New 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Has a Solar Roof, Up to 54 MPG

• The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid will earn an EPA-estimated 52 mpg combined in its Blue trim level.
• The new hybrid can have a solar panel roof, which adds limited driving range and helps keep the Sonata’s 12-volt and hybrid batteries charged.
• New shift programming means that the six-speed automatic is smoother and quicker-shifting than in the previous generation.

The Hyundai Sonata family, made newly handsome with the release of the eighth-generation model last fall, has grown this week to accommodate a hybrid variant. The hybrid has been shown previously in its Korean specification, but this is the first time we’ve seen the version that will come to the U.S. The basics of the hybrid powertrain haven’t changed much in the new generation, but Hyundai has made some tweaks that should help improve the driving experience, and fuel economy numbers are significantly improved.

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The Sonata hybrid will still have a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, electric motor, and six-speed automatic transmission. There’s new shift programming for the transmission this year, which Hyundai says will make shifts smoother and quicker by continually monitoring the rotational speeds of the transmission and engine to select the optimal shift point. The powertrain will make 192 horsepower in total. That’s 1 horsepower less than in last year’s model, but we doubt you’ll notice the difference.

If you’re cross shopping this car with the 2019 Sonata Hybrid, you probably will notice that there’s a new, extra fuel-efficient trim in the mix, called Blue. Hyundai is mum on details, but if it follows in the path of the Hyundai Ioniq’s Blue trim the Sonata Hybrid Blue will have decreased feature content, low-rolling resistance tires, and a cheaper base price than its siblings. According to EPA estimates, it will earn 52 mpg combined, 54 mpg on the highway, and 50 mpg in the city and be capable of traveling up to 686 miles on a single tank of gas. SEL and Limited versions of the hybrid achieve a still-impressive 47 mpg combined, 51 mpg highway, and 45 mpg city.

The Sonata Hybrid’s electric driving range can be ever-so-slightly extended by the available solar panel roof, which Hyundai says can add roughly two miles of range per day (provided it is exposed to sunlight for six hours). The solar roof can also help keep the car’s 12-volt and hybrid batteries charged even when the car is parked.

The Sonata Hybrid will be on sale this spring, but Hyundai hasn’t released pricing details yet. The company has promised that several driver assist systems, including forward collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic assist, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist, will be standard. An app-based digital key is new this year, too, and will allow drivers to share access to their Sonata with friends and family members and set limits on feature use—a particularly useful feature for families with young drivers in the household.