Fun in the Sun with My Sons and a Sonata January 18, 2016

Thank you Drive Shop for delivering yet another great vehicle for me to review, it was great having another Sonata in my life.  I previously had a 2005 Hyundai Sonata that lasted until 2014 with over 185 k miles and I really miss her!

Normally whenever I ask either of my sons if they want to go shopping with me they run in the opposite direction after a quick, “NO”!  However, this time knowing that we would be rolling in a Hyundai Hybrid Sonata Limited they jumped at the chance to hang out with their mother.

Not only was the Hyundai Hybrid Sonata Limited a very roomy vehicle that fit our family of four quite comfortably but the quiet interior made for a pleasant trip to the grocery store as well as down to the shore which is where the mini men and I ended up on sunny Saturday afternoon.

Malik was quite interested in the features under the hood as well; a fully parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) system which provides optimum power, with engine and battery power supply working simultaneously. The Sonata Hybrid switches seamlessly between a gasoline engine and an electric motor to deliver efficient power.  The engine actually charges the battery so there’s no plug in power cord.

The Parking Brake Button and Auto Hold were also two other nice features on this vehicle.  You no longer need to “pull up” a parking brake when parking on a slope – just press the button, and you don’t need to keep your foot on the brake at long stop signal or at railroad crossing, just push the Auto Hold button and the car stays in place.  Oh and it also keeps a tight grip on a large 1 litre bottle too!

According to the specs, the gasoline engine delivers the primary charge energy for the lithium polymer batteries while the regenerative braking system provides supplemental energy.  The engine is 2.0L 4-cylinder that runs on regular gasoline and a  Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) for smooth acceleration and efficient cruising resulting in improved fuel economy with an EPA-estimated 41 Highway MPG.* 

This model included the Ultimate Package for Hybrid Limited with a $35,765 MSRP and included the following features:

• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
• Automatic High Beam Assist
• Rear parking sensors
• Panoramic sunroof
• High-gloss window surround
• Smart Cruise Control with stop/start capability
• Electronic Parking Brake (EPB)
• LED interior lights
• Infinity^® premium audio system (400 watts)
• 8-inch navigation system
• HD Radio^™
• SiriusXM Travel Link^® (complimentary trial)

The manual sunshades for the rear windows help cut the sun’s glare on passengers sitting in the rear and is perfect for kids and babies in car seats.  The panoramic sunroof brings the sunshine in giving you a better view of what’s outside.  

Five side and curtain airbags surround the driver and passenger including a knee airbag. The Sonata Hybrid’s high voltage battery pack is stored below the trunk floor so there is ample room in the trunk to fit in lots of bags as evidenced by this weekend grocery shopping trip.

I don’t know about you, but as a boomer, when I first heard the term “Hybrid” it took me back to the “Save The Planet” 60s and I thought the Sonata was going to a slow moving, Putt Putt of a car, boy was I wrong.  The Sonata Hybrid not only had me riding in style down 202 and 95 North listening to Real Jazz on SiriusXM Radio but the Lane Departure Warning signals gave me an additional sense of security especially with cars on either side of me during rush hour traffic.

The sound of the turn signals is loud enough so that you don’t forget to turn them off after passing another vehicle.  Doesn’t it drive you crazy being behind a driver who leaves his/her blinkers flashing for miles and never changes lanes?

Hubby especially liked the dual temperature controls because even at home we fight over the thermostat, he is always cold and I am always warm so this made for a comfortable ride for both of us.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited is definitely a much better and more spacious vehicle than my Bloggy Buggy and I will miss the roomy interior, the Blind Zone Mirror detectors winking as other cars passed; the Hands Free Audio/Bluetooth controls in the steering wheel, the Rear Parking Assist Camera and most especially the Smart Trunk which detected the key in my hand 20-40 inches away then popped the trunk so I could load it up with ease.

Which of these features would be of great value to you?