Hyundai Sonata: An all-American hybrid car
As American as highway driving
And the hybrid competition heats up
This morning Hyundai provided a technical presentation on the upcoming 2011 Hyundai Sonata hybrid, as well as the 2.0 Turbo version, while also offering a bit of a road map for the future of Hyundai.
Most interesting, however, it seems Hyundai has achieved the most American hybrid so far with the Sonata.
Hyundai opened the day by pointing out that Hyundai will be producing all 3 of its US top sellers in the US. That means 400,000 of the 500,000 Hyundai vehicles sold in the US will be manufactured in the US, but that isn’t really what makes the Sonata hybrid so American.
Instead, Hyundai simply took a basic American fact and used it to help drive the development of the Sonata hybrid: Americans still are predominantly highway drivers. Additionally, we like power and size, or space.
Thus, Hyundai focused on weight reductions and aerodynamics to help increase highway fuel economy, while maintaining horsepower and speed. That means the Sonata hybrid will be the most fuel efficient sedan in its class on the highway at 40 mpg, while achieving a respectable 36 mpg in the city. However, the Sonata hybrid will also provide the greatest horsepower and 0 – 60 times of any hybrid in its class, so it won’t just be the most fuel efficient, but the best performing hybrid.
Therefore, while the Sonata hybrid can drive in pure EV mode at highway speeds under the right conditions, EV mode wasn’t the focus. Instead, the parallel hybrid drive is balanced to achieve maximum fuel economy dependent upon the conditions, particularly in highway-like conditions.
Since America is still all about the highway, Hyundai focused on a hybrid that best meets average American needs.
Of course, an American hybrid isn’t just about fuel efficiency and power. Space is also a critical issue.
Fortunately, Hyundai’s innovative hybrid battery system offers less weight and volume than any other battery system. Sure, 44 percent less volume might not resonate with consumers, but the larger trunk size, for instance, certainly will. Likewise, the 270 Volt lithium polymer battery pack will offer a 25 percent improvement in life cycle versus the competition.
Still, Hyundai isn’t the first automaker to make a splash with a new hybrid system – compared to the Toyota standard. The Ford Fusion hybrid, for instance, topped Toyota Camry hybrid fuel economy, but at a cost – a higher starting price.
While Hyundai has not provided pricing, it will be “very, very competitive” according to the company. Thanks to an internally-developed 6-speed transmission, for instance, transmission costs were kept lower according to Hyundai. Likewise, the entire Sonata platform already undercuts the competition’s pricing.
Consequently, expect the Sonata hybrid to offer the most bang for the buck when it hits dealerships in late November or early December, and with lots of volume flexibility, Sonata hybrid sales should be able to keep up with demand if brisker than expected.
When the Sonata hybrid does hit dealerships, it will offer differentiated exterior styling compared to other Sonata’s in a number of ways, such as a unique frontal fascia, and unique rear bumpers. A 4.2 inch display will be standard, but a larger navigation/center console unit is included in the premium package – there will only be one trim level and two packages, base and premium.
Additionally, the premium package also offers a panoramic sun roof – a Hyundai first.
And, while the Sonata hybrid is a Hyundai first, it won’t be the only Hyundai hybrid sold in the US. With plans to convert about 20 percent of sales into hybrids, plug-ins and fuel cell vehicles by 2020, the Sonata hybrid is just the beginning.
According to SAE it’s about 60 percent highway, 40 percent city – at least those are the numbers Hyundai was working with.
How accurate is that?
For instance, if that means people driving from Thousand Oaks, CA to Los Angeles for work are considered highway drivers, then the numbers are skewed. Cuz there’s a lot of stop and go in that highway commute. In reality, that’s a city drive, even a bad city drive. That’s the unfortunate thing about statistics.
Nevertheless, to me the future seems to be about city driving and congestion. Thus, I wish the focus were on city driving. In my opinion we should kill the highway number altogether. However, in terms of marketing, its the highway mileage that everyone is still focused upon, so it makes some sense – marketing only -that Hyundai focused here.
Besides, according to CR – I think – the Fusion hybrid, for example, might achieve 41 mpg on the EPA’s city cycle, but rarely in the real world. Too much fudging going on with these EPA numbers. Thus, the real world difference between the Fusion hybrid and the Sonata hybrid, in terms of fuel economy, is probably minimal.
I don’t know. I would think more and more American would live in an urban environment, therefore city driving.
I wish wagons and hatchbacks were more popular in the US, they’re so damn functional. Damn, Americans are so illogical some times.
If the rumor on a wagon version for 2012 is true, I’d be all over it. The storage would be great and the drive-train and battery system would have a year of kinks worked out.