sedan L
0-60 MPH(sec)	8.5	7.5s	8.5*	6.8*	7.6*	8.5*	6.2	7.7
Quarter mile(sec)	16.4	15.9	16.3*	15.2*	15.9*	16.0*	N/A*	16.3
Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	2.4L	-	7.1*	6.1*	5.3*	5.9*	7.4*	5.6
Curb Weight (lb..)	3247	3241	3431*	3411*	3131*	3126	3748	2870

Comparing the figures for the 0-60 sprint, the Buick Regal with the gargantuan 250 hp engine takes an early lead and finishes with 6.2 seconds on the clock, the Kia Optima close at its heels finishes in 6.8 seconds same time as the Hyundai. Next are the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry with a fraction of second difference in between.

Ride and Handling

The steering on the compact korean is agile and responsive, with quite a short turning radius and feedback. The sensitivity can be tailored to your need through drive mode selection; while the sport mode adds weight to the steering the assistance feels electronic and synthetic.

Suspension in the Hyundai work like a charm, the absorb undulations on the road when they need to and stiffen up when you put the sedan into sport mode and speed through corners, the low sedan has minimal body roll, however the front-wheel drive is the only option for you.

Braking

With 12-inch brakes up front and 11.2-inch in the back, the brakes on the Hyundai chip away at the speed with amazing effectiveness, although it hasn’t been tested for the stopping distance in the panic brake test yet. In the sport mode, the brakes have better modulation than comfort mode.

Models	Hyundai Sonata	Toyota Camry	Ford Fusion	Kia Optima	Honda Accord	Chevrolet Malibu	Buick Regal Sportback	Chevrolet Cruze Sedan L
Brake Front (in.)	12	12	11.8	12	11.5*	11.8	NA	10.8
Brake Rear (in.)	11.2	11	11.9	11.2	11.1*	11.3	NA	10.4
70-0 MPH (ft.)	TBD	122 (60-0 MPH)	122(60-0)	124(60-0)	163	113(60-0)	162*	110(60-0MPH)

Side by side, the sedans have near identical brake sizes but the disparity in the weight as well as other factors like suspension and ride height affect the stopping distance. The Chevy Malibu stops from 60mph in 113 feet, while the Fusion and Camry take 122 feet for the same.

The 2.4L engine exhibits good fuel economy on the highways of 35 miles to the gallon, however in the city it can manage 26 mpg at best. The 2.0L turbo engine mot only has better performance, but also better efficiency.

Models	Hyundai Sonata	Toyota Camry	Ford Fusion	Kia Optima	Honda Accord	Chevrolet Malibu	Buick Regal Sportback	Chevrolet Cruze Sedan L
MPG (city)	26	29	21	24	30	TBD	22	30
MPG (highway)	35	41	32	33	38	TBD	32	39
MPG (combined)	29	34	25	27	33	TBD	26	33
Fuel Tank Capacity(Gal.)	18.5	14.5	16.5	18.5	14.8	15.8	16.3	13.7

The rival sedans like the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry exceed the Hyundai’s engine capability and offer you better economy. Meanwhile the Buick Regal, Ford Fusion and Kia Optima lag behind in terms of efficiency.

The Sonata’s cockpit is blissfully free of the overstyled exaggeration of some sedans, and the controls don’t get stranded in odd places or take on odd forms as a result. - Edmunds

Seating and Comfort

The Interior is not as impressive a the exterior design, however the centre console has been revamped to better quality knobs and controls. The three-spoke steering gives great grip and steering feel, overall making the driver’s seat an engaging and fun place to be in.

Models	Hyundai Sonata	Toyota Camry	Ford Fusion	Kia Optima	Honda Accord	Chevrolet Malibu	Buick Regal Sportback	Chevrolet Cruze Sedan L
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	40.4/ 57.9/ 45.5	38.3/57.7/42.1	39.2/57.8/44.3	39.8/58.1/35.6	39.5/58.3/42.3	40.1/58.5/45.3	39.6/55.5/41.5	38.9/54.8/42
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.0/56.5/ 35.6	38/55.7/38	37.8/56.9/38.3	37.8/56.4/45.5	37.3/56.5/40.4	37.5/57.1/38.1	37.8/54.5/34.6	37.3/53.7/36.1

Despite the standard cloth-upholstery, the seats are comfortable and supportive to the passengers. The cabin feels roomy until you have taller passengers in the back, then the sloping roofline feels like a hindrance. You can choose leather-upholstery as an optional upgrade along with power adjustable front seats, sport seats, heated and ventilated seats.

Infotainment System

Hyundai has probably the most ergonomic and user-friendly interface in its Blue-Link infotainment in the segment. With no lag on either touch responsiveness or voice commands, the Sonata has conquered the final barrier most sedans face in this price point. Apart from that, the seamless connectivity through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which are usually kept as optional extras on the competitors.

Cargo Capacity

Until recently Sonata used to boast the highest cargo capacity in the segment, though the trunk size has not decreased, the rivals have upped their game. Despite that, the 16.3 cubic feet trunk still remains adequate for most buyers, unless you frequently need to haul cargo.

Models	Hyundai Sonata	Toyota Camry	Ford Fusion	Kia Optima	Honda Accord	Chevrolet Malibu	Buick Regal Sportback	Chevrolet Cruze Sedan L
Cargo Capacity (lb..)	16.3	14.1	16	15.9	16.7	15.8	19.2	14.8

The Buick Regal has an unbelievable 19.2 cubic feet storage at the back. While the rivals can come nowhere near to challenge those numbers, the Honda Accord comes with 16.7. The Camry however, has the smallest cargo volume with 14.1 cubic feet in the rear.

The latest Sonata has a stylish six-sided grille that cleanly tucks into the hood, and drops a low grille nearly to the ground. The roof is long, the profile is low, and from some angles the 2019 Sonata resembles a big hatchback. - Car connection

Design and Dimensions

The Hyundai Sonata is a beautiful well proportioned sedan which has stood the test of time pretty well, since most of the sedans have moved onto edgier designs rather than fluidic theme the Hyundai maintains.

Models	Hyundai Sonata	Toyota Camry	Ford Fusion	Kia Optima	Honda Accord	Chevrolet Malibu	Buick Regal Sportback	Chevrolet Cruze Sedan L
Curb weight (lb..)	3247	3241	3411	3219	3131	3126	3748	2870
Length(in)	191.1	192.1	191.7	191.1	192.2	193.8	192.9	183.7
Width(in)	73.4	72.4	75.6	73.2	73.3	73	73.3	70.5
Height(in)	58.1	56.9	58.1	57.7	57.1	57.6	57.3	57.4
Ground clearance (in)		5.7		5.3		TBD	N/A	6.4
Wheelbase (in)	110.4	111.2	112.1	110.4	111.4	111.4	111.4	106.3

In order to improve Sonata’s dwindling sales in the past years, Hyundai took great care to come up with a more appealing design. Almost the entire front fascia has been redesigned. Hyundai’s new cascading grille design blends into the lower fascia for an aggressive face. The headlights also receive new LED running lights. For the Sport trims, there is a unique grille and fascia, along with dual exhaust tips.

The panoramic sunroof that was available till the last year is now replaced with an optional tilt-and-slide unit. This is done to reduce the weight of the car for a better fuel economy.

The Hyundai compact sedan comes with a plethora of safety and crash mitigation features to keep you safe in the cabin and instill confidence that Hyundai got your back. Some of the safety features include:

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Side Impact Beams
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Blind Spot Detection (bsd) w/Lane Change Assist (lca) Blind Spot...
• and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (rcta) Rear Collision
• Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags
• Curtain 1st And 2nd Row Airbags
• Airbag Occupancy Sensor
• Driver Knee Airbag
• Rear Child Safety Locks
• Outboard Front Lap And Shoulder Safety Belts -inc: Rear Center 3...
• Back-Up Camera

Hyundai Sonata vs Honda Accord

The Accord is one of the sedans previously mentioned which sport an edgy design compared to the fluidic styling on the Sonata. The engine performance on these sedans is quite similar, however, in terms of economy, the Honda is unrivalled. The interiors are comfortable in both of the sedans but the rear seats are roomier in the Accord for the taller audience. The Infotainment in the Hyundai is top-notch, while the Honda has a decent but not outstanding.

Hyundai Sonata vs Toyota Camry

The Camry has a superb 203 hp engine in the hood and has excellent driving dynamics not just in the city but also on the highways. The power lacks in the lower rev range but as the revs crescendo, the power rushes back. The transmission in the base model is much better on the Camry, but the higher trim on the Sonata has a better 8-speed automatic. The interiors are comfortable on both the sedans, functional and fundamental, but the Camry lacks basic sound deadening, which the Sonata excels at.

Hyundai Sonata vs Ford Fusion

The Ford’s 2.5L engine is slightly more powerful compared to the 1.5L Hyundai’s, but the Korean sedan has much better fuel efficiency. The Fusion is a fun and peppy car to drive, compared to the refined and sophisticated handling in the Sonata. In terms of practicality and infotainment, the Hyundai far exceeds the Fusion a the base model, but the Sync3 optional infotainment from Ford is the best one in the segment.

The Sonata, much like the Accord is an all rounder, albeit a notch below the Honda, it surpasses most of the competition in driving dynamics, economy and versatility. The Sonata’s infotainment that Hyundai calls the Blue-Link has a flawless touchscreen and voice recognition. The transmission is smooth and predictable, and the optional 8-speed goes on to improve upon that. If you’re looking for a great mid-size sedan the Honda Accord is the best choice, but the Hyundai Sonata is the perfect alternative.