I’m not the type of man who all the time goes out to get the most recent and best gadget. I’m not involved about maintaining with the Joneses. I knew earlier than I purchased my 2023 Hyundai Sonata final 12 months that it was going to be getting a facelift and outfitted with up to date options for 2024. And I used to be tremendous with that. I didn’t remorse my buy. Nevertheless, the extra I see the refreshed Sonata, it turns into clearer that it has extra than simply the gimmick of newness. It additionally has helpful upgrades. If I occur to get one as a rental automotive throughout an out-of-town journey, I can’t be disenchanted.
Welcome to the Future
The present Sonata arrived for the 2020 mannequin 12 months, so it’s been in want of a beauty replace – particularly on the entrance. That droopy catfish mouth has all the time been my largest gripe about my automotive. For 2024, Hyundai tightened issues up, giving the Sonata a extra outlined and futuristic nostril with an angular grille, hidden headlights, and a “Seamless Horizon Lamp,” aka LED gentle bar.
On the rear, the clamp-shaped mixture of the LED taillights and the sunshine bar that joins them was changed with a revised setup that kinds a dramatic illuminated “H.”
Even the 2024 Sonata will not be excellent, although. On one hand, these adjustments make the Sonata extra enticing – and extra aerodynamic, based on Hyundai. Alternatively, in addition they make it much less distinctive, significantly up entrance, the place it appears Hyundai was a bit of too impressed by the visible simplicity of the Lucid Air.
The Good Shift
Other than its lack of wi-fi Apple CarPlay, I’ve no points with the options in my Sonata. Along with that (and wi-fi Android Auto), the 2024 mannequin comes with some vital beauty and practical adjustments.
It tosses out the ’23 Sonata’s steering wheel, which has a clumsy and unattractive backside spoke bar, for a easy, tasteful three-spoke unit with paddle shifters that allow “handbook” gear adjustments – a capability my automotive appears to lack utterly.
Extra importantly, the most recent model of the Sonata relocates the shifter controls for the eight-speed automated. In my automotive, they’re an elevated cluster of buttons to the left of the cup holders. Sure, they’re vital, however they’re additionally oddly positioned. By integrating these features right into a column-mounted stalk with a twist-cap for drive, impartial, and reverse and a button for park, the ’24 Sonata places these very important controls in an simply accessible and intuitive place that will in any other case go to waste.
New and Improved?
I’ll reserve judgement on the panoramic curved show that incorporates the accessible 12.3-inch digital gauge show and non-obligatory 12.3-inch navigation touchscreen. Sure, it has a clear, easy look, nevertheless it’s additionally a bit plain. I just like the separation of the 2 screens in my Sonata and the way Hyundai put some thought and aptitude into the design of the housing for the nav display. My fundamental concern about that large strip of display is that since each shows are on the identical airplane, the infotainment touchscreen might be barely out of attain and require leaning ahead to interact sure features, simply as I needed to within the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 that we lately examined (evaluation coming quickly). If we get our fingers on a brand new Sonata press car, I’ll remember to inform you if it has the identical problem – and if it makes me wish to commerce in my ’23 mannequin.
Do you could have the up to date 2024 Hyundai Sonata? If that’s the case, please tell us what you consider it within the feedback beneath.