2023 Hyundai Sonata

Pros:

• There are a lot of good essential technical aspects
• There is storage inside and a large trunk.
• A fantastic value for money
• Sonata N Line gives an excellent performance.

Cons:

• Not as cozy as some other luxury sedans
• Poor interior design
• You can choose any color as long as it’s white, black, or light gray.

What is the Sonata’s rhythm? A 1.6-liter Sonata Limited with a turbocharged engine was put to the test. Even though it takes 7.6 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph, the Sonata can beat other family cars with similar engines. It doesn’t have any trouble getting on highway on-ramps or keeping up with traffic, though you may have to push harder on the gas pedal than you’re used to.

Even though there are a few oddities, it is easy to steer, handle, and stop. The overall stiff ride does not make for a good balance for handling. Also, the brake pedal pushes a little pulse when the brake is lightly and constantly pressed, like when going down a gentle hill. There is little to criticize, but there isn’t much to recommend.

What kind of comfort does the Sonata offer? Even though the Sonata looks elegant, the convenience inside could be better. The chairs are stiff because they don’t have the soft comfort and range of adjustments that market leaders do. Also, the ride is rough. Even though the Sonata isn’t bad, it does things other family sedans that cost about the same don’t. Also, the inside is a bit louder.

The front seats can be heated and cooled, and the temperature controls work well and are quiet. The interior does what it was supposed to do, but that’s where it stops.

How does the inside look? Given how many things are inside, it’s incredible that almost all controls are easy to use. Still, the push-button shifter is the flaw that stands out the most. The arrangement may make a quick three-point turn more stressful because you must pay more attention to ensure you’re in the right gear.

The space inside is excellent, on par with bigger cars in the same segment, and can fit people of all sizes. On the other hand, people of medium height will need to duck to enter or exit. The driver’s seat could be changed more, especially regarding the size.

How good is the tech? The optional 10.3-inch touchscreen in the Sonata is clear and easy to use. The voice controls for the stereo, navigation, and phone are very good, and they can understand most of what you say. The phone connection in our car worked perfectly, and it can use both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in widescreen mode.

The Sonata, like many other family sedans, is equipped with a plethora of high-tech safety measures. Some of these improvements, like the driverless Smart Parking Assist and the blind-spot sensors built into the digital gauge cluster, are, however, just for show. It’s fun to show them off to your friends, but they don’t do anything.

What about putting things away? There is a lot of space for cargo because the trunk has a big opening and is easy to get into. We also like that the switches in the box make it easy to fold down the back seats.

The center console of the Sonata can do a lot. What looks like a simple flat surface has a textured surface and a space between the cup holders for a backup phone. On the right side of the tunnel, the front passenger can also use a small but friendly storage space. Regarding car seats, the lower anchor points are stuck between the seat backs and bottoms and need to be dug out.

How well does it use gasoline? The EPA says that a Sonata with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder and an eight-speed automatic will get 31 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. Even though we couldn’t do it again, these numbers are the same as those of midsize sedans with similar prices and equipment. We got an average of 26.4 mpg over nearly 400 km of driving in and out of cities. Notably, the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine gets up to 32 mpg on the highway combined.

Is Sonata a marvelous thing to buy? On paper, the Sonata is excellent because it has many new technology features, a roomy interior, a warranty that is the best in its class, and good benefits for owners. The Sonata is a good buy if you care more about safety features than how it looks.

Because of this, the interior and driving experience could be better for the style. The best performers in this segment are good at both. The interior of the Sonata has a few uneven panel gaps and random trim pieces that look cheap and take away from its overall good looks.

If only it were as efficient as it appears to be. Several people we talked to during our test thought that the Sonata looked like a high-end car. It stands out on the road and in a crowded parking lot, but not too much. Hyundai deserves praise for making a family car that is unlike any other.

Even though getting a boost from a turbocharged engine is always lovely, the Sonata doesn’t have much to get people excited. Even though the ride, driving, and handling are good, other cars are more enjoyable to touch. Also, sedans with similar prices have engines that are more powerful and fun to drive, making them more appealing.

Choose the Sonata SEL if you want the best combination of price and features. The SEL trim level adds some excellent features, like heated front seats, a blind-spot warning system, and a larger touchscreen in the center that can use for navigation, but the price doesn’t go up a lot compared to the standard SE model.

Hyundai Sonata models include

There are five trim levels for the 2023 Hyundai Sonata: SE, SEL, SEL Plus, Limited, and N Line. Hyundai also makes a Sonata hybrid, which is talked about elsewhere.