2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The 2024 Sonata gets significant styling updates where it counts. The streamlined front fascia is crowned with a single slim lightbar Hyundai terms the “seamless horizon lamp,” which gives the sedan a distinctly modern flair. The badge has moved above the grille while the headlights now live independently, well below it. Family resemblance to the distinctive Hyundai Ioniq 6 is clear in this new look, though the Sonata dodged some of the more polarizing elements of that singular EV. The Sonata’s rear end already featured a lightbar, but it now bears more resemblance to the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe, forming a wide “H” shape with the taillights as the stems.

From the side, however, the 2024 Sonata looks very similar to the 2023 model. If the profile has changed, it’s not obvious. In Canada, 18-inch alloy wheels are standard on the Preferred-Trend trim, while the N Line trim gets 19-inchers. (Note that our test unit is a 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid in U.S. specification. As of this writing, Hyundai is not offering the hybrid version of this sedan in Canada in 2024. Some features shown are therefore not offered in our market, including the 17-inch wheels pictured on our test car.)

The Sonata’s seats do not appear to have changed from 2023, but the dash has. The vents now flow all the way across, and the padded portion of the centre console now extends far enough forward that it is separated into two pieces when the lid is open. The gear shifter has been moved to the steering column, and, perhaps most salient, the steering wheel is redesigned. It’s now a T-shape with a slender rim and the italicized “H” logo replaced by a bar with four dots spelling out “H” in Morse code. In Canada, the Preferred-Trend trim comes with a basic black interior with leather upholstery. The N Line trim comes with a light grey option with Nappa leather, suede inserts, and red accents.

The big news for the 2024 Sonata is its newly available all-wheel drive (AWD) system. It’s the first time Hyundai has offered the HTRAC AWD system on the Sonata. However, it’s only offered on the Preferred-Trend trim and costs $2,000 extra. The N Line remains front-wheel-drive (FWD) only.

In the Preferred-Trend trim, a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine makes 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, sent to the wheels by an eight-speed automatic transmission. Opt for the N Line and you’ll drive away with a turbocharged version of the same engine producing 290 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque that’s fully available from 1,650 to 4,000 rpm. Power is transferred via an 8-speed wet-clutch dual-clutch transmission (DCT) — though again, it powers the front wheels only since AWD is not available with this engine.

We like the Sonata’s steering feel and find the handling to be appropriate. We also like the configurable driver-information display.

The first thing we do when we get into a new car is adjust the driver’s seat to our driving position. This not-tall reviewer liked that the Sonata allowed the seat to be cranked all the way up for exceptional visibility but was shocked to actually brush the ceiling. Is this indicative of poor head room in the Sonata? It turns out that the answer is no: With the standard panoramic moonroof, the 2024 Sonata has 975 millimetres of front-seat head room. That’s on par with—in fact, slightly above—the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry, and less than two centimetres below the Nissan Altima. What that tells us is that the Sonata provides competitive space, along with outstanding flexibility to make use of it.

Rear-seat headroom is equally competitive, clocking in at 950 mm. When it comes to legroom specs, the Sonata strongly prioritizes the front row, which gets 1,170 mm, while the rear-seat passengers get 885 mm. The Altima does something similar. It’s more balanced in the Camry, which gives the front row 10 centimetres more, and in the Accord, which puts both rows at over a metre each.

Heated and ventilated front seats are standard in the Preferred-Trend trim. (Ventilation gets dropped with the N Line’s sport seats.) We really appreciated the slimmer rim of the steering wheel. We’ve noticed many automakers opting for beefy steering wheels, presumably equating that to sportiness, but we found this more comfortable in practice. One thing that really stood out is the trunk close button. We’re not sure it’s entirely necessary in a sedan, but it’s neat to have an extra convenience feature.

One of our favourite features in the 2024 Sonata was the selectable functionality of the driver’s side front USB-C port. At the press of a button, it can be changed from data-transmitting to charging-only or back again, an exceptionally handy feature for anyone planning to make use of the wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto that are now found on every trim. All too often we’ve seen infotainment systems with wireless smartphone projection capability confounded by competing handshakes from physical connections. This simple feature effectively solves for a major frustration.

Every Sonata now sports the curved display, previously seen in the likes of the Ioniq 5 and the new Santa Fe, which combines the infotainment touchscreen and driver-information display into a single panel. The N Line has a pair of 12.3-inch screens, while the Preferred-Trend trim comes with a smaller version of the digital instrument cluster. Hard controls are few and far between, but dedicated real estate for climate control and media functions remains with haptic “buttons.” We liked that the grouping is logical and intuitive, making it easy to locate temperature versus volume adjusters even when the vehicle was new to us.

Though both Sonata trims come with the crisp and quick curved display with voice controls, only the N Line gets navigation and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system. A six-speaker sound system is standard, along with HD Radio, Sirius XM, and two rear-seat USB charging ports. A wireless charging pad is also included on the N Line.

Blind-spot collision warning with rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist is standard on the 2024 Sonata. Hyundai’s turn-signal-activated blind-spot-view monitor and the surround-view monitor are not available on the Sonata in Canada. However, all trims get forward collision-avoidance assist with junction turning detection, safe exit warning and assist, lane-following and lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, automatic emergency braking, and rear occupant alert.

We really like the way Hyundai treats safety and driver-assistance features in its infotainment system. They are easy to find, easy to turn on and off, and accompanied by self-explanatory graphics that make each feature’s function very clear.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata starts in Canada at $35,256 for the Preferred-Trend trim (including the $1,925 destination charge and other fees). Natural Resources Canada rates the FWD Sonata at 9.6 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 6.5 on the highway, and 8.2 combined. With AWD, those figures go up to 9.9 L/100 km city, 7.0 highway, and 8.6 combined. The 2024 Hyundai Sonata N Line is priced at $41,856 in Canada including fees. Fuel consumption figures for the turbo engine, available only with FWD, come in at 10.1 L/100 km city, 7.3 highway, and 8.8 combined.

If you’re considering the competition as well, the Sonata’s base price falls in the middle of the pack. It starts lower than the now-hybrid-only 2025 Toyota Camry and the 2024 Honda Accord but slightly higher than the 2024 Nissan Altima, which comes with standard AWD. Most of these midsize sedans are now fresh off facelifts or full redesigns, making for a competitive segment. Savvy shoppers will want to get clear on personal priorities and carefully compare features lists before making a decision.

Note: Images show a US model.