
2021
Hyundai Sonata

#2 in Midsize Sedans
Related Vehicles
Nissan Altima
Hyundai Elantra
Kia K5
Honda Accord
Overview
The Hyundai Sonata received an exciting refresh for 2020, with a lower, more coupe-like profile, upgraded tech, new colors, and the Nexo crossover's Smart Park. 2021 sees even more updates, including the long-awaited Sonata N-Line, which brings a 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine that boosts horsepower to 290. But, these updates raise the starting MSRP from $23,600 to $23,700. It could be worse.





Pros and Cons
Exterior
The exterior is what makes the Hyundai Sonata so unique. Inspired by the incredible Le Fil Rouge concept car, its sleeker roofline and lower stance give it a sportier look, and its LED headlight signature transforms into a chrome streak that flows up the hood and around the side windows. The connected taillight light bars have a similar design. The smooth lines aren't quite as extreme as the new Elantra and Tucson, but they make the Sonata look more simplistic and elegant. Hyundai also made sure the exterior colors were just as striking as the design. From the not-so-mellow Glowing Yellow to the deep, dark Stormy Sea, there is an array of exciting colors to choose from. Right here, we will review the Sonata's eye-catching exterior, covering all of the different aspects that make the design so special.
Design
The Hyundai Sonata's exterior design starts with the coupe-like profile, which features a sleek roofline, lower stance, more width, a long hood, and a shorter trunk. The LED headlight signature blend in seamlessly with the silver chrome accent that moves up the sculpted hood and around the clean, extensive greenhouse. The Sonata inherits this trait from the Azera large sedan that is no longer sold here in the US. The Hyundai designers took this element from the previous generation of the midsize sedan and turned it into the star of the show. The connected taillights modernize a design direction that used to be seen in many sedans of the mid-1990's, such as the Grandeur and, well, the Sonata. They meet near the bottom of the trunk, curving up to the top edge of the car. The shoulder line starts where a fender emblem should be (the Sonata does not have a fancy emblem for this generation), and flows across the doors and side sheetmetal until it reaches the taillights. Another crease appears just above the side bumper. Meanwhile, the large grille gives an an angry look, in a good way, and stretches from the edge of the hood, down to the front bumper. The base trim level, SE, and the Hybrid variant have a chrome accent with small openings on each side swipe across the front end, with a horizontally-lined grille design, while the SEL, SEL Plus (shown above), Limited, and N-Line trims get larger, sportier vent openings on either side, sharing a mesh design with the slightly larger grille. The performance-focused N-Line gets a small trunk spoiler, fake vents, quad exhaust outlets, 19-inch wheels, body color bumpers, and sharper wheels. The Hyundai Sonata's unique design isn't for everyone, but we're definitely impressed with where the brand is going design-wise.
Colors
The Hyundai Sonata is available in eight exterior colors, including Quartz White (all trims), Shimmering Silver Pearl (all trims), Hampton Gray (all trims), Portofino Gray (all trims), Phantom Black (all trims), Stormy Sea (all trims), Calypso Red (all trims), and Glowing Yellow (SEL, SEL Plus, N Line).








Quartz White Shimmering Sliver Pearl Hampton Gray
Portofino Gray Phantom Black Calypso Red
Glowing Yellow Stormy Sea
Exterior Gallery
*Images from Hyundai
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