2020 Hyundai Sonata Midsize Sedan Launches in NYC Featuring Fresh Design and Advanced Technology

Year, Make, Model: 2020 Hyundai Sonata

Topline: The 2020 Hyundai Sonata sedan has undergone a comprehensive redesign, showcasing the automaker’s latest styling elements, which include subtle inspirations from the Louisiana Bayou.

What’s New: The 2020 Sonata embodies Hyundai’s new “Sensuous Sportiness” design approach, evident in its distinctive front and rear profiles reminiscent of a catfish and Honda Civic, respectively. Key features include a “Digital Pulse Cascading Grille” and innovative “hidden lighting” that transitions from chrome when the vehicle is off to LED when powered on, both concepts first introduced in past Hyundai designs.

The sedan’s sleek, aerodynamic design, boasting a drag coefficient of just 0.27, is built on a brand-new vehicle platform that is lighter and more robust than the previous Sonata’s. This upgrade enhances safety with a “multi load path structure” that directs impact energy away from passengers.

The enhanced rigidity of the Sonata contributes to improved handling, a key focus for Hyundai with this model. The car is designed to sit an inch lower than its predecessor, which lowers the center of gravity and subsequently enhances performance. The front and rear subframes and rear crossmember are now stiffer, and adjustments to the suspension geometry improve handling predictability. Furthermore, a larger brake booster enhances braking performance.

While these updates create an ideal base for potentially developing a Sonata N sports variant similar to the Veloster N, Hyundai has not confirmed such a project. However, they have announced an upcoming N-Line appearance package but remain silent on a full Sonata N model.

Developing a Sonata N would require more than just superficial enhancements, considering that the powertrains in the 2020 Sonata prioritize efficiency. The vehicle offers a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine producing 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, achieving 31 combined mpg, or a 2.5-liter engine delivering 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, with a fuel efficiency of 33 mpg. This represents a noticeable improvement over the 2019 model’s 2.4-liter engine (185 horsepower, 178 torque) and its 29 mpg rating.

However, for the majority of Sonata buyers, the emphasis lies more on comfort, convenience, and technology, and Hyundai delivers on this front. The standard features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, easily accessible via a 10.25-inch infotainment system that offers a split-screen function for simultaneous navigation and entertainment display. The navigation system comes with three years of free map updates and offers traffic flow information at no extra cost.

Buyers can elevate their Sonata experience with options like wheel sizes ranging from 16 to 18 inches or a premium 12-speaker Bose sound system. An optional panoramic sunroof adds flair, allowing owners to showcase their audio system while enjoying views of the open sky.

Each 2020 Sonata comes equipped with a head-up display (HUD) that presents crucial information such as speed, navigation guidance, and the status of various safety features. Advanced safety technologies include lane keeping assistance, safe exit alerts, forward collision warnings, blind spot detection, and surround-view cameras, ensuring drivers remain aware of their surroundings. In the event of an accident, the Sonata is equipped with nine airbags to further safeguard passengers.

As the journey concludes, the 2020 Sonata offers “Smart Remote Parking Assist,” which allows the vehicle to park itself without any passengers inside, minimizing potential scrapes with other cars. The car can also be started remotely using a smartphone-based “digital key” or a traditional key fob, providing a convenient feature that rivals more expensive models.

Quotable: “Sonata is our signature product,” stated Mike O’Brien, vice president of product, corporate, and digital planning at Hyundai Motor America. “Having been one of our first and most successful nameplates, Sonata is our legacy, and it needs to be special and memorable in all aspects. Sonata signifies our vision for future Hyundai designs, great active safety systems, and cutting-edge technology that is effortless.”

What You Need to Know: Hyundai has announced that the eighth-generation Sonata will begin production in September at their facility in Alabama. The first units of the 2020 Sonata are expected to hit dealerships around October.