Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Starts At $25,795

[Hyundai NEWS]

With the best highway fuel efficiency of any mid-size sedan sold in America, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid made its debut last month with an MSRP of $25,795. And that price isn’t for some low-content starter model, either. Along with an EPA line of 35 mpg city/40 mpg highway/37 mpg combined, the Sonata Hybrid packs a wealth of standard content, as well as new design accents that set it apart from the standard Sonata—and everything else on the road today.

That base price for the Sonata Hybrid includes:

Electronic stability control/traction control
A conventional step-ratio six-speed automatic transmission (not a CVT)
LED taillights and front fog lights
Proximity entry with push-button start
Hyundai’s electroluminescent “Supervision” instrument panel
Dual automatic temperature controls
A multifunction tilt/telescope steering wheel with cruise and audio controls
An AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 audio system with USB ports and Bluetooth compatibility
Solar control glass
Distinctive appearance upgrades like a model-specific tinted chrome grille, chrome belt-line moldings and door handles (interior and exterior) and leatherette door inserts
A number of other enhancements to the Sonata Hybrid’s exterior also were made specifically to increase fuel efficiency. For example, the car’s front and rear fascias have been reshaped, with a deeper air dam, extended rocker panels, lower-rolling-resistance tires and modified wheels. These revisions and more help the Sonata Hybrid slice through the air more effectively, giving it a coefficient of drag of just 0.25—the lowest in the industry, even besting high-performance sports cars like the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and Nissan GT-R.

Boasting an MSRP of $30,795, the Sonata Hybrid Premium then adds further standard luxury touches, such as a panoramic sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, a navigation system with a high-res touch-screen display, a rear backup camera, a premium 400-watt sound system with Infinity speakers, subwoofer and external amplifier, leather seating surfaces, steering wheel and shift knob, heated front and rear seats, premium sill plates, and more.



Of course, the heart of the matter is Hyundai’s stellar fuel efficiency, and that comes courtesy of the automaker’s innovative Hybrid Blue Drive technology, which marks the first industry use of a lithium polymer battery pack. Tuned to match the actual driving patterns of American vehicle owners—who spend about 57 percent of their driving time in highway conditions—the system is lighter and more compact than the nickel metal hydride units used in cars like the Toyota Camry Hybrid, and it can hold its charge up to 25 percent longer, too. Plus, the system delivers limited all-electric, zero-emissions driving at speeds of up to 62 mph.

“Sonata Hybrid offers something new to the mid-size sedan segment, with its segment-leading 40-mpg highway fuel economy rating, differentiated appearance, and incredible value,” said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO. “Like the 2.4L direct-injected Sonata and the 2.0L Sonata Turbo launched earlier this year, Sonata Hybrid demonstrates Hyundai’s unique approach to melding innovative technologies and emotional design into products more and more people want to put in their driveways.”