Bang for Your Buck Series: The 2021 Hyundai Sonata

When you see the Hyundai name you instantly know you’re getting a lot for your money. The 2021 Hyundai Sonata gives you the value you desire.

This midsize sedan is in a class that has shrunk in recent years but it continues to bring you the quality, packaging, and excellence that make it a car that can give you the most bang for your buck.

What Makes a Car One that Brings Excellent Value?

If you’re looking for a car that can help you get the most out of your money, you’re looking for a vehicle that’s efficient, offers you tons of features, and gives you the peace of mind you’re looking for. You want to enjoy high resale value, a warranty that is unmatched, and items that turn complaints into conveniences when you’re ready to take a drive on the road.

The Hyundai Sonata does all of these things and more. This car gives you excellent front legroom to offer you the comfort you’ll enjoy, it’s efficient, it has standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and you’ll have a long list of safety features and driver-assist features. The class-leading warranty is perfect for you and you’ll find a few different trims to give you pricing options to make sure you have the package that makes the most sense to you.

Check Out the New Items for the 2021 Hyundai Sonata

This Hyundai is packaged with some new items that you’ll find if you move up from the base model. Some of these items include 19-inch wheels and Pirelli tires for the SEL Plus trim, Safe Exit Warning for the SEL, SEL Plus, and Limited model, and a six-way power passenger seat in the SEL trim. The sporty Sonata N Line is also new but might not give you the value play you’re looking for.

Value Found in the Price

We don’t often like to talk price, but when value is on the line its an important part of the equation. The base SE model of the Hyundai Sonata starts at $23,600 with the SEL coming in at $25,700. Move to the SEL Plus and you’ll pay $28,200 while the Limited model asks you to fork out $33,850, which is more than $10,000 above the base price. The N Line model comes to you with a starting price of $33,200.

For comparison, these prices are a little less than the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Mazda6, and Nissan Altima, which makes it easy to see how the Hyundai Sonata can give you the most bang for your buck.

Reviewing the Standard Equipment Packages on the 2021 Hyundai Sonata

Let’s look at the four main trims of the Hyundai Sonata and give you an idea of the standard packaging you’ll find to match the price levels.

Sonata SE

• Eight-inch touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Forward Emergency Braking
• Lane-Keeping assist
• 16-inch alloy wheels

Sonata SEL

• Blind-spot monitoring
• Power driver’s seat
• Heated front seats
• Dual-zone climate controls
• 17-inch wheels
• Safe Exit Warning

Sonata SEL Plus

• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• Hyundai Digital Key
• Rear-seat vents
• Leatherette/suede upholstery
• 19-inch wheel and tire package

Sonata Limited

• Leather upholstery
• Ventilated front seats
• 10.25-inch touchscreen
• Navigation system
• Panoramic sunroof
• Bose audio system
• XM satellite radio
• Six-way power passenger seat
• Highway Driving Assist
• Head-up display
• Surround-view camera
• Remote Smart Parking Assist

Each trim level of the Hyundai Sonata builds upon the features from the previous trim. With that in mind, the Limited just might be the value option you’re looking for.

The Power You Receive Depends on the Trim

There are three engines used in the Sonata lineup, all of which make use of an eight-speed automatic transmission. The SE and SEL models give you a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood. This engine produces 191 horsepower and 181 lb.-ft. of torque. You’ll enjoy 28 city/38 hwy mpg in the SE models and 27 city/37 hwy mpg in SEL versions.

Moving to the SEL Plus and Limited trims, you’ll find a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine for the drive. This engine gives you 180 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. Both trims return 27 city/37 hwy mpg when you drive.

Even though we didn’t review the features of the N Line version, the powertrain brings you a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 290 horsepower and 311 lb.-ft. of torque. This is still a relatively efficient sports sedan with 23 city/33 hwy mpg.

The Final Cherry on Top of the 2021 Hyundai Sonata

You can easily see how the Hyundai Sonata is made to give you the value you’re looking for, but the final topper hasn’t been covered yet. This car brings you an impressive five-year/60,000-mile standard warranty and a ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty for your drive. This warranty package is considered America’s Best Warranty and it keeps you driving happy for a long time.

Go ahead and get the most bang for your buck by trading your used Hyundai Sonata in for a new one. With a range of trims to choose from at different price levels, you’ll be more than happy to have what this car can bring to your driving experience.