If you want more economy from your new Hyundai than the 2.4-liter powered Sonata can muster, you now have a way of doing that, via the new Eco model. It sports a modern 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that makes 177 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque and can return as much as 38 mpg on the highway.
The combined figure is obviously brought down by the 28 mpg city rating, which when added up rounds out to 32 mpg combined. Hyundai says what they have achieved is “segment leading,” and a 10 percent improvement over cars running the 2.4-liter engine.
Further aiding in economy is the use of a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. This transmission is new and the Sonata Eco is the first and currently only car to use it.
Pricing for the model kicks off at $23,275 sans the $810 destination charge and comes packed with all the basic amenities one would need in a sedan of this caliber. Standard kit includes automatic headlights, 10-way-adjustable electric driver’s seat, unique stitching inside, 5-inch touchscreen infotainment, backup camera and chrome interior door handles.
The car can be specced up via a $4,100 Technology Package, which adds blind spot warning and rear-cross traffic alert, chrome exterior door handles, keyless entry and go, dual-zone climate control, part-digital gauge cluster and a larger 8-inch screen inside, to name but a few.
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
