The 2022 Hyundai Sonata proves that the sedan is far from extinct. Its anti-SUV image is lean and sleek, practically on par with some BMW and Audi sedans, yet the Sonata’s price tag starts around $25,000.
In typical Hyundai fashion, the Sonata is loaded with standard features, offers a wide range of prices and optional equipment, and comes backed by one of the best warranties in the industry. The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty practically ensure you’ll never have to worry about getting stuck with a lemon.
But, the Sonata is more than just a good car with a great warranty. It is a true trendsetter, raising the bar on cars like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry by offering features like an available configurable digital instrument cluster. However, if you’re looking for all-wheel drive, you’ll need to shop the Nissan Altima or Subaru Legacy, as the Sonata doesn’t offer it.
In the areas of interior room, trunk volume, and overall passenger comfort, the Sonata excels. Be it the base-level SE, the performance-oriented N Line, or the luxurious Limited, there’s a Sonata for just about every taste and budget. Find a 2022 Hyundai Sonata for sale
2022 Hyundai Sonata SE (Starting at $24,150)
Looking at the entry-level Sonata SE, one could be forgiven for expecting a bare-bones vehicle, especially considering its sub $25,000 asking price. But that’s not the case.
Under the Sonata SE’s hood is a 191-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. Power flows to the front wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission. This SE trim includes the Idle Stop & Go system that shuts the engine off when stopped at a light or in traffic, then immediately starts it once the gas pedal is depressed.
The Sonata includes a feature called Drive Mode that allows the driver to change the feel of the steering, throttle response, and gearshifts. Sport mode makes the Sonata more responsive and the steering more heavily weighted, whereas Eco Mode changes the throttle response and gear changes to maximize fuel efficiency. There’s also Normal, Comfort, and a Smart setting that learns and adjusts to your driving style.
The Sonata SE’s technology advances don’t stop with Drive Mode. It comes standard with a host of driver assists, including low-speed automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection and adaptive cruise control with the ability to slow down or speed up as traffic dictates. Lane-keeping assist and lane following notify the driver when drifting across lane markers and help guide the vehicle into its lane. High-Beam Assist automatically brightens and dims the high beams, helping avoid blinding oncoming drivers until they pass.
Other thoughtful technologies include a monitor that warns if the driver is nodding off or appears distracted, and warning alerts if a person or pet remains in the rear seat after the driver has exited the vehicle. Hyundai’s Hill Assist Control keeps the Sonata from rolling backward when starting from a stopped position on a steep incline.
Also standard is a rearview monitor with dynamic guidelines.
The SE is slated to gain a blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert, but only on cars produced after September 2021.
Other standard safety features of note include nine airbags (front, front side-impact, side curtain, and driver’s knee), electronic stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, and a tire pressure monitor. Sonatas built after September 2021 see the temporary spare tire replaced by a tire repair kit.
The SE comes standard with 16-inch alloy wheels, as well as LED headlights, daytime running lights, and taillights. The Sonata SE’s side mirrors are power-operated, but if you need them heated, you’ll need to move up the SEL trim.
On the comfort and convenience list is a driver’s auto up/down power window, remote keyless entry with alarm, cloth upholstery, 6-way manually adjustable driver and passenger seats, single-zone manual air conditioning, outdoor temperature display, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, and a tilt/telescopic steering wheel with controls for cruise, Bluetooth, and audio.
The SE’s audio system features six speakers and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but no ability for satellite radio or Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics. The system also includes one USB charge port.
Interior color options are limited to gray and black.
There are no option packages for the SE, but several dealer-installed options, such as floor mats, cargo carriers, and wheel locks, are available.
With the $1,005 destination fee, the 2022 Hyundai Sonata SE costs $25,155. With no money down on a 60-month loan at 3% financing, the monthly payment comes to $452.
2022 Hyundai Sonata SE Includes:
- Adaptive cruise control – Allows the Sonata to maintain a set distance between it and the vehicle ahead. The system can slow, stop, and then resume all without input from the driver.
- Automatic emergency braking – Watches for cars, people, or bicycles in the Sonata’s path and warns the driver of a possible collision. If the driver fails to respond, in certain conditions, the system can slow or stop the vehicle before an accident can occur.
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – Allows full smartphone integration, giving access to features like Google Maps, Apple Music, text messaging, and other apps.
- High Beam Assist – Automatically controls the car’s high beams, dimming them when detecting approaching headlights and reactivating once the coast is clear. Find a 2022 Hyundai Sonata SE for sale
2022 Hyundai Sonata SEL ($25,950)
The SEL has the same powertrain and standard driver assists as the SE but with more standard equipment and optional upgrades. The SEL is a better buy for the money, and the trim we’d consider the value leader.
Choosing the SEL brings the deletion of the Idle Stop & Go system and a sportier appearance. The SEL touts a revised grille and front end, twin-tip muffler, and 17-inch alloy wheels. It also gains heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators and laminated front side glass to help reduce wind noise.
Hyundai’s proximity remote key fob allows entry to the vehicle simply by having the fob with you. Once inside, there’s no need for an ignition key. Just push a button, and you’re on your way. The fob can also be used to access the trunk, requiring only that the owner stands for a few seconds behind the car, at which point the spring-loaded trunk lid pops open.
The SEL retains the SE’s cloth seats, but there are more interior upgrades, such as leatherette door panel inserts and liquid chrome accents. An 8-way power driver’s seat replaces the SE’s manual seat, and the instrument cluster gets a 4.2-inch color LCD display. Also included are a dual-zone automatic climate control system, heated front seats, and passenger auto up/down power window. Hyundai’s Safe Exit Warning alerts exiting passengers to approaching traffic.
On the multimedia front, the SEL adds SiriusXM satellite radio and Blue Link. Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics is a subscription-based service that offers features such as vehicle status updates (battery health, windows down reminder, remote trunk release), and remote start. The system includes user profiles that remember individual preferences for audio, navigation, and other settings. A cloud-based storage system means users can carry settings from one vehicle to another, a helpful tool when buying another Hyundai.
The optional SEL Convenience Package features panoramic glass sunroof, 12.3-inch LCD digital instrument cluster, LED interior lights, leather-wrapped steering wheel, plus rear-seat air vents and USB port. Also in the package is a wireless charging pad and Hyundai Digital Key, a credit card-sized pass key allowing entry to the vehicle. The Digital Key can also be activated via a smartphone, but only if it’s an Android model.
With the $1,005 destination charge, the 2022 Hyundai Sonata SEL costs $26,955. A 60-month loan at 3% with no money down yields a monthly payment of $484. That’s just $32 more each month over the lesser equipped SE.
2022 Hyundai Sonata SEL Includes:
- 8-way power driver’s seat – Makes it much easier to find a comfortable driving position.
- Dual-zone automatic climate control – Makes it much easier for driver and passenger to find just the right temperature setting.
- Proximity key – Makes it much easier to get into the Sonata and start it. No more fumbling for key fob buttons in the dark or when you don’t have a free hand.
- Heated side mirrors – No more using your thumb or the odd plastic scrap to clear frost and snow from the side mirrors. Just turn on the rear defroster, and the mirrors clear themselves. Find a 2022 Hyundai Sonata SEL for sale
2022 Hyundai Sonata SEL Plus ($31,150)
As its name implies, the SEL Plus takes all that’s delightful with the SEL and adds even more good stuff.
Changes begin under the hood, where a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine replaces the SEL’s 2.5-liter engine. Oddly, the 1.6-liter has 11 less horsepower than the 2.5, but 14 lb-ft more torque and torque is the force needed when demanding quick acceleration. The fuel economy is virtually identical.
Because turbos make everyone feel like a racecar driver, the SEL Plus gets a nifty set of steering-wheel paddle shifters; 19-inch wheels and all-season tires improve handling but also make the ride a bit stiffer.
Inside, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster replaces the SEL’s analog gauges, and the infotainment screen grows to 10.25 inches. The new infotainment system brings navigation, Highway Drive Assist (allows the vehicle to match posted speed limits when using the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping features), and casual speech recognition.
A 12-speaker Bose audio system, Hyundai Digital Key (see SEL Convenience Package), and a wireless smartphone charging pad also come at no extra charge.
Rounding out that Plus’ perks are a panoramic glass sunroof, Dinamica microfiber cloth seat inserts, second-row air vents and USB port, leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminum pedals, and an auto-dimming interior mirror.
The SEL Plus has no option packages or standalone factory options.
With the destination charge, the 2022 Hyundai Sonata SEL Plus comes to $32,155. With no money down, a 3% loan for 60 months produces a $578 monthly payment. That’s a pretty big jump over the SEL with the Convenience Package unless you just can’t live without the turbocharged engine, larger 10.25-inch touchscreen, navigation, and Bose audio.
2022 Hyundai Sonata SEL Plus Includes:
- Turbocharged engine – Although not all that much more powerful or fuel-efficient than the SEL’s base engine, the 1.6-liter turbo does provide a more spirited driving experience and paddle shifters for those who like shifting for themselves.
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster – Usually only found on high-end luxury cars, this configurable digital cluster looks fantastic.
- Navigation – Hyundai’s latest navigation system comes with an upgraded infotainment system and a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen.
- Rear seat air vents – Seems like such a minor thing until you’re the one in the back seat with limited cooling options. Find the 2022 Hyundai Sonata SEL Plus for sale
2022 Hyundai Sonata N Line ($33,450)
When it comes to turbocharging, the N Line’s 290-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder puts the SEL Plus’ 1.6-liter unit to shame. If you’re all about speed and handling, this is the Sonata to get. Along with a significant boost in power, the N Line gets a dual-clutch automatic transmission for faster manual gear changes, a performance-oriented electric power steering unit, and revised Drive Mode settings for Normal, Custom, Sport, and Sport+.
The N Line is immediately recognizable from its unique exterior N Line treatment, 19-inch N Line alloy wheels, and rear spoiler. Summer tires are optional.
Inside, the N Line mimics all the standard features of the SEL Plus, but with unique sport front seats and leather-wrapped N Line sport steering wheel.
For even more pizzazz, the N Line Night Edition brings a carbon-fiber trunk lip spoiler, matte-black alloy wheels, red brake calipers, dark-chrome badges, and matte-black mirror caps and door handles (body-colored when ordered in Quartz White).
With destination, the 2022 Hyundai Sonata N Line comes to $34,455. With no money down on a 60-month loan at 3% financing, the monthly payment comes to $619.
2022 Hyundai Sonata N Line Includes:
- 2.5-liter turbocharged engine – With 290 horsepower, this engine has the muscle to back up the N Line’s menacing good looks yet still delivers good fuel economy with a combined 27 mpg.
- Drive Mode – Enhanced for performance driving, the Sport and Sport+ modes enable aggressive driving. In Sport+, the traction control gets switched off, putting the driver firmly in charge of how far to push before tire slipping ensues.
- Panoramic sunroof – Covering both rows, this massive glass sunroof allows everyone to enjoy more sunlight and fresh air.
- Bose audio – The 12-speaker Bose system is a fitting addition, doing for music what the N Line’s turbocharged engine does for acceleration. Find the 2022 Hyundai Sonata N Line for sale
2022 Hyundai Sonata Limited ($34,100)
The pinnacle of Sonata indulgence is the Limited trim. It contains all the equipment found on the SEL with the Convenience Package and borrows the SEL Plus’ 1.6-liter turbocharged engine.
From here, the Limited gets outfitted with leather upholstery, 6-way power passenger seat, memory settings for the driver’s seat and mirrors, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, and leatherette-wrapped dash.
Furthering its status as the Sonata flagship, the Limited brings ambient interior lighting, color head-up display, and rain-sensing wipers.
Additional driver aids include front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree surround-view monitor, rear automatic emergency braking, and Blind-Spot View Monitor that displays a camera image in the digital instrument cluster whenever the turn signal is engaged.
Hyundai’s Remote Parking Assist allows for remote front and rear parking with the driver outside the vehicle. A button on the key fob initiates the process by which the Sonata can pull itself forward or backward, stopping when it comes within a few feet of another object.
With the $1,005 destination fee, the 2022 Hyundai Sonata Limited comes to $35,105. With no money down and a 60-month loan at 3%, the Limited’s monthly payment comes to $631.
2022 Hyundai Sonata Limited Includes:
- Blind-Spot View Monitor – Uses cameras in the side mirrors to display an image of what’s next to the Sonata. The system activates with the turn signal, displaying an image in the digital instrument cluster.
- Remote Parking Assist – Automatically pulls the car forward or backward without the risk of hitting anything. Most helpful in tight parking situations or when you need to move the vehicle a few feet ahead without being behind the wheel (think expired parking meter).
- Leather upholstery – Always a nice touch, the Limited’s leather seats are soft and stylish and easy to keep clean.
- Ventilated front seats – Keeps the front -seat passenger cool in the summer, helping limit excess perspiration when first sitting on warm seats. Find the 2022 Hyundai Sonata Limited for sale
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