Hyundai Sonata

While the coupelike shape of the Sonata remains, Hyundai made some big changes to the front fascia. Gone is the frowning-catfish mouth; in its place is a far more angular look that includes a thin LED light bar that stretches nearly the width of the car. Below that are recessed headlights along with a wide grill and air intake for engine cooling. The look is quite futuristic, as if Hyundai’s designers were inspired by RoboCop’s helmet.

At the tail of the car are new lights that also stretch nearly across the bodywork. Shaped like an exaggerated letter H, the wide vertical bars on either side are joined by a thin, horizontal LED light bar that sits slightly below the top of the trunk.

The N Line performance version gets additional front and rear styling, along with aerodynamic side skirts that stretch from wheel to wheel under the doors.

Bigger changes can be found once you duck your head and drop down into the Sonata’s cabin. What appears to be a single large, rectangular screen stretches across more than half of the cabin, starting by the left side of the steering wheel and ending at the passenger side of the center console. It comprises two 12.3-inch screens: one that’s for the instrument cluster, housing driver-related information, and the other—a touchscreen—for infotainment functions such as audio and navigation. We’ve seen the automaker use this approach on other recent vehicles, granting lower-cost models a modern, upscale appearance. We wouldn’t be surprised if lower trim levels get a less-flashy setup with smaller, individual screens.

We’re happy to see that physical buttons and knobs seem to be used for climate and audio controls, including knobs for both volume AND tuning! Below the climate controls are ports for connecting mobile devices.

The multifunction steering wheel appears to have three stalks popping out from the column. While one is to control turn-signal operation and the other one handles windshield-wiper duty, from what we can tell the third stalk is for the gear selector. So at least some versions of the Sonata won’t get the annoying console- or dash-mounted buttons that Hyundai has used for the gear selector in its various sedans and SUVs.

When the 2024 Hyundai Sonata goes on sale later this year, three different engines will be available. Base models will use a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, while the hybrid is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with a battery and electric motor. The Hybrid gets paddle shifters and adjustable regenerative braking modes for the first time. The sportier N Line version gets a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that, the automaker notes, was developed specifically for this car.

We would opt for an SEL Convenience trim model for features such as adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, heated mirrors, and wireless phone charging.