2025 Hyundai Sonata

Pros

• Gives a number of useful common technical features.
• Inside is big and has lots of storage space.
• The hybrid Sonata gets great gas mileage.
• The athletic ability of Sonata N Line.

Cons

• It’s more comfy than some other high-end cars.
• Some things inside look like they could be better.

How do you drive a Sonata? The Sonata Hybrid tried it out. Off the line, acceleration feels great, but it slows down once you start moving. It seems fast around town, but passing cars going on the road may require some planning. Invoice tested our Sonata Hybrid and found it took 8.3 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. It moves more slowly than the hybrid versions of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry that we tried.

In an emergency, the Sonata’s brakes work well and have enough force. Still, the Sonata feels slow most of the time, even though it’s easy to drive around town. The tires lose their grip quickly, the driving feels fake and far away, and it goes off the road on highways. If you like having a good time while moving, the Sonata N Line is a great choice.

How does the Sonata make you feel? The Sonata Hybrid is a nice car, though it’s not perfect. The front seats are well made, but the padding was too firm, which made long rides less enjoyable. The main seat is hard and won’t bend, but the back seats on either side are soft and comfortable.

One great thing about it is how comfortable it is to ride, with a good mix of comfort and control. When going on roads with curves, the Sonata Hybrid’s suspension absorbs bumps well without getting too soft or moving around. When the climate control system is in automatic mode, it keeps the car at the right temperature by blowing cold air at full volume.

The wind and car noise are at an extremely high level. It’s not loud or bothersome, but you are aware that it’s there. There is some engine noise when you’re on the road.

How is the interior? People in the front have a lot of space, and people in the back also have a lot of headroom. Many drivers will find it easy to adjust the seat and steering wheel to their ideal level of comfort. The buttons in the middle of the Sonata are easy to get to and use. This also goes for the 12.3-inch touchscreen’s options and buttons, which are easy to see and use.

There is a good view from the front and sides. However, the high back deck, sloping rear roofline, and big rear window frames make it hard to see out the back.

What’s wrong with the tech? The Sonata has a lot of technology, and most of it works pretty well. It has the biggest and fastest standard infotainment screen of any phone on the market. It’s quick and simple to connect your phone wirelessly to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The screen is great for driving when using the built-in surround-view camera system. Voice instructions that come from normal speech work well with the phone, radio, and navigation.

Many new driving aids are built into the Sonata, and they all work well together. The warning systems are sensitive, but they don’t get in the way. When you change lanes, the instrument panel has side view cameras that are only for moving to the left or right.

What’s going on with storage? We looked at the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, and it has a lot of space inside. It’s easy to put things in the cargo area. The hybrid battery only sticks out a little far into the trunk, which is big, deep, and wide. Having access handles for the trunk in the back seats is helpful.

Inside, there is a lot of space for small things. Just in the center panel, there are different places for phones, electronic passes, and other things. The cupholders on the console are big enough to hold bigger mugs and bottles, and the console itself is about 5.5 inches deep. When it comes to fitting child safety seats, the back has enough room for even a seat that faces backward. Because they are hidden in the cloth, the lower car seat anchors might be hard to put in place.

How much fuel does it use? The EPA says that the Sonata Hybrid SEL, the car we tested, will get 47 miles per gallon on the highway and in the city. That’s exactly what the other best midsize hybrid cars in their class do. When we drove our test car on our varied route, it got a little more than 51 mpg, which is pretty good considering that most of the time, our test cars don’t live up to their EPA numbers.

Should you pay that much for the Sonata? The Hyundai Sonata is a great deal because it has a lot of great features for the price. The Hyundai powertrain warranty lasts for ten years or 100,000 miles, and the bumper-to-bumper guarantee lasts for five years or 60,000 miles. This means that both warranties cover a lot of damage.

Both the outside and the inside building look like they are of high quality. The Honda and Toyota cabins are a little nicer, but the assembly is fine. The cheap-looking tan plastic dashboard and rough gray upholstery of the Sonata make the inside look and feel much worse.

Honda and Toyota have recently introduced hybrids that are more fun to drive, but the Sonata used to be the most stylish midsize car on the market. The Sonata isn’t as good as its competitors, who have definitely moved the ball forward while keeping the Sonata’s ease of use and tech-forward look. It’s no longer the best choice in this class for fun and pleasure, but it’s still a good choice.

As of this writing, Hyundai hasn’t said anything public about the 2025 Sonata. We will change our order if anything changes, but based on last year’s Sonata, the SEL is the best deal and has the most features. You can choose between a regular engine and a hybrid motor. Even though the SEL Hybrid costs a little more upfront, the higher gas mileage should help you recover your extra costs after a few years of ownership.

Different Hyundai Sonata styles

The Hyundai Sonata is a midsize car that comes in four different trims: SEL, N Line, SEL Hybrid, and Limited Hybrid. Because there are three engine choices, it’s important to know how they are different. The SEL Sonata is the most well-known. It has front- or all-wheel drive and a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The fast N Line comes next. It has a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 290 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. N Line lacks all-wheel drive.

A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, six-speed automatic transmission, and 190 horsepower hybrid system power the SEL and Limited Hybrid variants. Even though they only have front-wheel drive, these cars get the best gas mileage.