New York 2010: Hyundai Sonata Hybrid gets unique look and 37/39 MPG rating [w/video]

[Sal Collaziano]

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Technology, Videos, Hyundai

2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery​

It wasn't that many years ago that no one really took the engineering capabilities of Hyundai all that seriously. Thanks to recent introductions like the Genesis coupe and sedan, the Tucson and the Sonata, as well as consistently improving quality, the Korean automaker is rapidly gaining respect. Today at the 2010 New York Auto Show, Hyundai debuted its first production hybrid model for the U.S. market based on the recently launched 2011 Sonata.

As we saw in the teaser photo released last Friday, Hyundai has set its hybrid apart from conventional models with an all-new front fascia. However, the changes go well beyond the new grille and headlights. The new wheels combine with extended rocker panels to improve airflow across the flanks. At the back end, the bumper cover has been reshaped with sharp creases at the corners to control the air coming off and minimize drag, and there are set of really interesting taillamps with a sort of neutron molecule-like quality to them. The body alterations drops the hybrid's projected drag coefficient from the standard Sonata's already slippery 0.28 to just 0.25. As you might suspect, the really important stuff, however, is under the skin.

Follow the jump to learn more and check out a video.


Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid



[Source: Hyundai]Continue reading New York 2010: Hyundai Sonata Hybrid gets unique look and 37/39 MPG rating [w/video]

New York 2010: Hyundai Sonata Hybrid gets unique look and 37/39 MPG rating [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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[TJPark01]

Those are some of the craziest, at the same time coolest taillights I have ever seen. I really hope they come like that on the production model.

 

[ShoNuff]

I never thought I'd say this about ANY hybrid car but...
that thing is gorgeous! If the release model holds true to the pics and the claims pan out, Hyundai has a major player here for the "green" market.

 

[ctrcbob]

Those are some of the craziest, at the same time coolest taillights I have ever seen. I really hope they come like that on the production model.

That may be so, that that front end is BUTT UGLY. Granted, most people who would buy a hybrid care less about the looks of the car.

This morning, I just test drove a Sonata (in another thread) and now that I see the ugly front end of the hybrid, I can't help but wonder "What are they thinking"? The regular Sonata has a beautiful front end vice the ugly front end on the hybrid.

 

[ShoNuff]

I think the front end was changed due to aerodynamic concerns. But I disagree that it's butt-ugly. Kinda has a Nissan Skyline flavor to it. At any rate, all in the eye of the beholder.

 

[jwaters943]

Those are some of the craziest, at the same time coolest taillights I have ever seen. I really hope they come like that on the production model.

This is 100% representative of the production model. In fact, production on the Hybrid should start late this Summer.

Compared to other midsize sedan hybrids, the Sonata Hybrid has:

-The most horsepower
-The lightest curb weight
-Lowest coefficient of drag @ 0.25 (FWIW, this is the same as the new Prius, which is damn impressive given the Sonata's shape)
-The second highest fuel economy (a close second to the Fusion)
-And the only hybrid on the market one capable of pure EV operation up to 62mph

I'm hugely impressed. Especially since it also uses a 6-speed auto w/ paddle shifters and not a smooth, but ultimately fun-sapping CVT.

 

[jwaters943]

That may be so, that that front end is BUTT UGLY. Granted, most people who would buy a hybrid care less about the looks of the car.

This morning, I just test drove a Sonata (in another thread) and now that I see the ugly front end of the hybrid, I can't help but wonder "What are they thinking"? The regular Sonata has a beautiful front end vice the ugly front end on the hybrid.

To each their own. Some people actually prefer the looks of the hybrid model (shocking I know).

With that said, they were probably thinking 'we really need to get people to notice and recognize this as a hybrid model different from the regular Sonata'.

 

[TJPark01]

This is 100% representative of the production model. In fact, production on the Hybrid should start late this Summer.

Do you know if the rear seats fold down like a regular sonata? Is the battery where the drivetrain would be in a RWD car, in the front w/ the normal engine or is it in the back like the Fusion or someplace else?

 

[DavidNJ]

Interesting...compression is up to 13:1 (from 11.3), power down to 169 (from 198). Must be a very interesting camshaft. The dynamic compression is probably around 8:1 in both, but the expansion ratio is obviously higher for the hybrid. Probably where all of the additional 4 highway mpg came from.

They avoided the power sucking CVT that everyone else is using. I wonder if that is part of the advantage. I imagine they have an option to use an 8-speed instead of a 6-speed in the future.

Battery is in the trunk, but only 2 cu. ft. smaller. Maybe the new technology makes it better than its competitors here. All the hybrids except the Prius have very compromised trunks.

Still to be seen is whether the rear seat folds down to expand the trunk. All of the competitors except the Prius lose that feature. The battery is a bit smaller here, but still appears to be in a location that would block trunk access to the rear seat area.

My guess is will have a base price of $29,995 and one option package that raises it to $31,995.

My question is...what would it be like if they bagged the electric propulsion and just turned off the engine at idle. My guess is 200 pounds lighter and probably 30/35 or better in mileage for maybe $5k less to build. If they did variable lift and timing (it only does variable timing now) they may have been able to keep the high expansion ratio get 30/38 or something like that.

Some more aggressive engineering with carbon fiber body panels, more aluminum and CF structure, and tighter control on weight of components (e.g. higher grade steel allowing lighter crank, rods, etc.) may have shaved 200# off raising city mileage another 2mpg and improving handling.

 

[jwaters943]

Do you know if the rear seats fold down like a regular sonata? Is the battery where the drivetrain would be in a RWD car, in the front w/ the normal engine or is it in the back like the Fusion or someplace else?

The seats don't look like they fold down, but I'm not sure. The lithium polymer batteries are located below the back seat and trunk. This is the first hybrid to use lithium polymer batteries which are smaller, lighter, and more durable than the Nickel Metal hydride batteries used in other hybrids (some 30 lbs. lighter than the batteries in the Camry hybrid FWIW). The batteries are expected to run "maintenance-free" for 10 years/150k miles.

BTW, the total HP (gas + electric) is 209hp. I just wanted to clarify because the poster above only stated the HP of the gasoline engine which is 169.

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[ShawShank]

HYUNDAI IS TAKING OVER THE WORLD along with apple..LOL I LOVE THIS Car. does anyone know if they are going to add the fluidic styling to the New Genesis Sedan model. If so let me know.

 

[DavidNJ]

The seats don't look like they fold down, but I'm not sure. The lithium polymer batteries are located below the back seat and trunk. This is the first hybrid to use lithium polymer batteries which are smaller, lighter, and more durable than the Nickel Metal hydride batteries used in other hybrids (some 30 lbs. lighter than the batteries in the Camry hybrid FWIW). The batteries are expected to run "maintenance-free" for 10 years/150k miles.

BTW, the total HP (gas + electric) is 209hp. I just wanted to clarify because the poster above only stated the HP of the gasoline engine which is 169.

I might have been that poster...and there is undoubtedly some point where it is 209. However, that wouldn't be enough to overcome the extra weight. And it the battery isn't at full charge it isn't that high.

That engine probably has a very funky camshaft. I thought it would be 15:1 or so with direct injection. They kept it conservative and a much higher specific output (70hp/l vs 54hp/l) than a Prius.

 

[mikec]

Other than the nose, I too like the styling of the car. However I don't like nose/grill designs that have such a tall vertical shape... any current Audi, Volkswagen, and now this. In woodworking and architecture there are rules of thumb about width to height (i.e. aspect ratio) for attractive proportions. These vertical "maw" grills don't appeal to me and they don't fit those rules of thumb - so, in my opinion, those rules of thumb seem appropriate. I know a lot of folks like the current Audi noses... I'm not one of them. I don't know when "butt ugly" and "obnoxious" became style synonyms for "aggressive."

What's the nose of this car going to look like with a license plate? It's required in most states... I'll bet it ends up looking like buck teeth.

Give me a more horizontal & rectangular grill shape... car styling ought to be horizontally oriented to my eyes. The Nissan 350Z? When it first came out it had front reflectors (in the lower bumper/air dam) oriented as tall skinny rectangles... they looked so out of place to me.

Just my opinion; styling of course is totally subjective.

The rest of the car/specs are pretty impressive. Hyundai is clearly on a roll.

mike c.

 

[jwaters943]

I might have been that poster...and there is undoubtedly some point where it is 209. However, that wouldn't be enough to overcome the extra weight. And it the battery isn't at full charge it isn't that high.

That engine probably has a very funky camshaft. I thought it would be 15:1 or so with direct injection. They kept it conservative and a much higher specific output (70hp/l vs 54hp/l) than a Prius.

Ummm, the extra 95 lbs. is really gonna hold it back, huh? It's plainly obvious to me that you have a bias against eletric/hybrid cars.

All things taken into consideration, it should be roughly as fast as the NA 4 cylinder model.

 

[DavidNJ]

Sonata is listed as 3199-3316, this at 3457. Sounds like 141 to 258 pounds to me, like one or two passengers. However, I rarely hear people complain about the performance loss with a passenger.

My point is that a full propulsion hybrid is a political decision, not an engineering one. However, as full propulsion hybrids go, Hyundai went for the smallest electric propulsion and the biggest petroleum propulsion.

Had they used the diesel/micro-hybrid of the Mini 1.6D I think they would have had a better performance and efficiency (mileage) solution at a lower cost. If they had added a micro-hybrid to the existing 2.4L it would have been a very cost effective solution gaining over half of the city MPG improvement. If they had added variable valve list or alternate cam lobes they could have kept most if not all of the high expansion ratio (13:1 static compression).

 

[TJPark01]

Had they used the diesel/micro-hybrid of the Mini 1.6D I think they would have had a better performance and efficiency (mileage) solution at a lower cost. If they had added a micro-hybrid to the existing 2.4L it would have been a very cost effective solution gaining over half of the city MPG improvement. If they had added variable valve list or alternate cam lobes they could have kept most if not all of the high expansion ratio (13:1 static compression).

Yes, but the flux capacitor will still need 1.21 gigawatts of electricity to reach 88 mph.

 

[DavidNJ]

Are you saying your concept of technology hasn't advanced past an early 1980's science fiction?