The market for midsize sedans is experiencing a revival, with a more eco-friendly Honda Accord Hybrid and the upcoming 2025 Toyota Camry as a standard hybrid with optional all-wheel drive. Moreover, some models of the refreshed 2024 Hyundai Sonata have received a price reduction, making the deal even more appealing.
It was revealed by Hyundai on Wednesday that the starting price for the base 2024 Sonata SEL is $28,615, which includes a $1,115 destination fee. This marks a $2,050—or 8%—increase from the previous 2023 model. However, this rise is due to the discontinuation of the previous base SE model, with the new base trim for 2024 being the SEL, which was priced at $29,090 last year, including destination costs.
Consequently, the latest Sonata shows a price decrease of $475 from the previous year’s SEL model, which is truly noteworthy.
Incredibly, the 2024 Hyundai Sonata SEL also offers more features compared to its predecessor. The standard equipment now includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen angled towards the driver, featuring wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the first time. In the past, this was only available on the smaller 8.0-inch screen. Furthermore, the SEL now comes with heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, a hands-free power trunk, four USB-C ports, and over-the-air updates to ensure up-to-date apps.
Key safety features in the standard package are automatic emergency braking with detection for pedestrians and cyclists, blind-spot monitoring, active lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and LED projector headlights recommended by safety organizations such as the IIHS.
The Sonata maintains its reputation for the industry’s most extensive warranty, providing 5 years/60,000 miles of basic coverage and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
All Sonatas showcase a new design language with a low-profile hood and a prominent light bar dominating a more aggressive and wider front fascia. It features rectangular headlight housings at the corners and air intakes that extend around the fenders into a defining body line running along the side towards the rear. The interior reflects the same wide and low stance of the exterior design, with a dashboard ledge extending over a narrow band of vents from end to end. Below are traditional volume and tuning knobs for the audio system, followed by physical climate controls rather than touch-sensitive panels. The gear shifter has been relocated to the steering column, akin to the Ioniq 5, and a new three-spoke steering wheel completes the updated look.
2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
The base SEL and SEL Convenience models are powered by a 191-hp 2.5-liter inline-4 engine, matched with an 8-speed automatic transmission sending power to the front wheels, with the option for all-wheel drive available for the first time at an extra cost of $1,500 for the SEL model.
The SEL Convenience, priced at $31,665, upgrades the wheel size from 17 to 18 inches, adds a panoramic sunroof, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a wireless smartphone charging pad, digital key access, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
For an elevated performance experience, the N Line models come equipped with a 290-hp 2.5-liter turbo-4 engine paired with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission for a starting price of $36,065. These models ride on 19-inch alloy wheels with wider tires, have quad exhausts, a rear lip spoiler, black accent trims on windows and grille, and feature a 12-speaker Bose audio system and sport seats in the cabin.
Additionally, the 2024 Sonata reintroduces the highly-efficient hybrid version available in SEL or Limited trims. The hybrid system combines a 192-hp 2.0-liter inline-4 engine with an electric motor and a 6-speed automatic transmission, delivering power to the front wheels only. Though official fuel economy figures for the 2024 model year are pending, the previous year’s base Hybrid Blue model achieved an impressive 52 mpg combined.
While details on the Hybrid Blue model are awaited, the Sonata Hybrid SEL, priced at $31,915, offers synthetic leather upholstery and a power-adjustable passenger seat.
The top-tier model, Sonata Hybrid Limited, is priced at $38,315 and includes features like ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, a 12.0-inch head-up display, premium leather upholstery, and other high-end amenities.
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