2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: Some quirks yet to work out

Written by Steven Macoy
Thursday, 21 June 2012 13:01

2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.While some automakers have been bolting hybrid systems to high-performance vehicles to make them even more powerful (and marginally more fuel-efficient), Hyundai has been tweaking its 4-cylinder power plants to make them more refined and less thirsty. This effort has yielded some stratospheric gasoline-mileage numbers, including the compact Elantra’s 40-mpg highway mark. 

Now comes the 2012 Sonata Hybrid, a roomy, midsize 4-door sedan that also earned an EPA rating of 40 mpg on the highway, on top of 35 mpg around town.

Whether conventional or hybrid, the Sonata is a likable car. It handles well and rides smoothly, and its distinctive styling sets it apart from the pack. It has a hard-won reputation for reliability and a high level of warranty protection. The back seat is commendably spacious. Best of all, the Sonata is a price leader, starting under $20,000 for a conventionally powered Sonata and $25,850 for the hybrid version.

The watchword for hybrid designers is unobtrusiveness, and Hyundai doesn’t quite pull it off. The hybrid system makes itself known by shuddering mildly under light acceleration and awkward, though reliable, braking. And, because engine starting is delayed, the driver can’t always tell when pushing the accelerator pedal will move the car — and when it won’t.

Once, during our week with the silver Sonata Hybrid, we found ourselves parked on a hill very close to another car. With the gauge lights lit and the drive system apparently turned on, the driver put the gearshift in reverse, took his foot off the brake and pressed the accelerator, and … nothing. The car rolled forward, nearly striking the other parked vehicle. We put a log under one of the front wheels to make sure the car wouldn’t roll downhill again, until we finally got the starting sequence right.

Real-world fuel economy fell 4 to 5 mpg short of the 40-mpg EPA rating. Conventional Sonatas are rated at 35 mpg on the highway, 24 in city driving. It would take years to make up the $5,000 price difference between a hybrid and non-hybrid Sonata on fuel economy alone. (The hybrid battery also reduces trunk space by about 30 percent.)

Our Sonata had the $5,500 Ultimate Package, which brought the price to more than $32,000, when freight and handling charges are included. But this package also brings the Sonata Hybrid into the near-luxury category, with panoramic sunroof, navigation system, heated front and rear seats, rear backup camera, premium sound system and more.

All Sonata Hybrids come with Hyundai’s Blue Link multi-media system, which includes voice-messaging features for navigation and communication, enhanced roadside system and a “Geo Fence” feature that makes it possible to set driving boundaries.

The 2012 Sonata has been rated a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

If past is prologue, Hyundai’s hybrid system will become more fuel-efficient and less obtrusive before long. But today, with gasoline prices declining and the hybrid system betraying a few quirks, the conventional Sonata seems the more sensible choice.

Steven Macoy ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) is a longtime car enthusiast and full-time editor who lives in Bethel, Conn.

Price: $32,100

Engine: 2.4-liter Four, with electric assist, 206 horsepower, 193 lb.-ft. torque

Transmission: 6-speed shiftable automatic

Drive: Front-wheel

Weight: 3,457 lb.

Suspension: Four-wheel independent, MacPherson strut front, multi-link rear 

Wheels: 17 x 6.5-inch Eco-spoke alloy

Tires: P215/55R17 all-season

Seating capacity: 5

Luggage capacity: 10.7 cu. ft.

Fuel capacity: 17.2 gallons

Fuel economy: 35 mpg city, 40 mpg highway

Fuel type: Regular