2016 Sonata Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Topic: 2016 Sonata Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
2016 Sonata Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
We were eager to get our hands on the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid, PHEV, following our review of the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The experience hasn’t let us down. With the new 2016 Hyundai Sonata PHEV, you can have it all, which competes in the fast-growing plug-in hybrid market.
This Italian-designed electric vehicle is a welcome addition to the market!
Overview
The 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid was a pleasant surprise, but the plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) was even better. After the Elantra, the Sonata is Hyundai’s second most popular vehicle.
With Sonata’s PHEV version, you get even more fuel efficiency by allowing you to select between Hybrid and all-electric modes. You can see how this vehicle will primarily run on electric power.
The Sonata PHEV is the most comfortable and luxurious vehicle I’ve seen thus far. Furthermore, it’s an excellent everyday vehicle that can also be used for weekend getaways thanks to its gasoline engine, making it an ideal vehicle for both short commutes and lengthy road excursions.
It’s easy to see how the Sonata PHEV can surpass all of these for those with certain tastes and criteria. The competition consists of the Optima from Kia, Honda, Ford Fusion (including the Energi), Toyota Corolla, and the Volt from Chevrolet.
The Biggest Pluses
Seating for up to five passengers in the Sonata PHEV is no problem, thanks to its new platform sharing with the Hybrid. It has a reasonable turning radius for a sedan of this size. Hyundai claims a 27-mile electric range for the Sonata PHEV, but we could get it to over 30 miles per charge by hypermiling it.
Once off the motorways, we like to switch back to EV mode to begin our journeys through city streets in EV mode. Under moderate accelerations, like when the car slows down or speeds up, the Sonata PHEV uses the engine to charge its battery pack, allowing its electric motor to power its wheels alone.
This mode of driving is best suited for a mix of city and highway driving. Charge the automobile as much as possible within a set number of charging hours with Hyundai’s Battery Charge mode.
Like that of the Hyundai Hybrid, the PHEV’s infotainment system was easy to use, smart, and compatible with our iPhones and iPods.
Even though Sonata’s MSRP is marginally lower than its closest competitor, it provides more all-electric miles than its rivals. Its EV and full range are greatly improved thanks to its low aerodynamic drag of 0.24. In the end, we got 99 MPGe on average.
Weaknesses
No need to repeat what we said about its Hybrid sibling; the SonataPHEV is an excellent vehicle in every way. Luxury, comfort, and fuel efficiency are provided at an affordable price with this vehicle. Increasing the electric range would undoubtedly be welcomed by EV enthusiasts… anyone else here a fan of electric vehicles (EVs)?
Duration and Limits of the Test: We put the automobile through its paces for seven days, traveling 25% on highways, 80% in the cities, and 5% on intercity highways at a modest speed. We drove it for 375 miles total, and it was a joy to do so.
Conclusions
With Sonata’s hybrid and PHEV models, Hyundai has a serious winner on its hands. The manufacturer worked hard to create a vehicle that would appeal to a wide range of motorists.
We were pleasantly surprised by the car’s luxurious appearance and feel, as well as its composed handling and thoughtful attention to detail, all of which were complemented by an easy-to-use infotainment system. We give the 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 4.5 plugs out of 5 stars because of its pricing and its well-equipped.
2016 Sonata Plug In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
You don’t think Hyundai does things half-heartedly, do you? After being absent from the eco-car fray for a few years, Hyundai now has a hydrogen-fueled Tucson and two-hybrid Sonata models in its line-up.
Reworked versions of the Sonatas were released in 2016. Also, they both have the same engine: a 2.0-liter GDI direct-injection 4-cylinder/electric motor combination connected to a 6-speed automatic transmission.
A continuously variable gearbox is normally used to connect the various powerplants. However, this is a unique combination in the hybrid market.
Hyundai’s Hybrid Plug-in, on the other hand, has a more powerful electric motor (67 horsepower vs. 51 horsepower for the base model) and more “net” horsepower (202 horsepower vs. 193 horsepower for the base model) than the Hybrid Plug-in.
This is because the electric and gas motors peak at different speeds. The quoted highway fuel efficiency, though — 5.5 L/100 km for the standard Hybrid and 5.7 for the plug-in version — is approximately the same for both vehicles.
Because of the Blueline label on the Plug-in, there would be no way to tell them apart if it weren’t for that.
As long as the cargo floor doesn’t peek beneath it. There’s no mistaking the difference. Despite having the latest high-tech lithium-ion batteries, the conventional Hybrid is limited to a 1.6-kilowatt-hour battery, whereas the plug-in version has a massive 9.8-kilowatt-hour battery.
The standard Hybrid starts at $29,649, while the Plug-in costs $43,999. However, the rechargeable version is superior in every manner, including pricing, cargo capacity, and range.
The driving experience and overall fuel economy are more like Chevrolet’s extended-range Volt than to a traditional gas-electric hybrid in this top-of-the-the-the-the-line Sonata.
In addition, it has a minimum range of at least 40 kilometers when completely charged. Hyundai’s official maximum range is 43 kilometers. However, I’ve been able to get as far as 45 kilometers on several occasions.
It’s more amazing that the Sonata Plug-in exceeded its predicted electric range on every occasion I measured it. For example, a claimed 41-kilometer distance turned out to be closer to 43 kilometers. Even in the winter, when EV ranges are typically depleted by cold weather driving.
To top it all off, the Plug-in performs like an electric vehicle. I commuted to and from work by electric vehicle for the most part. This car could get off the line, keep up with the traffic, and even cruise at 130 kilometers per hour without gasoline.
While other plug-in hybrids, including the last Prius version I drove, required some wiggle room, the Sonata’s 151 lb.-ft. Electrical torque was more than capable of keeping up with the BMW s and its 9.8 kW/h charge rate.
The Sonata’s dashboard has a small histogram that informs you how much power you can misuse before you have to stop and fill up the tank.
I routinely hit 50% of the gauge at modest speeds before awakening the small 2.0-liter four-cylinder, which the Sonata conservatively states represents 40% of the combined might of gasoline and electric motor. Indeed, for the longest time, I could drive about the city without using any gasoline or emitting any pollution.
Until the temperature dropped. SOURCE
Oh, the Sonata was OK in the cold, with its range hardly reduced and its ability to accelerate quickly on electrons intact. At least that’s what it felt like to this frail human driving a car. My emissions-free run was over as soon as I turned on the full-blast furnace needed to keep the cold at bay.
Although the Sonata’s electric motor was still driving the wheels, the gas engine remained idle at all times, even when the vehicle was at full throttle.
The strangest thing about my sub-Arctic driving experience was realizing that the gas engine was a life support mechanism for the heating system unless I was going over 130 km/h.
Because of my infirmity, I could not travel without using hydrocarbons for the majority of my journey.
There should be a technology (like with the Chevy Volt) that generates cabin heat electrically in future Hyundai Plug-in hybrids, which is the biggest improvement I would make.
As inefficient as the gasoline engine may be, it’s still superior at creating heat. I can see why Hyundai does this. Because an automaker is more concerned with total fuel economy than electric range, the gas engine kicks in when the heating is turned on.
However, as a consumer, I’d rather have 35 kilometers of emissions-free driving with heat, even if it meant that the Sonata’s ultimate range was reduced.
Because most of us commute less than that distance each day, the little reduction in range might not influence our ability to get through the day without emitting any emissions.
It all came down to a low-cost commute in the city. Even with the gas engine acting as a Bunsen burner, I only used 2.75 gallons per 100 kilometers of city driving during my first week of ownership, which is strangely about the same as my regular consumption in the first-generation Volt. I’m not complaining, though.
Of course, there is no such thing as a free lunch. The Plug-in Sonata’s weak spot is its highway fuel efficiency. If you could still buy an Audi A6 with a diesel engine, it would almost certainly use less gas than the 6.4 to 7.1 L/100 km I averaged on two highway excursions (granted at speeds of up to 130 km/h).
On the highway, though, the conventional Sonata Hybrid has rated a touch more frugal than its Plug-in counterpart, which is no doubt due to its 152-kilogram heavier battery.
In light of this, where does the Plug-in stand? Putting aside the question of whether or not an electric vehicle would pay for itself in the long run, let’s focus instead on the question of how long it will take to reap the benefits of plugging in an EV.
That being said, the Plug-in should be available in a trim level other than the Ultimate, which is the most expensive. About $6,500 is spent on Sonata’s plug-in technology, including the charging port and a larger battery.
Hyundai Plug-ins could be purchased for just over $36,000 if the same kit were available in the base model.
The Sonata Plug-in Hybrid is a great option for those who don’t need to travel huge distances regularly when it comes to daily commuting. The Sonata Hybrid can be pigeonholed into the same category as the Chevrolet Volt, with a somewhat reduced range.
It has been an incredible achievement since just a few years ago when the company did not provide any eco-friendly products.
