Although the 2024 Hyundai Sonata has received the coveted Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Virginia-based nonprofit identified two problems with the $27,500 sedan. First of all, the midsizer flunked the updated moderate overlap front crash test so badly that the automotive safety organization had to rate it poor.
Although a crash test video has yet to be published for the 2024 model, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notes a high probability of injuries to the head, neck, and chest of the second-row child passenger. Worse still for the 2024 model, the lap belt slipped from the pelvis onto the abdomen, increasing the risk of abdominal injury. The crash test video attached below stars the pre-facelift 2023 Hyundai Sonata, which also scored a poor rating.
The other point of criticism is the LATCH system's ease of use, with the IIHS determining that all four lower anchors are located too deep in the outboard rear seats. Looking on the bright side, IIHS rated the Sonata good in all other tests, beginning with the small overlap front, original overlap front, and updated side crash test. When it comes to crash avoidance and mitigation, the headlights and front crash prevention system received top marks both.
All trim levels come with projector-style LEDs for 2024, with said headlights also boasting automatic high-beam assistance. Slotted above the compact-sized Elantra, the Sonata comes in two distinct flavors and three grades. The internal combustion-only SEL and N Line open the list, whereas the SEL Hybrid and Limited Hybrid target those in the market for a frugal yet feature-packed automobile.
As mentioned a few paragraphs ago, the most affordable Sonata of the bunch is $27,500 before taxes and optional extras. The SEL boasts push-button start, heated front seats, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, the Bluelink Connected Car System, and a torque-converter automatic tranny connected to a 2.5-liter engine.
Photo: Hyundai
Hyundai claims 191 horsepower from the dual-injected lump, which returns 29 miles to the gallon (8.1 liters per 100 kilometers) in the combined test cycle. Opting for HTRAC all-wheel drive will net you no more than 28 mpg (8.4 l/100 km). The N Line is best described as the sportiest of Sonatas available for 2024. From the N Design alloys to the 290-horsepower turbocharged inline-four engine, dual-clutch transmission, and microfiber inserts for the N Line-specific sporty front seats, the N Line is a pretty sweet car that retails at merely $34,950.
It also sweetens the deal over the SEL with Highway Driving Assist, a semi-autonomous driving suite that makes highway driving that little bit easier. Highlight features include Speed Limit Adaptation, Lane-Centering Assistance, and – of course – Adaptive Cruise Control. Both of the hybrid trims feature 2.0-liter GDI powerplants and torque-converter automatics with six forward ratios, with Hyundai quoting 47 mpg (5.0 l/100 km) for both the SEL Hybrid and the Limited Hybrid.
Good for 192 ponies at full chatter, the hybrid setup is joined by loads of desirable standard features, including wireless device charging, a four-way power front passenger seat, leather on the steering wheel, and Hyundai Digital Key 2 Touch (i.e., using your smartphone to lock or unlock the car).
The biggest differences between the SEL Hybrid and Limited Hybrid are the latter's panoramic sunroof, Remote Smart Parking Assist, Blind-Spot View Monitor, and leather seating surfaces. In the first quarter of 2024, the South Korean automaker delivered no fewer than 13,164 Sonatas in the US.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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