We weren't wrong, the Sonata Hybrid kicked butt. After its first three months on the market, the newbie established itself as the second best selling gas-electric in the United States, trailing only the indomitable Toyota Prius, a position it maintained through the end of 2011.
The Sonata Hybrid's meteoric rise on the hybrid sales chart wasn't just about the car's EPA fuel economy rating of 35 city/40 highway and 37 combined – there were seven other hybrid cars with higher ratings. Buyers were also enticed by the Sonata's eye-riveting styling and tech-rich standard equipment at a price that was difficult to pass up.
For 2012, the Sonata Hybrid reprises the 2011's exterior and interior styling, but adds Hyundai's Blue Link telematics system as standard and offers an optional Leather package ($1,500). The 2012 Sonata Hybrid is available in just one trim level and has a base price of $25,850, a $55 price bump from the 2011 model.
Like nearly all hybrid vehicle gasoline engines, the Sonata Hybrid's 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is recalibrated to run on the Atkinson cycle, a method of improving engine efficiency. While a fair amount of low-end torque is relinquished with the Atkinson conversion, it is made up by the additional torque from the electric motor.
The Toyota Prius Liftback, with its combined 50-mpg rating, is still way ahead of the pack on both highway and city efficiency numbers – but shoppers are more likely to put the Sonata Hybrid in the larger mid-size sedan (with trunk) category along with the Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion.
Hybrid critics have complained that the need to tote heavy batteries means one step forward and two steps back. Hyundai deals with that issue by using lightweight lithium polymer batteries. The lighter batteries and other weight reductions make the Sonata Hybrid the lightest vehicle in the segment, at just 3,457 pounds – 263 pounds lighter than the Fusion Hybrid. Combined with Sonata's best-in-class horsepower rating, Sonata Hybrid has a significant advantage in power-to-weight ratio.
The Sonata Hybrid's 1.4 kilowatt-hour pack battery pack weighs just 95.9 pounds versus the Camry Hybrid's 123.9 pounds. The compact battery pack resides in the forward portion of the trunk to maximize cargo space. Compared Lithium polymer batteries deliver the same power with 20 to 30 percent less weight, 40 percent less volume and 10 percent greater efficiency over the nickel metal hydride batteries found in today's hybrids.
The Sonata Hybrid made quite a splash in 2011, and deservedly so. Its fuel economy numbers were better than the Camry Hybrid and the Sonata and Fusion Hybrid were nearly identical, but with highway and city numbers swapped. It also boasted a lower price than those mid-size hybrids: $1,250 less than the Camry, $2,805 less than the Fusion. Add to that the stunning design and standard high-tech features and the Sonata had a winning formula that made it the number two selling hybrid vehicle in 2011.
But things have changed. Last fall Toyota rolled out an all-new 2012 Camry Hybrid. The 2012 edition demonstrates Toyota's expertise in gasoline-electric hybrid technology, delivering a 43 city/39 highway mpg EPA fuel economy rating, numbers that handily best the 2012 Sonata. And while the Camry's styling leans toward pedestrian compared to the Sonata, its base price of $25,900 is just $50 more than the Hyundai.
That's not all. This fall Ford will begin selling an all-new 2013 Fusion Hybrid. Its fuel economy ratings are an expected 47 city/44 highway, numbers that are getting close to the indomitable Prius Liftback. Plus, it is blessed with the styling of the gasoline-powered Fusion that auto critics are calling the best-looking mid-size car, bar none.
But wait, the 2012 Sonata Hybrid offers something the others don't – Hyundai's warranty that the carmaker promotes as America's best. Basic coverage is 5-years/60,000-miles bumper-to-bumper and 10-years/100,000-miles powertrain. Owners also receive 24-hour roadside assistance at no extra charge for 5-years/unlimited mileage. Then there's the warranty knockout punch – the Lifetime Hybrid Battery Guarantee. If the lithium polymer battery fails, Hyundai will replace the battery and cover recycling costs of the old battery pack free of charge to the original owner.
