The verdict: The updated 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid pairs an intuitive multimedia system with good fuel economy and great ride comfort in a car that’s easy and enjoyable to drive for long distances.
Versus the competition: The Sonata Hybrid isn’t trying to be a sports sedan, which pays dividends in its ride comfort and drivability.
The 2024 Hyundai Sonata mid-size sedan is updated for 2024 with new styling on the outside, new technology on the inside and the welcome addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on all trim levels. The updated Sonata’s lineup has been simplified, with some trim levels dropped, but multiple gasoline-only engine options remain, as well as an efficient gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain with an EPA fuel-economy rating of 47 mpg combined.
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For this review, I drove a 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited, the top trim level, that stickered at $38,560 (including destination). SEL Hybrid and gasoline-only SEL and turbocharged N Line versions are also available. During my test, I tracked my fuel economy over 200 miles of driving the Sonata as I would in everyday life, including carting around two kids in child-safety seats and grocery store runs. We also measured cargo space and tested child-safety seat fitment.
Sonata Hybrid MPG and Performance
The 2024 Sonata Hybrid’s 47 mpg combined EPA rating is unchanged from the 2023 figure, though its city rating dropped 1 mpg, to 44 mpg. (The previous Sonata Hybrid Blue trim level, which was rated 52 mpg combined, is no longer available.)
I didn’t find it hard to coax efficiency from the Sonata Hybrid while driving normally, though I was initially disappointed by the low reported fuel economy displayed on the onboard trip computer. The Sonata’s trip computer read an average of 41.8 mpg, but in 201.6 miles of driving the Sonata Hybrid it used 4.37 gallons of gas, which calculates to 46.1 mpg. It cost $18.46 to drive those 201.6 miles, which isn’t bad at all considering the lower number the trip computer was spitting out.
What was really interesting, however, was seeing the 600 miles of estimated driving range on the Sonata Hybrid’s instrument cluster when the tank was full. Maybe it’s because I’ve been driving a lot of electric vehicles, where 300 miles of range is impressive, but the thought of going 600 miles between refueling stops seems really convenient.
Between fill-ups, driving this Hyundai is a showcase of refinement; you’ll hardly be able to tell it’s a hybrid. The powertrain transitions from electric operation to gasoline power with barely a shudder, and the electric power fills in the gaps of the gasoline engine and the somewhat lackluster operation of the six-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration, however, isn’t as seamless as in the new hybrid-only 2025 Toyota Camry, which is most evident when you call upon the Hyundai’s engine to pass. The Sonata’s responsiveness is hampered by its six-speed automatic, which is often hesitant or slow to downshift. It’s very different from the 2025 Toyota Camry, a hybrid that seamlessly switches from driving with vigor and responsiveness to becoming an eco-friendly commuter via its different driving modes; the Camry Hybrid also uses an electronic continuously variable automatic transmission.
Versus its hybrid competitors’ combined fuel-economy ratings, the Sonata matches the roughly equivalent Camry XLE’s 47 mpg and does slightly better than the 2024 Honda Accord Touring’s 44 mpg. Determining which hybrid is right for you will involve looking into deeper differences, like ride comfort, pricing and interior technology.
Interior Comfort and Cargo Room
The 2024 Sonata’s interior is dimensionally unchanged from 2023, which is to say surprisingly roomy considering its sleek, fastback-like shape. The Sonata’s driving experience is decidedly car-like, and it was refreshing to sit low to the ground in a sleek sedan versus riding up high in an SUV (though that opinion might be in the minority these days). I was happy with the Sonata’s front seating position, though I had to move the seat pretty far down to get comfortable, and the headliner still brushed the top of my hair when I got in.
In the backseat, I had a comfortable amount of space between my head and the top of the interior, though anyone taller than my 6-foot frame would probably feel the pinch of the sloping rear roofline. What the sleek shape doesn’t do, surprisingly, is hurt visibility; there’s a lot of glass behind you that helps over-the-shoulder visibility, and the Limited trim has a number of electronic aids that help some more, including a blind spot camera system as well as a traditional blind spot warning system and rear cross-traffic alert, which watches for cars approaching from either side while backing out of a parking space.
I was surprised how easy it was to install car seats in the Sonata considering its sleek shape and sedan configuration. My kids’ forward-facing convertible seat and high-back booster had no issues with fitment or ease of installation.
In Cars.com’s cargo testing, we measured 19.8 cubic feet of trunk space, which is similar to what competitors offer; the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid has 20.8 cubic feet of measured trunk space, while the 2023 Toyota Camry Hybrid has 20 cubic feet.
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Technology
Refreshed exterior styling aside, the most notable changes in the 2024 Sonata are the new displays on the inside, including a standard curved display that consists of two screens: a digital gauge cluster in front of the driver and a 12.3-inch center dashboard touchscreen. In standard configuration, the digital gauge cluster has limited configurability and a 4.2-inch instrument panel with selectable readouts, while the optional 12.3-inch instrument panel is configurable and is a larger display than the standard display. With the optional 12.3-inch instrument panel, these displays are high-quality, vibrant and feature an easy-to-use interface — and I give the Sonata bonus points for having volume and tuning knobs; the Camry and Accord lack a tuning knob.
Most notably, the 2024 Sonata corrects a longstanding issue for Hyundai: Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have not been available with its cars’ larger-screen multimedia systems for some time. Wireless smartphone integration is now standard across the lineup, while wireless phone charging is optional on the base gas-only SEL trim but standard on all other gasoline and hybrid trim levels.
The most controversial change on the 2024 Sonata is the inclusion of touch-sensitive controls for the climate system, the heated and ventilated front seats, and the heated steering wheel. We’re generally not fans of this style of controls because they lack tactile feedback and are thus hard to use while driving, as well as inconsistent in operation; thankfully, there are still physical dials for temperature control. It’s not likely to be a deal breaker for most buyers, but they are annoying to use while driving. Be sure to get a feel for them (or really their lack of feel) while on a test drive; if it is a deal breaker for you, know that competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry retain physical controls for these functions.
Less controversial but still different is the Sonata’s new twist-stalk gear selector that’s mounted on the steering column. Its operation is different from many other gear selectors, but I’ve found it to have almost zero learning curve, and I appreciate the space it frees up for center console storage. It’s a definite improvement over the car’s previous push-button gear selector.
Safety
The 2024 Hyundai Sonata earns Top Safety Pick status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It missed out on the highest Top Safety Pick+ designation by earning a score of poor (on a scale of good, acceptable, marginal and poor) in the agency’s updated moderate overlap frontal crash test, in which a rear occupant dummy experienced forces that indicates a likelihood of injuries to the head, neck and chest. The 2024 Toyota Camry (not the redesigned version) is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick, while the 2024 Honda Accord earned the highest Top Safety Pick+ designation.
Standard safety features include:
- Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Blind spot warning
- Lane departure steering assist
- Lane-centering steering
- Rear occupant alert
Versus Toyota Camry and Honda Accord Hybrids
We won’t name a winner until we do a proper head-to-head-to-head comparison, but I did observe some notable differences between the Sonata Hybrid and the Camry and Accord hybrids. For one, the Sonata is decidedly tuned for comfort, with a soft suspension and relatively tiny 17-inch wheels, which I found refreshing compared with something like the Honda Accord, which is tuned for more athletic driving and has the ride stiffness to complete its mission. The Camry straddles the line between the two. Hyundai says it’s made improvements to reduce noise, vibration and harshness with body reinforcements.
I favored the Sonata’s large 12.3-inch touchscreen over the Camry’s and Accord’s systems. I preferred Hyundai’s clarity and intuitive user interface, though I never came around to its touch-sensitive climate controls. Another mark against the Sonata Hybrid is its six-speed automatic transmission, which puts a damper on the acceleration experience when you need to pass; the Accord’s and Camry’s powertrains are much more eager to call upon power. Lastly, if you want a hybrid with all-wheel drive, there’s only one option: the Camry. The gas-only Sonata is available with all-wheel drive but the hybrid isn’t, while the Accord is front-wheel-drive only.
In June, the 2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid’s median listing price on Cars.com was $33,009, with 2,519 examples flowing through our site. That’s less than the Honda Accord Hybrid’s $35,120 median price, as well as far fewer listings than the 11,550 Accord Hybrids we saw, suggesting the Sonata Hybrid may be harder to find depending on where you live. The Sonata’s pricing is more in line with pricing we’ve seen for the 2025 Camry, which had a median price of $33,393 and inventory of 12,729.
What all of this means is that what’s right for you may not come down to size, fuel economy or price, but rather to smaller details, like how the vehicles drive and how you interact with their controls. Either way, the updated 2024 Sonata deserves a spot in the conversation alongside the ubiquitous Camry and Accord, because this Hyundai combines good fuel economy with great ride comfort and easy-to-use technology.
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