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<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Hyundai</span></p><p class="caption">The 2020 Hyundai Sonata.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/hyundai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hyundai</a> gave the public a first look at its new 2020 Sonata sedan on Tuesday.</strong></li><li><strong>The midsize Sonata will take on rivals such as the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/toyota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toyota </a>Camry, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/honda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Honda</a> Accord, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/nissan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nissan</a> Altima, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/ford" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ford</a> Fusion, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/chevrolet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chevrolet</a> Malibu. </strong></li><li><strong>The Sonata is now a four-door coupe with a fastback roofline instead of a traditional sedan.</strong></li><li><strong>Hyundai did not provide any technical or pricing information for the 2020 Sonata. Stay tuned. There's more to come. </strong></li></ul><p>Hyundai gave the public a first look at its new 2020 Sonata sedan on Tuesday. The midsize Sonata is one of Hyundai's most prominent products. </p><p>However, the shrinking market for midsize cars in the US has hit the Sonata hard with sales falling 20% in 2018 to  105,000 units. It's now the sixth best selling model in the segment behind the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, and Chevrolet Malibu. </p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nissan-altima-review-2019-2019-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We drove a $31,000 Nissan Altima to see if it's ready to challenge the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Here's our verdict</a></em>.</p><p>With the eighth-generation Sonata, Hyundai may be able to give its sedan a jolt in the sales department. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Hyundai</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>As first impressions go, the new Sonata is a looker. </p><p>"Sonata celebrates innovative coupe-like silhouette," Sang Yup Lee, senior vice president and head of the Hyundai Design Center said in a statement. "A short overhang, sloping roofline, and low deck lid create a balanced feel, and Hyundai's signature chrome accent now goes all the way into the hood."</p><p>Hyundai succeeds in making a car that's sleeker and sportier than its predecessor. It's 1.2 inches lower, an inch wider and it's 1.8 inches longer. </p><p>The styling for the new Sonata is based on the company's <a href="https://www.hyundai.news/eu/technology/5-cool-things-about-hyundais-le-fil-rouge-concept-car/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Le Fil Rouge</a> concept car that debuted at last year's Geneva Motor Show. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Hyundai</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>The Sonata's interior has also been completely revamped. According to Hyundai, the driver's instrument panel is designed to look like the wing of a stealth fighter. </p><p>"This shape almost levitates or floats when looked at, and this philosophy carries into the long armrests," the company said in a statement. "Satin chrome accents enhance this effect."</p><p>Unfortunately, Hyundai did not provide any technical or pricing information for the 2020 Sonata. Stay tuned. There's more to come. </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yiannimize-celebrity-car-customizer-car-wrapping-2019-2">Meet the guy who wraps celebrities' supercars, including Harry Styles and KSI</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Hyundai just gave us a first look at the new Sonata sedan that will take on the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry

<p class="source"><span>Hyundai</span></p><p class="caption">The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Hyundai's new 2020 Sonata Hybrid made its North American debut at the Chicago Auto Show. </li><li>The new sedan features a "solar-roof system" that adds roughly two miles of range per day. </li><li>In its Blue trim, the new Sonata gets an EPA-estimated 52 mpg combined and 686 miles of range. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>While some carmakers predict a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/promises-carmakers-have-made-about-their-future-electric-vehicles-2020-1">fully electric future</a>, that doesn't give them a free pass to overlook hybrids. </p><p>Hyundai, for instance, unveiled a sleek hybrid addition to its lineup at the Chicago Auto Show, which runs from February 8 through February 17. The addition - <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/2975#Photos">the 2020 Sonata Hybrid</a> - was officially announced <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a28467599/2020-hyundai-sonata-hybrid-confirmed/">last year</a>, but just made its North American debut. </p><p>According to Hyundai, the new Sonata Hybrid gets 686 miles of range and an EPA-estimated 52 mpg in its Blue trim. While the 2019 Sonata Hybrid had <a href="https://www.hyundaiusa.com/sonata-hybrid/index.aspx">four trim levels</a>, <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/2975">specification sheets</a> for the new car show three: the Blue, SEL, and Limited trims, with the Blue appearing to be the bottom of the three. The SEL and Limited hybrid trims are listed as getting an estimated 47 mpg combined.</p><p>The new hybrid also sports a "solar-roof system" that adds a couple of miles of driving range each day, Hyundai said. </p><p>Learn more about the 2020 Sonata Hybrid's full specs and its unique solar-panel roof below. </p>

Hyundai's new Sonata Hybrid has a solar roof that offers up to 700 'free' miles of driving per year - here's what the rest of the car is capable of

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The new <keyword id="890511" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hyundai-Sonata">Hyundai Sonata</keyword> has a fresh design that looks great.</li><li>It's a midsize sedan that competes with the <keyword id="181804" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Toyota-Camry">Toyota Camry</keyword> and <keyword id="58507" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Honda-Accord">Honda Accord</keyword>.</li><li>Base MSRP for the 2021 model is $23,700. After minimal options, my top-trim 2020 loaner cost $34,590.</li></ul><p>As a fan of sedans, it's hard not to feel left out these days.</p><p>Being the big sellers that they are, it seems like crossovers, trucks, and SUVs are the ones getting all the automaker love (see also: money). <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-f-150-pickup-trucks-coolest-feature-folding-desk-2020-7">New technology</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/14/business/ferrari-2021-lineup.html">new designs</a> are all being levied at the big cars. Storied SUV nameplates like the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chevy-blazer-2019-suv-review-features-photos-2019-3">Blazer</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-new-bronco-revealed-photos-features-specs-2020-7">Bronco</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/land-rover-defender-review-100-cost-off-road-range-suv-2021-1">Defender</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeep-grand-wagoneer-concept-2021-price-cost-photos-suv-2020-9">Grand Wagoneer</a> are all being brought back.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL8" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80482782" hostid="261"></div><p>At the same time, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/25/ford-to-stop-selling-every-car-in-north-america-but-the-mustang-and-focus-active/">Ford canceled its small cars</a>. <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g25307911/general-motors-killing-cars-production-2019/">General Motors made similar moves</a>.</p><p>But what about buyers who still find sense in regular sedans? Not <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-genesis-g90-review-sedan-hyundai-interior-price-technology-features-2021-1">executive limos</a> dressed as sedans, mind you. Practical sedans, ones that don't demand massive sums of money or a neighboring racetrack just so they can stretch their legs.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL28" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482783" hostid="261"></div><p>Fear not. The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hyundai-sonata-2020-debuts-photos-2019-3">2020 Hyundai Sonata</a> has you covered.  </p><h2><strong>The 2020 Sonata: Koi fish, anyone?</strong></h2><p>The eighth and current generation of the <keyword id="596" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hyundai">Hyundai</keyword> Sonata made its US debut at the 2019 New York International Auto Show and immediately stole the show. Styling-wise, it was a radical departure from the outgoing generation, which was handsome enough, if not a little bland. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL33" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80482784" hostid="261"></div><p>Sleek and with a wide, down-turned grille, some said the car looked similar to a koi fish. Regardless of your choice of aquatic wildlife, however, it's undeniable that the Sonata now looks far more expensive than it actually is, giving sedans the fighting chance they need to survive in the era of crossovers and SUVs.</p><p>While it's categorized as "midsize" on the broader market, the Sonata is the largest sedan Hyundai currently makes. It's also available as a hybrid and the sporty <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/2021-sonata-n-line-hyundai-s-hot-new-sedan-gets-a-high-performance-look-1029613162">N Line version</a>.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: a top safety pick</strong></h2><p>The 2020 non-hybrid Sonata comes with <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/models/hyundai-sonata-2020-sonata/overview">two engine options</a>, while the Sonata Hybrid has a 2.0-liter engine <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/models/hyundai-sonata-2020-sonata_hybrid/overview">with</a> a claimed 150 horsepower and 139 pound-feet of torque and a six-speed automatic transmission. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._OEM_11" height="1668" width="2500" msid="80482785" hostid="261"></div><p>The first non-hybrid engine option is a 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder that produces a claimed 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. When equipped with the 1.6-liter engine, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates the Sonata to return an impressive 27 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 31 mpg combined. My loaner came with this engine in the Limited trim. </p><p>The second engine option is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces a claimed 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. Both engines use an eight-speed automatic transmission.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL21" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482786" hostid="261"></div><p>In the Limited trim, the Sonata <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/models/hyundai-sonata-2020-sonata/specifications">weighs</a> 3,336 pounds. It's 16 feet long, six feet wide, and stands 4.7 feet tall. Its trunk has a cargo capacity of 16.3 cubic feet, which is greater than the <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/toyota-cms-media/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2021_Toyota_Camry_Product-Information.pdf">Toyota Camry</a>'s 15.1 cubic feet and slightly less than the <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/honda-automobiles/releases/release-f208666ebede149755e901516f011c16-2020-honda-accord-specifications-features">Honda Accord</a>'s 16.7 cubic feet.</p><p>The 2020 Sonata earned five stars on the <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2020/HYUNDAI/SONATA#safety-ratings-rollover">National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's overall safety rating</a>, with four out of five stars on frontal crash ratings, five stars on side crash ratings, and five stars on rollover ratings.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL32" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80482790" hostid="261"></div><p>The Sonata also earned a <a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/hyundai/sonata-4-door-sedan/2020">Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety</a>, and the agency only took issue with its headlight quality that varied by trim and option. All of its crash ratings got top markings.</p><h2><strong>What stands out: magic trunk</strong></h2><p>The new Sonata is quite a looker. Its swoopy body reminds me of one of the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=2005+mercedes+CLS&amp;safe=off&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS911US914&amp;sxsrf=ALeKk00JctN_6WcZ8c_4642aUvaLmy9hvQ:1611339784418&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjJodm7lLDuAhVjGFkFHftbDHMQ_AUoAXoECBAQAw&amp;biw=1087&amp;bih=717oAXoECBAQAw&amp;biw=1087&amp;bih=717">Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class sedans from the mid-2000s</a>. The front grille is wide but it suits the car's low-slung, horizontal-focused fascia just fine. Attractive, accentuating silver trim drapes across the hood, window line, and door handles like trailing tinsel. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._OEM_2" height="1668" width="2500" msid="80482791" hostid="261"></div><p>Inside, things get decidedly more utilitarian. Unable to escape the tacked-on-as-an-afterthought look, the central infotainment screen is at least large and clear to read. There are still physical dials and buttons for the volume and climate controls.</p><p>All around, the seats are comfortable and supportive and the rear seats offer good legroom. From the driver's seat, outward visibility is great, even when looking over your shoulder. But the Sonata's most impressive trick by far? The <em>massive</em> trunk. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL41" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482792" hostid="261"></div><p>It's not incredibly wide, but it's deep. It easily swallowed up the pile of luggage and cargo spilling across the front hallway of my house. We folded down the rear seats for extra room but found we didn't need it. This is the best kind of problem to have.</p><p>I felt like I was driving the vehicular version of the house <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Leaves">House of Leaves</a> - a car that's bigger on the inside than the outside.</p><h2><strong>What falls short: needs a gear-selector lever</strong></h2><p>I appreciate the Sonata's dedication to style, but I still think it could have used a gear lever. The gear selector buttons are a clean design and learning to use them happened quickly enough, yet I still found myself grasping for that non-existent lever. What was so wrong with gear selector levers that <a href="http://bestride.com/news/technology/for-better-or-for-worse-say-goodbye-to-the-gear-shift-lever">automakers are getting rid of them left and right</a>? </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._OEM_8" height="3748" width="2500" msid="80482794" hostid="261"></div><p>The Sonata does a spectacular job of upscaling its reasonable price tag everywhere else, but with regard to its noise, vibration, and harshness, it shows its hand a bit. In cars such as the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-lincoln-aviator-review-hybrid-specs-three-row-suv-luxury-2020-7">Lincoln Aviator</a> or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-genesis-g90-review-sedan-hyundai-interior-price-technology-features-2021-1">Genesis G90</a>, wind and tire noise are abstract concepts. You hear nothing.</p><p>In the Sonata, they are more corporeal. I could hear the wind rushing over the body on the highway and the constant whirring from the tires against the road.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._OEM_3" height="1668" width="2500" msid="80482795" hostid="261"></div><p>Road noise at speed is hardly a big drawback, though. It just means you have to speak slightly louder to be heard by rear passengers. I'd wager most buyers wouldn't even notice it.</p><h2><strong>Against competitors: tough competition from Toyota and Honda</strong></h2><p>The base 2021 Sonata <a href="https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/vehicles">starts</a> at a very reasonable $23,700 MSRP. And despite it being the cheapest Sonata you can buy, it comes with a lot of great perks as standard: the 2.5-liter engine, forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, driver attention warning, lane-follow assist, and an eight-inch touchscreen.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL31" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80482797" hostid="261"></div><p>The 2021 top-tier Limited Trim, which offers a 10.25-inch screen, the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, remote smart parking assist, surround view monitor, and sportier styling as standard features. Again, as far as standard features come, the Sonata Limited comes pretty fully loaded; you aren't left wanting for more options.</p><p>The 2020 Sonata Limited, which is what I had, starts at $33,500 MSRP while its 2021 counterpart starts at $33,950. After carpeted floor mats ($135) and the destination fee ($955), the total price for my loaner came to $34,590 MSRP.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL25" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482798" hostid="261"></div> But being a midsize sedan, the Sonata finds itself facing some <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/11-best-midsize-family-sedans-you-can-buy-under-30000-2020-4">very tough competition</a> - chief among them the Accord and Camry stalwarts. The two are basically the golden standard of the segment.<p>The <a href="https://automobiles.honda.com/accord-sedan">Honda Accord</a> and the <a href="https://www.toyota.com/camry/">Toyota Camry</a> start at $24,970. Other competitors include the <a href="https://www.mazdausa.com/vehicles/mazda6">Mazda 6</a> ($24,100), Nissan Altima (<a href="https://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/cars/altima.html">$24,300</a>), <a href="https://www.subaru.com/vehicles/legacy/index.html">Subaru Legacy</a> ($22,895), <a href="https://www.kia.com/us/en/k5">Kia K5</a> ($23,590), and <a href="https://www.vw.com/en/models/passat.html?---=%7B%22models_passat_sectiongroup_9747253_featureappsection%22%3A%22%2F%3Fzip%3D05443%22%7D">Volkswagen Passat</a> ($23,995).</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL1" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482801" hostid="261"></div><p>Enthusiasts at least will rejoice for the sportier Sonata N Line, a 290-horsepower, dual-clutch version of the humble sedan. Just know that <a href="https://jalopnik.com/god-can-always-track-you-down-and-kill-you-but-in-a-30-1829010653">a 300-horsepower Toyota Camry also exists</a>. </p><p>Based on looks alone, I'd likely lean toward the Sonata just because it's something new and different, though whether or not it can go toe-to-toe with the famed Toyota reliability still remains to be seen.</p><h2><strong>Our impressions: a midsize triumph</strong></h2><p>There's a special feeling that comes with driving something comely - but Hyundai takes it a step further. The Sonata is rolling proof that attractive cars don't need to be relegated to $100,000-plus price tags. Furthermore, you don't feel like you're buying an afterthought from a brand with SUV priorities.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL37" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482803" hostid="261"></div><p>Based on my own anecdotal experience, I've started seeing a lot of the new Sonatas on public roads since they went on sale. Of course I'm going to notice them more because that's how bias works. Still, it's a good thing to witness and only reinforces my belief that if you package something nicely and slap on a reasonable price tag, people will buy it. </p><p>Not only is the Sonata striking, but it's also sensibly mid-sized and returns great fuel mileage. The available horsepower and torque move the car onto, around, and off of the highway with briskness and alacrity. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL35" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80482806" hostid="261"></div><p>Around town, it's easily maneuverable and a breeze to park. Steering feedback is engaging. The trunk is cavernous, the rear seats accommodating. What more could you ask for, really?</p><p>The Sonata is a car that is great at being a car, perfect for those disinterested in taking up more space and resources than they have to. In this, it is a triumph.</p><p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL18" height="3750" width="2500" msid="80482808" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._OEM_12" height="1668" width="2500" msid="80482811" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._OEM_4" height="1668" width="2500" msid="80482814" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL40" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482815" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL36" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482816" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL24" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482817" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL20" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482818" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL15" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482819" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL30" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482821" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._OEM_7" height="1668" width="2500" msid="80482827" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL23" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482831" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._OEM_1" height="1668" width="2500" msid="80482832" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited._KL39" height="1667" width="2500" msid="80482833" hostid="261"></div>

Review: The $34,000 Hyundai Sonata's practicality and radical design prove SUVs aren't always the answer

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The 2021 <keyword id="12020232" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hyundai-sonata" source="Orion">Hyundai Sonata</keyword> starts at $23,950, while the <keyword id="12020233" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hyundai" source="Orion">Hyundai</keyword> Sonata <keyword id="12009667" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hybrid" source="Orion">Hybrid</keyword> starts at $27,750.</li><li>We drove the Sonata Hybrid's top trim, which totaled $36,464, for a week. It's a great car!</li><li>But most importantly, it's a reminder that everyday cars can and should be exceptionally stylish.</li></ul><p>I was out photographing a red 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid at sunset, the car parked across a few empty spaces in front of a closed boutique. As the sky went from blue to pink and purple, a person walked up to ask me why I was sprawled in the middle of the street.</p><p>"Taking photos," I responded. Then they looked at my subject.</p><p>"Oh yeah," they said. "What even <em>is</em> that?" </p><p>It's not a question you'd expect to field about an everyday sedan that starts at $24,000 regularly and $28,000 in hybrid form.</p><p>Everyone knows what a Toyota Camry or a Honda Civic looks like - normal, which is what they are - but Hyundai's long been great at taking normal cars and making them look anything but.</p><div type="image" title="A red Hyundai Sonata at sunset." height="3984" width="2450" msid="85904376" hostid="261"></div><p>Hyundai first taught me that around 2010, when I was a 15-year-old kid who didn't care a bit about street cars. Then the 2011 Hyundai Sonata made me stop and pay attention.</p><p>That probably sounds silly. A Sonata? The world has Lamborghinis! Ferraris! McLarens! Bugattis! Who cares about a Sonata? </p><div type="image" title="The 2008 Hyundai Sonata and 2012 Hyundai Sonata." height="662" width="1882" msid="85904383" hostid="261"></div><p>I did. I was a year away from my driver's license and suddenly, I had to pay attention to average commuter cars. And in a sea of vehicles that all looked the same to me, the 2011 Sonata finally brought something different. It wasn't flashy, but it certainly wasn't average. It looked distinct. </p><p>The 2011 Sonata marked <a href="https://www.motortrend.com/news/2011-hyundai-sonata/">a new, sixth generation</a> of the car. The outgoing model had a dated, flat face full of slightly curved rectangles - a commuter, not a looker.</p><p>But the new Sonata? It was a looker.</p><div type="image" title="A silver 2012 Hyundai Sonata." height="2658" width="3994" msid="85904388" hostid="261"></div><p>Its face kind of looked like a satellite view of a hurricane. Its diagonal headlights, each slanting up and outward toward the sides of the car, framed a grille and front bumper whose sculpted curves wrap into a spiraling, ovoidal form. </p><p>But different is good. A shimmering red Sonata even adorned the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Motor-Trend-Hyundai-Sonata-2010/dp/B003FD7F7K">cover of Motor Trend in May 2010</a> with the tagline: "America's next best-seller? It's fast, good looking, and loaded. What's not to love?" I felt the same way.</p><div type="image" title="Inside the 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid." height="2547" width="4005" msid="85904391" hostid="261"></div><p>Ten years and two car-reviewing jobs later, the <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a26692381/2020-hyundai-sonata-photos-info/">debut of the 2020 Hyundai Sonata</a> gave me the same feeling I had as a car-shunning teenager.</p><p>It would mark the eighth generation of the car, which debuted with radical new styling after a rather normal-looking seventh generation - kind of like a sharp, angular bass fish with a strip of white not only framing the headlights, but running the length of the hood toward the passenger compartment. </p><p><strong style="background-color: #ffff00;"><div type="image" title="The 2018 Sonata Hybrid's basic styling next to the 2022 Sonata Hybrid's new, more angular styling." height="670" width="1968" msid="85904397" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>But the new Sonata isn't just a looker - it's a good car all around.</p><p>The non-hybrid version <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-hyundai-sonata-is-an-everyday-sedan-without-th-1840310856">pairs style with functionality</a>, while the hybrid takes it to another level.</p><div type="image" title="The 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid's backseat." height="2483" width="3980" msid="85904403" hostid="261"></div><p>The 2021 Sonata Hybrid comes with a 192-horsepower gas-electric powertrain and a six-speed automatic transmission, and it only has two paint options that aren't a shade of white, silver, or black: dark blue and the stunning red this loaner wore.</p><p>Buyers also have three trim levels to choose from:</p><ul><li><strong>Sonata Hybrid Blue ($27,750, 52 mpg combined city-highway): </strong>comes with forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, and 16-inch wheels</li><li><strong>Sonata Hybrid SEL ($29,900, 47 mpg combined city-highway):</strong> adds 17-inch wheels, <a href="https://owners.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/resources/technology-and-navigation/getting-started-with-hyundai-digital-key.html">Hyundai's digital key</a> that allows users to start and unlock the car with their smartphone (currently Android only, not iPhone), wireless phone charging, and an upgraded Bose audio system</li><li><strong>Sonata Hybrid Limited ($35,300, 47 mpg combined city-highway):</strong> adds a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hyundai-put-roof-mounted-solar-panels-on-new-sonata-hybrid-2020-2">solar roof</a>, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, and a blind-spot view monitor</li></ul><p>The Sonata Hybrid loaner I had for a week was from the top Limited trim. Its sticker came to $36,464 after optional carpeted floor mats ($169) and fees.</p><div type="image" title="The 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid's driver's seat." height="4014" width="2851" msid="85904408" hostid="261"></div><p>Inside, the Sonata Hybrid's optional light-gray interior is airy and bright, even without a sunroof or moonroof due to the solar panels up there.</p><p>The back seat is comfortably big, while the car's basic dashboard design - without any intricate materials or designs, just a strip of silver running through the middle of it - looks clean and like it'll both wear and age gracefully. </p><p>The interior includes a thick strip of light gray on a high-touch area of the Sonata Hybrid's door panel, though, which made me worry about getting scuffs and marks on it.</p><div type="image" title="The 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid's headlights." height="4013" width="2902" msid="85904412" hostid="261"></div><p>The Limited trim of the Sonata Hybrid comes with a shiny 10.25-inch touchscreen and shiny buttons on each side of it, and shiny surfaces inside cars are good for one thing: trapping grime. (This is common with new cars, as shown by the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kia-seltos-review-2021-price-photos-suv-hyundai-reviews-specs-2020-5">Kia Seltos</a> <a href="https://i.insider.com/5ec7d4531918243e663d0910?width=1300&amp;format=jpeg&amp;auto=webputo=webp">here</a>.)</p><p>Don't dream of cleaning while the screen is on, either, because it'll think you're trying to change the radio station instead.</p><p>The Sonata's driver-safety tech includes a set of cameras that automatically pop into the driver's digital gauges when they hit their turn signal, showing cars or other objects that might be in their blind spot. But don't get too dependent on them - find yourself in a monsoon and the camera lenses can quickly go from helpful to looking like you've opened your eyes underwater. </p><div type="image" title="The 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid's infotainment screen and steering wheel." height="5504" width="8256" msid="85904417" hostid="261"></div><p>Otherwise, the Sonata Hybrid is good for driving across town and on road trips. It's comfortable. You'll get medium-loud road noise on rough stretches of pavement, and wind noise is there but tolerable. Passengers in the back seat don't get climate control or seat heaters, but they do have two air vents and a phone-charging port. </p><p>The only real drawback on the Limited trim is its navigation system, which wouldn't give me directions until the last second. When a navigation system does that, it leaves me in a fluster - am I just taking this exit, or am I taking this exit then keeping left? - which makes me less attentive to the road and more likely to make quicker, riskier maneuvers. </p><div type="image" title="The 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid near sunset." height="2246" width="3979" msid="85904420" hostid="261"></div><p>Overall, the Sonata Hybrid is a good commuter car, like many are. But what it - and its 2011 ancestor - remind me is that to get the attention of people who wouldn't care otherwise, you have to be more than a good commuter car. You have to be a good commuter car that<em> looks</em> good. The kind of car people remember 10 years later, and the kind that makes them ask "What even <em>is</em> that?" now. </p><p>If there's anything the Sonata has mastered, it's that. Whether that'll pay off is up to the buyers in the market for it.</p>

Review: The $36,000 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid isn't just wildly practical - it's also a masterclass in style

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Kia and Hyundai are rolling out a free anti-theft software upgrade for models targeted by thieves.</li><li>A group called the "Kia Boyz" started a viral TikTok challenge showing how to start the cars using a USB cord.</li></ul><p>Kia and Hyundai are starting to roll out free anti-theft software upgrades for car models that have been targeted by a viral social media challenge that teaches people how to steal them.</p><p>Some Kia models from 2011 to 2021 and some Hyundai models from 2016 to 2021 use traditional keys, which means they <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/glitch-in-hyundais-and-kias-makes-them-easy-to-steal-2022-9">don't have electronic immobilizers in them to prevent</a> the cars from starting if there's no key present.</p><p>A group of teens from Milwaukee, Wisconsin called the "Kia Boyz" started a TikTok challenge <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/glitch-in-hyundais-and-kias-makes-them-easy-to-steal-2022-9">teaching people how to start the cars</a> using just a screwdriver and a USB charging cable, the <a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/tiktok-video-sparks-a-rash-of-kia-and-hyundai-auto-thefts-in-st-louis-area/article_cd93c87f-c848-5411-b8af-3ea72c153f72.html">St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported</a>. Police started noticing the car-stealing trend in late 2020, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/police-car-owners-wrestle-with-growing-thefts-of-kias-hyundais-11662638401">told The Wall Street Journal</a>.</p><p>Eligible car owners are being notified by Kia and Hyundai about how to get the free upgrades. The upgrade takes less than an hour to install, both vehicle manufacturers said. </p><p>In <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/3768" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press release from Hyundai</a>, the car manufacturer said the upgrade "modifies certain vehicle control modules on Hyundai vehicles equipped with standard 'turn-key-to-start' ignition systems."</p><p>"As a result, locking the doors with the key fob will set the factory alarm and activate an 'ignition kill' feature so the vehicles cannot be started when subjected to the popularized theft mode," Hyundai said.</p><p>Car owners can deactivate the "ignition kill" feature by unlocking their car with the key fob. </p><p>Some Kia car owners have already received a software upgrade, and other owners will be able to get the upgrade in the next few months, Kia said in a statement shared with Insider. The car manufacturer added that steering wheel locks are also available at no cost through some local law enforcement agencies.</p><p>"The company remains concerned about incidents of car theft targeting certain Kia models, encouraged in some cases by social media content promoting criminal conduct, and is committed to supporting law enforcement and<br />owners in addressing these crimes," Kia said in the statement.</p><p>Hyundai said in its press release that the upgrade will go out to almost 4 million vehicles beginning February 14. The 2017 to 2020 Elantra, 2015 to 2019 Sonata, and 2020 to 2021 Venue vehicles will get the upgrade first.</p><p>"We have prioritized the upgrade's availability for owners and lessees of our highest selling vehicles and those most targeted by thieves in order for dealers to service them first," Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai Motor America, said in the press release. </p><p>Cars that receive the software upgrade will also get a window decal "to alert would-be thieves that the vehicle is equipped with enhanced anti-theft technology," Hyundai said. Other vehicles will be eligible for the upgrade beginning in June, <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/3768">including different models</a> of the Elantra, Sonata, and Santa Fe.</p><p>Since 2021, thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles have been climbing throughout the country, according to <a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/hyundais-kias-are-easy-targets-amid-boom-in-vehicle-thefts">a report from the Highway Loss Data Institute</a>.</p><p>Car thefts in Denver have risen by 160% since 2018, and most of the thefts are Kia and Hyundai cars, <a href="https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/why-some-kia-and-hyundai-vehicles-top-denvers-most-stolen-list">Denver7 reported</a>. Claims of stolen cars were almost twice as common for Kia and Hyundai models from 2015 to 2019 compared to all other car makes, according to <a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/hyundais-kias-are-easy-targets-amid-boom-in-vehicle-thefts">the HLDI report</a>.</p><p>Theft rates for some Kia and Hyundai models are so high that State Farm and Progressive <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/state-farm-progressive-insurance-policies-kia-hyundai-car-thefts-2023-1?IR=C">temporarily stopped writing insurance policies</a> for some of the models in some cities last month.</p><p>"Given that we price our policies based on the level of risk they represent, this explosive increase in thefts in many cases makes these vehicles extremely challenging for us to insure," Jeff Sibel, a spokesperson for Progressive, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/27/business/progressive-state-farm-hyundai-kia/index.html">told CNN</a> last month. "In response, in some geographic areas we have increased our rates and limited our sale of new insurance policies on some of these models." </p><p>The insurance companies did not reply to requests for comment from Insider.</p>

Kia and Hyundai are rolling out software upgrades for models targeted by a viral challenge that taught people how to steal them

<p class="source"><span>Honda</span></p><p class="caption">The 2020 Honda Civic Type R.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The 2020 Honda Civic Type R made its US debut at the Chicago Auto Show last week. </li><li>For 2020, the hot hatch gets suspension updates that improve both performance and comfort on the road, according to Honda. </li><li>Honda also redesigned the grille for better cooling, and removed some of the Type R's<strong style="background-color: #ffffff;"> fake mesh air vents. </strong></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>The Honda Civic Type R - controversial for its in-your-face styling but lauded for its performance - is getting some <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/refreshed-2020-honda-civic-type-r-makes-us-debut-at-2020-chicago-auto-show">important updates</a> for 2020. </p><p>The latest iteration of Honda's hot hatchback debuted stateside at the Chicago Auto Show last week alongside several other <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chicago-auto-show-2020-hottest-cars-pictures-photos-details-2020-2">new models and model trims</a>, including the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jaguar-will-show-off-2021-f-type-chicago-auto-show-2020-1">2021 Jaguar F-Type</a>, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeep-gladiator-desert-rated-pictures-specs-info-2020-2">Jeep Gladiator Mojave</a>, and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hyundai-put-roof-mounted-solar-panels-on-new-sonata-hybrid-2020-2">2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid</a>.</p><p>For 2020, Honda's trusty, track-focused Type R - <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/honda-civic-type-r-history">the "R" stands for "racing"</a> - receives tweaks to its suspension, cooling, and styling. Aside from that, most things remain the same. </p><p>Here's all that's new on the 2020 Civic Type R.</p>

The latest version of Honda's popular Civic Type R hot hatch has arrived - here's what's new for 2020

Greater Noida, Feb 5 () Hyundai Sonata, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque and Mercedes-Benz CLA are among the top 10 cars competing this year for the coveted World Car Awards. <p> The World Car Finals countdown officially began on Wednesday at the Auto Expo here with the announcement of the top 10 and top five finalists for five World Car Awards categories.</p><p> The 2020 World Car of the Year winner will be selected from 10 finalists chosen from an initial list of 29 contenders. </p><p> Kia Soul EV, Kia Telluride, Mazda3, Mazda CX-30, Mercedes-Benz GLB, Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen T-Cross are the other finalists for World Car of the Year.</p><p> "The Indian car market is already the fourth largest in the world, and projected to become third largest by 2022. India is therefore a crucial contributor to our annual process...," Siddharth Vinayak Patankar, Juror and Director of the World Car Awards program said.</p><p> This is the first time World Car Awards is participating through its pavilion at the show.</p><p> The pavilion showcases former winners of the World Car of the Year (WCOTY) award like Volkswagen Polo, Jaguar F-Pace and Volvo XC60.</p><p> Other categories include World Urban Car, World Luxury Car and World Performance Car.</p> The winners will be announced at the New York International Auto Show on April 8, 2020.  SR  RVK

World Car Awards make pit stop at Auto Expo

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Over the next five years, Tesla expects to grow at a phenomenal pace.</p><p>The Palo Alto-based electric car maker believes it can<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-believes-the-model-x-will-double-tesla-sales-2015-7" target="_blank"> sell 500,000 cars a year by 2020</a>.</p><p>That's roughly 10-times the sales volume the company is expected to achieve this year. </p><p>Which means that if Tesla has any hopes of reaching that lofty goal, not only will the company have to bolster its domestic business, it will also have to expand to new markets globally.</p><p>According to <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/07/13/korea-next-big-tesla-market/" target="_blank">Fortune's Kirsten Korosec</a>, the next major frontier may be South Korea and a share of the roughly <a href="https://www.ihs.com/country-industry-forecasting.html?ID=1065998920" target="_blank">1.7 million cars sold annually </a>in the country. </p><p>Recently, Tesla posted a job opening for a vice president of sales for Japan and Korea, Fortune reported. </p><p>Tesla's job <a href="https://chc.tbe.taleo.net/chc01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=TESLA&amp;cws=1&amp;rid=29548" target="_blank">posting states</a>:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>"Our Vice President, Sales- Japan and Korea will be focused on all of Tesla's direct sales activities in the Japanese and Korean markets, ensuring the attainment of both short and long term sales objectives. Demand generation and market segmentation will be essential.  Designing, developing and implementing robust sales, training and compensation processes that motivate the sales force and delight customers." </span></p><p><span>However, this doesn't mean Tesla will be jumping into the Korean market right away. A Tesla spokesperson told Korosec that the company is considering a move into Korea but for the moment is focused on expanding its Supercharger network and other infrastructure projects in the markets where it sells cars. </span></p><p>Tesla's foray into Asia has been a bit of a mixed bag.The electric automaker's Japanese operations have been up and running for just a few months, and by all accounts have been doing reasonably well. The company's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-is-in-trouble-2015-3" target="_blank">existence in China</a> has been decidedly more topsy turvy. </p><p><span>Tesla and the Model S are well known to consumers in China, while Elon Musk is revered as the human embodiment of "Iron Man" to many in the country.</span></p><p><span>But sales in the Middle Kingdom have been notoriously inconsistent. </span></p><p>In Korea, Tesla will have to contend with a market <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/donaldkirk/2015/04/07/german-models-dominate-korean-imports-as-makers-rely-less-on-models-female/" target="_blank">dominated by the country's domestic duo</a> of Hyundai and Kia. According to <a href="https://www.ihs.com/country-industry-forecasting.html?ID=1065998920" target="_blank">IHS</a>, the two brands will account for more than 60% of all cars sold in the country this year.</p><p>Hyundai's alternative fuel offerings include the a plug-in hybrid version of its Sonata mid-size sedan as well as an award winning hydrogen fuel cell variant of its Tuscon crossover. Kia offers a fully electric version of its Soul economy car. </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-sex-should-happy-relationship-rachel-sussman-2015-5">How much sex you should be having in a healthy relationship </a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="ZsOHdhdTrVUE8WmzgO9g4CCWDc5YvI8t" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Tesla's next big frontier could be South Korea

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The 2020 Kona is <keyword id="596" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hyundai">Hyundai</keyword>'s compact SUV, slotting in between the subcompact Venue and the Tuscon in Hyundai's crossover and SUV lineup.</li><li>The Kona comes in five trims, with the 2021 model featuring a $20,400 base trim and a $28,050 top trim.</li><li>This 2020 review loaner had a Lime Twist exterior, a 175-horsepower turbocharged engine, and a $28,980 MSRP.</li></ul><p>The 2020 Hyundai Kona has a lot going on. Its busy front end challenges you to put the pieces together - the thin front lights that would look aggressive if they weren't so cutesy, the studded grille, the abundance of plastic cladding - while its orange and lime-green paint options remind you that, yes, there are more choices in this world than just white, silver, or black. </p><p>The quirkiness is surprising, given that the Kona is a response to Americans' current car craze: crossovers and SUVs, where carmakers can capitalize by simply producing vehicles with the necessary ride height and cargo room but without much personality. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2196" width="3992" msid="79708397" hostid="261"></div><p>Hyundai could have played it safe, but instead went for a slight departure from the norm - the very norm to which the Kona was introduced to cater. It's bold, and it kind of works. </p><h2><strong>The 2020 Hyundai Kona: Capitalizing on the crossover craze</strong></h2><p>Hyundai <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/2440">first introduced</a> the US-market Kona in late 2017, marketing it as a practical crossover that could be fun and quirky, complete with a lime-green show car and what it called an "urban smart armor" exterior. Whatever that means.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2301" width="3992" msid="79708400" hostid="261"></div><p>As buyers flock toward bigger vehicles in the name of safety and more space, the Kona fills an important niche for Hyundai. It slots in right above the subcompact Venue crossover, the smallest entry in Hyundai's lineup of crossovers and SUVs.</p><p>The move paid off. Even without name recognition, the Kona shot up Hyundai's sales charts. In 2019, Hyundai Motor America <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/2944">sold</a> more than 73,000 Konas - just 14,000 fewer models than its Sonata nameplate, which has been around for decades.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: Watch the headlights</strong></h2><p>The Kona has five trims, and for 2021, the base SE trim starts at $20,400 while the top Ultimate trim starts at $28,050. Front-wheel drive is standard on every trim and all-wheel drive is $1,400 extra.</p><div type="image" title="trim options 2021 hyundai kona" height="732" width="1450" msid="79708403" hostid="261"></div><p>This 2020 review loaner was a Kona Ultimate with a "Lime Twist" exterior and without the optional AWD, coming to $28,980 with fees. The only added feature, in fact, was carpet on the floor mats for an extra $135. Everything else was standard for the top trim. </p><p>Those standard features include, among other things: a turbocharged 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine making a claimed 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque; a seven-speed dual clutch transmission; 18-inch wheels; high-beam assist; rain-sensing windshield wipers; and safety features including forward-collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, blind-spot detection, automatic cruise control, and a parking warning while in reverse. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2682" width="4020" msid="79708410" hostid="261"></div><p>The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the 2020 Kona top <a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/hyundai/kona-4-door-suv/2020#headlights">crash ratings</a> in every category, but watch out for the headlights.</p><p>The most expensive two trims on the Kona, the Limited and Ultimate, have LED headlights with the IIHS' top ratings. The bottom three have halogen lights, which got the IIHS' bottom of four safety ratings. The halogen low beams, the IIHS said, provided inadequate visibility in all of its tests. </p><h2><strong>What stands out: Green on green on green</strong></h2><p>Listen. Your argument about buying only black, white, or gray cars because of the "resale value" is tired. It's boring. Do you want to be tired and boring? No, you don't. Neither does this Hyundai Kona, which is why it's green.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3992" width="2661" msid="79708412" hostid="261"></div><p>It's not a safe, muted forest green or a green that's trying to pass for black, either - it's bright, in your face, look at me green, more fit for a Lamborghini than any crossover kind of green.</p><p>Boring? Maybe you are, but this Kona's color isn't.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2651" width="2015" msid="79708414" hostid="261"></div><p>The green bleeds into the interior of the car, accenting everything from the seats to the dashboard. Hyundai's had some interesting takes on the Kona - including an "Iron Man Edition" that a local Hyundai salesperson tried to sell me, of all people, once - but the bright green one is a winner.</p><p>Along with the green, a tiny honeycomb pattern runs the length of the Kona's dashboard. The material looks neither expensive nor cheap, which is a good compromise in a $29,000 car that could have just slapped some bland plastic panels on there and called it a day. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2396" width="3992" msid="79708415" hostid="261"></div><p>Hyundai also carried this Kona's black interior onto its headliner, giving it a cohesive look on the inside. But that doesn't appear to be the case with every model from Hyundai's range-topping Ultimate trim, since <a href="https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=549953307&amp;zip=10001&amp;referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D10001%26city%3DNew%2BYork%26startYear%3D2020%26incremental%3Dall%26endYear%3D2020%26modelCodeList%3DHYUKONA%26makeCodeList%3DHYUND%26sortBy%3DderivedpriceASC%26location%3D%255Bobject%2BObject%255D%26state%3DNY%26firstRecord%3D0%26marketExtension%3Dinclude%26searchRadius%3D0%26trimCodeList%3DHYUKONA%257CUltimate%26isNewSearch%3Dfalse&amp;startYear=2020&amp;numRecords=25&amp;firstRecord=0&amp;endYear=2020&amp;modelCodeList=HYUKONA&amp;makeCodeList=HYUND&amp;searchRadius=0&amp;trimCodeList=HYUKONA%7CUltimate&amp;makeCode1=HYUND&amp;modelCode1=HYUKONA&amp;clickType=listing1=HYUND&amp;modelCode1=HYUKONA&amp;clickType=listing">some appear on Autotrader</a> with black interiors and stark, light-gray headliners. </p><p>Interior-matching headliners are always king.</p><div type="image" title="hyundai kona headliner" height="652" width="1956" msid="79708417" hostid="261"></div><p>The Kona emits a low, uncharacteristically aggressive snarl as it gets up to speed. Its pedals are sensitive - tap the gas just a bit and you're lurching out of your parking space; graze the brakes and prepare to get a gut check from your seat belt.</p><p>The steering is the opposite, numbly swaying from left to right as the car's turbo supplies a bit of boost to the engine without the characteristic <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM7WTTeo_iE&amp;ab_channel=VisioRaceracer"><em>whoooosh</em></a> sound. Quieter cars are fancier, remember. </p><p>The Kona has a sport mode, which can be told apart from its normal drive mode by the usual characteristics: Sport mode makes the car feel and sound slightly more growly without transforming your little crossover into anything more than a little crossover. <em>Grr</em>, though!</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3988" width="2817" msid="79708418" hostid="261"></div><p>In the year 2020, it's also nice to come across a car whose interior isn't one large touchscreen from Hell. The Kona's infotainment screen is easy to navigate and allows the driver to use those all-familiar buttons, while also offering fun menu options like the one that shows how long you've spent idling versus driving on a trip. </p><p>If there's any existential wisdom I want out of life, it's how many years I've lost while sitting in traffic. For that, Hyundai, I thank you.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3111" width="5183" msid="79708422" hostid="261"></div><p>The Kona's telescoping steering wheel also provides a third dimension of adjustment, allowing a driver to not only move it up and down, but toward and away from them as well. And before you say, "That sounds very basic; doesn't every car do that?" you should go outside and check your own. Every car does not do that. </p><p>Every car doesn't come in an Iron Man theme either, I guess. </p><h2><strong>What falls short:</strong> Plastic, plastic, plastic</h2><p>The Kona, in this spec, is a $29,000 car. That's mild compared to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/average-prices-for-cars-increased-during-covid-19-over-demand-2020-8">average new-car price</a> of nearly $40,000, but it's still $30,000, and $30,000 should buy some less plasticky materials inside. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2431" width="3992" msid="79708426" hostid="261"></div><p>While the overall vibe of the interior - black with electric green accents - is charming, the details aren't. Cheap-looking materials line the infotainment screen, the shifter, the parking brake, the cup holders.</p><p>The door handles and steering wheel feature a nice, glossy piano black material, but that stuff only stays nice and glossy for about five minutes before grime piles on. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kia-seltos-review-2021-price-photos-suv-hyundai-reviews-specs-2020-5">Ask the 2021 Kia Seltos</a>. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2414" width="4006" msid="79708429" hostid="261"></div><p>There's also a catch with this lovely green: While it and an equally lovely orange were available on Konas in the past, neither option shows up in the build configurator for the 2021 car. A Hyundai spokesperson confirmed that they're not available for special order for 2021 or beyond, telling Business Insider that "trendy colors like that typically last a year or two." </p><p>If you want to go green, you have to go pre-2021.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2440" width="3994" msid="79708431" hostid="261"></div><p>The Kona has all of the wind noise and road feel of a car in its price range: there, but ignorable. But don't touch the navigation controls if the car is in drive: You can select from popular locations - gas stations, restaurants - but you can't manually enter addresses.</p><p>Hop in the back of the 2020 Kona and you'll notice a few things: The roof feels low because of its gradual slope; legroom isn't anything to brag about; and there are no vents to be seen. Zero. Not one.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2518" width="3989" msid="79708507" hostid="261"></div><p>Were people meant to sit back there during the summer or winter? Perhaps as a form of punishment. </p><h2><strong>How the Kona compares to its rivals: Close competition</strong></h2><p>Given that crossovers and SUVs are all that American buyers want right now, the categories are competitive. The Kona stacks up well against its competition, including the 2021 Kia Seltos, the 2020 Mazda CX-30, and the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek, and vice versa. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Kia Seltos 2020 Hyundai Kona 2020 Mazda CX-30 2019 Subaru Crosstrek" height="1150" width="1830" msid="79708510" hostid="261"></div><p>Since Hyundai and Kia are sister companies, the Seltos and Kona are sister vehicles. They also offer longer warranty periods than their competitors do, with five years or 60,000 miles on the countdown clock compared to the industry standard of three years or 36,000 miles. </p><p>And while the Seltos' all-wheel-drive $29,485 SX Turbo model was more enticing in both looks and use than the front-wheel-drive $28,980 Kona Ultimate <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kia-seltos-review-2021-price-photos-suv-hyundai-reviews-specs-2020-5">during our testing</a>, the Kona beats it in base price and headlight safety.</p><div type="image" title="kona, seltos, crosstrek, cx-30 updated with kona headlights" height="1300" width="1860" msid="79708513" hostid="261"></div><p>Buy the $20,300 base 2020 Kona, nothing added, and you'll come in about $1,700 under the $21,990 Seltos. It's not a lot in the scheme of a $20,000 car, but it's not nothing. </p><p>But the Seltos really loses out in its headlights, receiving the IIHS' lowest rating of "poor" across the board. The Kona might not have good headlights on every trim, but they are an option. </p><h2><strong>Our impressions: A quirky car in a conventional segment</strong></h2><p>The US circa 2020 will go down as a few things in automotive history: the time when people found out luxury EVs other than Teslas exist; when cars marketed for their "autonomy" weren't really autonomous; and when the age of the crossover really took hold. The Kona, like much of its competition, wants to take hold as well.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2537" width="3992" msid="79708519" hostid="261"></div><p>But unlike much of its competition, the Kona - at least in lime-green form - wants to remind you that being a crossover buyer doesn't mean assimilating with the masses of crossover buyers. Practicality doesn't mean you have to be a bore, the Kona says. You can buy your high-riding, cargo-carrying crossover, but you can give it lime-green interior accents too. What a concept. </p><p>The Kona is a commuter vehicle for folks who want to spend less than the average American does on a new car, whether it's for the $20,000 base trim or the $28,000 top trim. It's not the fanciest car on the road, nor is it even the fanciest looking among its competitors. </p><p>But it does have a personality, and sometimes that makes all the difference. </p><p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3456" width="5184" msid="79708525" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2444" width="3989" msid="79708529" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2580" width="3997" msid="79708537" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2567" width="3992" msid="79708543" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3079" width="5029" msid="79708547" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2336" width="3992" msid="79708552" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="3159" width="5123" msid="79708557" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2337" width="3983" msid="79708560" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2354" width="3992" msid="79708562" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Hyundai Kona AK edits" height="2327" width="4023" msid="79708565" hostid="261"></div>

REVIEW: The $29,000 Hyundai Kona crossover offers a quirky take on a conventional segment

<p class="source"><span>Ford</span></p><p class="caption">The Ford Mustang Mach-E.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Commercials for electric vehicles made up about 45% of the car ads that aired during this year's Super Bowl.</li><li>The cars featured during the ad breaks included the new GMC Hummer, the Audi E-Tron Sportback, the Porsche Taycan, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E.</li><li>But that percentage number doesn't reflect the car market. As of late last year, less than 2% of new-car sales in the US were electric vehicles.</li><li>The ads are less about the actual car market and more about where it's headed, with Audi saying the goal of its EV ad was to convince viewers to "let go of the past and drive into an era of radical reinvention."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>Electric vehicles currently make up a sliver of the US passenger-car market, accounting for less than 2% of new-car sales as of late last year. But you wouldn't know that watching the country's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/super-bowl-2020">biggest sporting event</a>, the Super Bowl, where nearly 45% of automakers' ad slots were for cars that plug into a charging station instead of a fuel nozzle. </p><p>It might not be a reflection of the sales numbers just yet, but it's a reflection of where the market is headed.</p><p>The Super Bowl, for those not counting, featured nine car ads. Those ads included the official introduction of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gmc-hummer-will-be-a-1000-horsepower-electric-super-truck-2020-1">new-age Hummer</a>, which will return to the market as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/first-look-at-gmcs-electric-hummer-comes-during-super-bowl-ad-2020-1">an all-electric GMC "super truck"</a> with a GMC-estimated 1,000 horsepower, as well as commercials for the Audi E-Tron Sportback, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Seltos, Porsche Taycan, Toyota Highlander, Jeep Gladiator, Genesis GV80, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The Taycan ad marked Porsche's first Super Bowl commercial <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-buys-super-bowl-ad-to-promote-taycan-video-2020-1">since 1997</a>, or 23 years ago.</p><p class="source"><span>Audi</span></p><p class="caption">The Audi E-Tron Sportback 55 Quattro.</p><p>Four of those vehicles - the E-Tron, Taycan, Hummer, and Mach-E - are or will be entirely electric when they launch, while the remaining five are powered by gas. (The 2020 Sonata <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a28467599/2020-hyundai-sonata-hybrid-confirmed/">will have a hybrid version</a>, but currently, the 2019 hybrid is still on the US configurator. The 2019 Highlander hybrid is <a href="https://www.toyota.com/highlanderhybrid/">also available</a>, while the gas model has been updated to the 2020 model year.)</p><p>It marks a huge difference between perception, where nearly half of the Super Bowl ads are about EVs, and reality, in which a mere 2% of the US market is.</p><p>While GMC's choice to showcase the Hummer EV was obvious because it acted as a global reintroduction of the vehicle, the other ads featured electric vehicles that have been around for a bit, meaning there was a deliberate decision by those companies to choose EVs over their more traditional cars for the big spot. </p><p class="source"><span>GMC</span></p><p class="caption">The teaser photo for the new GMC Hummer.</p><p>Audi put its reasoning simply in an <a href="https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases/audi-and-maisie-williams-invite-the-world-to-let-it-go-and-embrace-electric-future-in-game-day-spot-12519">announcement</a> about its ad featuring the electric E-Tron and the song "Let It Go," saying the goal was to convince viewers to "let go of the past and drive into an era of radical reinvention."</p><p>In other words, Audi thinks it's time to let go and embrace EVs - particularly its new E-Tron - in spite of the market not quite being there yet.</p><p>Automakers also spent a lot of money getting that messaging out, with <a href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/ab-inbev-pg-pepsico-hyundai-are-the-biggest-super-bowl-ad-spenders/">Adweek</a> writing that the going rate for a 30-second slot this year was as much as $5.6 million. Data provided to Business Insider from Kantar Media showed that the car industry chose to drift toward the long side for its ads, with automakers being the most frequent users of long-form commercials - a years-long trend in the industry. Seven of the eight car ads, Kantar's data said, lasted exactly 60 seconds. (Kantar only includes eight ads in its data because it measured national ads, while the Mach-E commercial was purchased for select local markets.) </p><p>Audi, on the topic of its "Let It Go" theme in the E-Tron commercial, said in an announcement that the messaging will "help kick off a global brand campaign about Audi's long-term ambition to shape a new era of sustainable mobility." Ford, which told Business Insider it ran spots for its electric Mustang Mach-E crossover "in several regional markets" including Detroit rather than pushing the ad nationwide, has also <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autoshow-detroit-ford-motor/ford-plans-11-billion-investment-40-electrified-vehicles-by-2022-idUSKBN1F30YZ">said</a> it wants 40 electric or electrified vehicles in its 2022 lineup and will <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-adds-production-of-electric-vehicles-at-secon-north-american-site-2019-3">spend $11 billion</a> to make it happen. </p><p class="source"><span><a href="https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2019/products/porsche-taycan-world-premiere-live-all-electric-sports-car-18445.html">Porsche</a></span></p><p class="caption">The Porsche Taycan Turbo S.</p><p>Porsche has said <a href="https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/annual-sustainability-report-2018/perspective/foreword-oliver-blume-ceo-porsche-16988.html">multiple</a> <a href="https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/company/porsche-diesel-cayenne-v6-3-statement-14134.html">times</a> that it wants roughly half of its delivered cars to feature some sort of electrification by 2025, and the president and CEO of Porsche's North American arm, Klaus Zellmer, told Business Insider in a statement that the company highlighted the electric Taycan in its first Super Bowl ad in two decades because of the shift it represents. </p><p>"The Taycan is momentous for Porsche because it launches us into a new era of electrification," Zellmer said. "We wanted to be bold by showing as many people as possible that electrification is consistent with the Porsche brand and that the Taycan shares the same sports-car soul as its iconic predecessors."</p><p>All of that talk is compared to the actual market, where <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a29732878/electric-cars-sales-manual-transmission/">JD Power logged EV sales</a> as barely outpacing demand for the dying manual transmission in the third quarter of last year. Still, sales of both were small: EVs made up 1.9% of new-car sales at that tally, versus 1.1% for manuals. Sales have climbed over the past decade, with <a href="https://afdc.energy.gov/data/10567">government data</a> listing annual combined sales for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles at 17,763 in 2011 versus 326,644 in 2019, but they're still not high comparatively. Total new-car sales surpassed 17 million in the US last year, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/8023672948e761fe1a60523a60b991fc">Associated Press</a>. </p><p>But the Super Bowl ads are less about the current market and more about where it's headed. As fuel-economy regulations tighten across the globe - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-california-emissions-rules-la-smog-photos-2019-9">although not necessarily in the US</a> - and countries set dates to outlaw the sale of new gas-powered cars, we're in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/promises-carmakers-have-made-about-their-future-electric-vehicles-2020-1#toyota-1">a market shift toward EVs</a>. </p><p class="source"><span>GM</span></p><p class="caption">Cadillac's first fully electric vehicle, which was not advertised during the Super Bowl.</p><p>Toyota and Volvo want to get half of their sales from electrified vehicles - a buzzword that doesn't necessarily translate to fully electric, but indicates some form of electrification - by 2025. Volkswagen wants EVs to make up 40% of its global fleet by 2030.</p><p>General Motors wants Cadillac to become its flagship electric brand, and Fiat Chrysler said in 2018 that it will <a href="https://apnews.com/ed200dcfd5684625954e90969ad3185c">invest $10.5 billion</a> in electrification over the next couple of years. Honda wants every car in its European lineup to be at least partially electrified by 2022, and Nissan wants to introduce eight new EVs by that same year. </p><p>Those are just a few carmaker goals, and they fall in line with global expectations as cities and countries <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-banning-gas-cars-2017-10#norway-will-only-sell-electric-and-hybrid-vehicles-starting-in-2030-1">continue to set expiration dates</a> for the sale and driving of non-electrified vehicles. The dates range from 2025 through 2040, with the former being just five years away. </p><p>Thus, while no automaker that advertised during the Super Bowl manufactures EVs exclusively, it makes sense to get ahead in terms of advertising. It might be a shift the market hasn't quite made yet, but we all know what they say about trends - if you're not ahead of them, you're behind already.</p><p class="tagline">Get the latest Ford stock price<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/f-Quote"> <strong>here.</strong></a></p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-teslas-biggest-threat-2019-12">Why hydrogen cars will be Tesla's biggest threat</a></h3>

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