The front-wheel-drive ’23 Sonata Hybrid can be enjoyed in three trims: Blue, SEL, and Limited. A 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and a single electric motor combine to produce a total system output of 192 hp; this setup forms the powertrain with a six-speed automatic transmission. According to the EPA, the Blue is the most efficient Sonata Hybrid, achieving an estimated 50 mpg in the city and 54 mpg on the highway. The SEL and Limited return excellent fuel economy as well: 45 city/51 highway. What’s more, the ’23 Sonata Hybrid has a beneficial regenerative braking function that converts kinetic energy into power that is then stored in the battery.
The Blue trim of the 2023 Sonata Hybrid has LED exterior lights, side mirrors with turn-signal indicators, a rear spoiler, a hands-free trunk, proximity entry, push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 4.2-inch digital gauge cluster, and a 60/40-split fold-down rear seatback. The SEL is elevated with heated front seats, heated side mirrors, Digital Key (this feature lets you lock, unlock, and start the vehicle via your smartphone), a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a wireless phone charger. The Limited gets a deluge of premium equipment, including LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, power-adjustable and ventilated front seats, a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a head-up display, position memory for the side mirrors and driver’s seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, ambient and LED interior lighting, and a rear-seat center armrest with cupholders.
The Hyundai SmartSense assembly of advanced driver-aid technologies is standard in the Sonata Hybrid. The Blue and SEL come with forward collision-avoidance assist (with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction turning detection), blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, smart cruise control with stop-and-go, driver attention warning, rear occupant alert, and safe exit warning. The Limited is supplied with highway driving assist, a class-exclusive blind-spot view monitor, and Remote Smart Parking Assist.
The Sonata Hybrid has a more sophisticated multimedia setup for model year 2023. The Blue trim has an 8-inch touchscreen system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming, HD radio, and satellite radio (SiriusXM), but the SEL gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, a Bose sound system with 12 speakers, and a new component: dynamic voice recognition. All of that is standard in the Limited. For powering devices, the Blue gets a USB charging port and a 12-volt outlet, while the SEL and Limited are issued an extra USB charging port.
