With this new gasoline-electric Sonata, underdog Hyundai starts looking like the favorite.It’s time to revoke Hyundai’s underdog status and start expecting as much from the South Korean automaker as we would from any other mainstream brand. Case in point: the new Sonata hybrid. Hyundai has created its own unique hybrid system rather than licensing technology from Toyota (as Nissan does) or forming a development partnership (as did BMW, Chrysler, GM, and Mercedes-Benz for the two-mode parallel system).
The surging Korean automaker has opted for state-of-the-art lithium-polymer batteries. Co-developed with LG Chem, these units are lighter and more compact than the lithium-ion or nickel-metal hydride batteries found in other hybrids. The Sonata’s 1.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack weighs 96 pounds and sits behind the rear seat, reducing trunk space to 11 cubic feet from 16. All told, the hybrid powertrain adds a claimed 260 pounds to the Sonata versus about 400 for the one in the Ford Fusion.
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